David B. Berkowitz, Elmer H. and Ruby M. Cordes Professor of Chemistry at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has been named vice president for research at the University of Georgia. His appointment begins July 1.
Berkowitz currently serves as assistant director of the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, where he oversees approximately $1.7 billion in research and infrastructure funding across astronomy, chemistry, materials science, mathematics and physics. He previously served four years as NSF division director for chemistry and has held leadership roles shaping national science policy through interagency initiatives and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
At Nebraska, Berkowitz is co-lead of the Nebraska Drug Discovery and Development Pipeline, a systemwide collaboration that has secured about $46 million in federal funding, including support for research aimed at developing treatments for acute radiation syndrome. His research program focuses on the intersection of chemistry and biology, with recognized contributions in biocatalysis, chemical biology and drug discovery.
Berkowitz is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Chemical Society and has received national recognition for his research, teaching and leadership.
