Alondra Nelson, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s deputy director for science and technology, was announced Wednesday by Biden as the temporary director of his office.
Biden also announced that Dr. Francis Collins has been lured out of retirement to temporarily serve as the president’s chief scientist adviser. Collins, who had been the director of the National Institutes of Health for 12 years, resigned in December.
Nelson and Collins will continue to serve until Biden nominates permanent replacements. To confirm a nominee for the Science and Technology Policy Office, the Senate must vote.
Eric Lander was Biden’s chief scientist adviser and head the science and technology offices. He resigned last Wednesday after the White House confirmed that there had been credible evidence that he mistreated staff.
An internal review that was initiated by a workplace complaint last year found evidence that Lander bullied and treated staff members disrespectfully. Lander was rebuked by the White House, who initially indicated that he would be permitted to keep his job. However, he later resigned.
Lander was the first cabinet-level departure from the Biden administration.
