Victor McCrary has been elected chair of the National Science Board. In this role, he will lead the advisory board for the U.S. National Science Foundation and advise the U.S. Congress and president on policies relating to science and engineering.
A member of the National Science Board since 2016, Dr. McCray has served as the board’s vice chair for the past five years. He was recently reappointed to a second term on the board in 2022 and will remain a member through 2028.
Currently, Dr. McCrary is vice president for research and professor of chemistry at the University of the District of Columbia. There, he oversees the strategic growth of the HBCU’s research enterprise, focusing on fostering innovation, securing grants, and building external partnerships. Earlier, he worked for another HBCU, Morgan State University in Baltimore, where he was the first-ever vice president for research and economic development. He has also held leadership positions in research at the University of Tennessee and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
“We can’t succeed in a new era with yesterday’s playbook,” says McCrary. “The National Science Board supports President Trump’s aspiration for a Golden Age of American Innovation and will continue to work in partnership with the White House, the Congress and leaders across business, academia, national security, and state sectors for a vibrant, innovative National Science Foundation and U.S. S&T enterprise that delivers on urgent national priorities and improves the lives of all Americans.”
Dr. McCrary holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the Catholic University of America, a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Howard University.
