UMD School of Public Policy’s Jacques Gansler Appointed to Serve as University Co-Chair of National Academies’ Science-Technology Roundtable

College Park, Md. – University of Maryland School of Public Policy Professor Jacques Gansler has been nominated to serve as the next university co-chair of the Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable (GUIRR), a National Academies organization that explores issues related to the national and global science and technology agenda. 

Gansler, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, will succeed former UMD President C. Dan Mote, Jr. as GUIRR co-chair, beginning June 1.  Mote held the position for the past two three-year terms and has accepted the position of president of the National Academy of Engineering. 

In addition to GUIRR, Gansler is also chairing two committees for the National Academies, “Integrating Humans, Machines and Networks: A Global Review of Data-to-Decision Technologies” and “Small Business Innovative Research.”

Gansler served as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics from 1997-2001 and now holds the Roger C. Lipitz Chair in Public Policy and Private Enterprise at the UMD School of Public Policy.  He also directs the UMD School of Public Policy’s Center for Public Policy and Private Enterprise, a research center focused on the relationship between government and the private sector. 

As GUIRR co-chair, Gansler will help set the agenda for the organization, which regularly convenes senior representatives from government, universities, and industry to define and explore critical issues related to the national and global science and technology agenda.

“Government, industry and academia must collaborate in order to solve current and future complex global problems, making the work of the Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable absolutely critical,” Gansler said.  “This opportunity enables me to build on the work I’ve been devoted to throughout my career, especially the research at the School of Public Policy’s Center for Public Policy and Private Enterprise.  I’m very pleased to assume the chairmanship of this prestigious organization.”

UMD School of Public Policy Dean Donald Kettl said: “Jack brings unparalleled leadership and expertise in government-university-industry collaboration and a commitment to improving the effectiveness of the nation in science and technology.  This prestigious appointment is another example of the depth of leadership and the impact of our faculty and research centers, particularly when it comes to bringing together the public, private and nonprofit sectors to create national and international policy solutions.”

In addition to his position at the UMD School of Public Policy, Gansler is the Glenn L. Martin Institute Fellow of Engineering at the UMD A. James Clark School of Engineering, and an Affiliate Faculty member at UMD’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.  He has also held leadership positions in industry.

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Jennifer Talhelm

Director of Strategic Communications

School of Public Policy
University of Maryland

2101B Van Munching Hall

College Park, MD 20742

Tel. 301.405.4390


About the UMD School of Public Policy

The School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland is an internationally renowned program dedicated to improving public policy and international affairs.  It is the only such school in the capital area embedded within a major public research institution.  The school prepares knowledgeable and innovative leaders to make an impact on the profound challenges of the 21st century.  Faculty include the 2005 winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics; former officials who have held key positions in Democratic and Republican administrations, including U.S. trade representative, undersecretary of defense, commissioner of the Social Security Administration, and director of the U.S. National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect; and leading researchers in a host of public policy disciplines.