NSF appoints Don Millard as deputy assistant director for the Engineering Directorate

Don Millard

Dr. Don Millard becomes deputy assistant director for the Engineering Directorate.


August 12, 2022

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has selected Dr. Don Millard as deputy assistant director for Engineering. Millard, who begins his appointment on August 14, 2022, currently serves in the NSF Engineering Directorate as the deputy division director for the Division of Engineering Education and Centers.

“In addition to his engineering expertise, Dr. Millard brings an outstanding track record in collaboration and partnerships, a deep commitment to education and mentoring, and a passion for diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Susan Margulies, NSF assistant director for Engineering. “I am excited for him to take this role at a time when we are investing in greater access to engineering careers and in fundamental research to address many national challenges.”

Millard came to NSF in 2010 as a program director in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, where he was involved in the Advanced Technology Education program and programs for undergraduate STEM education. In 2015, he joined the Directorate for Engineering, where he has had a leadership role in broadening participation in engineering and oversaw the development of a new generation of Engineering Research Centers. He was instrumental in the formation of the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) and Convergence Accelerator programs.

Prior to joining NSF, Millard spent 27 years at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as a faculty member in the electrical, computer and systems engineering department. His research interests include engineering education, electronics design and manufacturing, electronic media development, electrical testing methodologies, semiconductor fabrication, and non-destructive inspection and evaluation. He is the founder of the Mobile Studio project, an educational hardware platform. He earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his B.S. in electrical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

NSF’s Directorate for Engineering invests in engineering research and education to create critical building blocks for the nation's future health, prosperity and security. Engineering awards spur breakthroughs in advanced manufacturing, sustainable energy, resilient infrastructure and more. Learn more at www.nsf.gov/eng.

-NSF-

The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

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