WARRENDALE, PA—The Materials Research Society (MRS) is pleased to announce David P. Norton, University of Florida (UF), as its new Chair of the Government Affairs Committee (GAC). Norton, formerly Chair of the MRS Government Agency Subcommittee, will be a major contributor to the overall direction of MRS government affairs activities. He succeeds Kevin Whittlesey, 4D Molecular Therapeutics, who provided over nine years of outstanding service and leadership to MRS and its advocacy and public policy activities, and continues as Acting Chair of the Advocacy Education & Outreach Subcommittee.
"It is an honor to serve as Chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Materials Research Society (MRS)," states Norton. "My interactions with MRS began in the 1980s, reading articles as a student in the old blue-bound proceedings and attending my first meeting as a post-doc at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Over my career, I have benefited tremendously from MRS and its steadfast commitment to support the materials research community. As chair of this committee, I hope to give back to the Society through the committee’s efforts to positively influence governmental science and technology policy both within the US and abroad, in areas that impact how research advances our fundamental knowledge and application of materials. The support of research motivated by science-based directives is critical to the vitality of our global community. Decision makers within government and the private sector are key contributors to this endeavor. The objective of this committee is to serve as a valued resource to government leaders and the membership in the area of materials research. I look forward to working towards this goal.”
Norton is Vice President for Research at the University of Florida. Prior to that appointment, he served as Associate Dean for Research in the College of Engineering and professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He has 29 years of experience in science and technology research, having served 11 years as a research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory before joining UF as a faculty member in 2000. Over his career at ORNL and the University of Florida, Norton has published over 350 refereed journal articles with over 11,000 citations. He is an inventor on 10 patents and has presented over 70 invited presentations at national and international conferences. Norton is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Vacuum Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He holds BS and PhD degrees in electrical and computer engineering from Louisiana State University.
"MRS is thrilled to have David on board as the new Chair of the Government Affairs Committee," said Damon Dozier, Director of Government Affairs for MRS. "His experience with materials science and MRS will be a great asset as MRS expands its advocacy efforts on behalf of the materials community.” Norton has served on the MRS Government Affairs Committee since 2010 and was a member of the Government Agency Committee from 2013-2016.
Photo of Norton available upon request at [email protected].
About the Materials Research Society
MRS is an organization of over 13,000 materials researchers from academia, industry and government worldwide, and a recognized leader in promoting the advancement of interdisciplinary materials research and technology to improve the quality of life. MRS members are students and professionals hailing from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering—the full spectrum of materials research. Headquartered in Warrendale, Pennsylvania (USA), MRS membership now spans 90 countries, with approximately 45 percent of members residing outside the United States.
MRS serves and engages members across generations to advance their careers and promote materials research and innovation. The Society produces high-quality meetings and publications, assuring that members of all career stages can present and publish their most important and timely work to an international and interdisciplinary audience. MRS continues to expand its professional development portfolio, as well as promote diversity and inclusion in the scientific workforce, with career services for researchers worldwide. The Society advocates for the importance of scientific research and innovation to policymakers and the community. And the MRS Awards program honors those whose work has already had a major impact in the field, as well as those whose work shows great promise for future leadership.
For more information about the Materials Research Society visit
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@Materials_MRS.