Richard W. SpinradDr. Richard Spinrad, Under Secretary of Commerce and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Professor Emeritus of Oceanography at Oregon State University (OSU), past member of the Ocean Studies Board of the Natioal Academies, and a past President of the Marine Technology Society. In 2016 he retired as Chief Scientist of the NOAA, as appointed by President Barack Obama. Dr. Spinrad was the Vice President for Research at OSU, and previously was the head of NOAA’s Research Office and the National Ocean Service. He co-led the White House Committee developing the nation’s first set of ocean research priorities. Dr. Spinrad was a Senior Executive with the U.S. Navy, where he was awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Award (highest civilian award in the Navy). He held faculty appointments at three universities, served as Executive Director at the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education, and was President of Sea Tech, Inc. He also created the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. Dr. Spinrad was the U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. Spinrad received Presidential Rank Awards from Presidents Bush and Obama, is past president of The Oceanography Society, and is a Fellow of 3 professional societies. Dr. Spinrad holds degrees from The Johns Hopkins University and OSU. Read More Read Less