On behalf of the ARCUS Board of Directors I am very pleased to welcome Robert H. Rich, PhD, CAE as our new Executive Director. Dr. Rich brings a long track record of success in support of scientific collaboration and discovery. He will be based in the Washington, D.C. area allowing ARCUS to increase its presence and strengthen its ability to establish new collaborations within the national and international science community. Rich assumed the duties of leading our staff on 18 May 2015 and succeeds Acting Executive Director Helen Wiggins, who will remain as Director of Programs.
Most recently, Dr. Rich served as Director of Strategy Development for the American Chemical Society (ACS), where he served for 16 years in a variety of roles including career development, research grants, membership, and strategy. Prior to joining the ACS, he worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Research Competitiveness Program and at the U.S. National Institutes of Health in fundamental research and in the Office of Science Policy.
Rich earned a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, a Master's degree from Harvard University, and a Bachelor's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, all in chemistry. He resides in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife and daughter.
As our ARCUS Treasurer Jay Gulledge observed, "With the United States becoming the Chair of the Arctic Council, and the recent rollout of President Obama's National Arctic Strategy Implementation Plan, the need for leadership on Arctic research has never been more pressing."
We look forward to working with Dr. Rich to advance the role of ARCUS in development of collaborative and interdisciplinary partnerships that will maximize the impact of Arctic research. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Rich to our community.
Michael Retelle
President, ARCUS Board of Directors