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Alondra Nelson
Alondra Nelson, OSTP Deputy Director.jpg
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
Acting
In office
February 18, 2022 – October 3, 2022
President Joe Biden
Preceded by Eric Lander
Succeeded by Arati Prabhakar
Personal details
Born (1968-04-22) April 22, 1968 (age 57)
Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Education University of California, San Diego (BA)
New York University (MPhil, PhD)

Alondra Nelson (born April 22, 1968) is an American expert in many fields. She is a professor, a writer, and an advisor on important policies. She teaches at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.

From 2021 to 2023, Alondra Nelson worked for President Joe Biden. She was a top leader in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). This office helps the President make decisions about science and technology. From February to October 2022, she was the acting director of OSTP. She was the first African American person and the first woman of color to lead this important office.

Before working for the President, she led the Social Science Research Council. This group helps people study society. She also taught sociology at Columbia University and Yale University.

Nelson writes and speaks a lot about how science, technology, and medicine affect everyone. She focuses on how these areas connect with fairness and equality. Her books include The Social Life of DNA, which looks at how DNA testing relates to race and history. In October 2023, she was chosen to join a special UN group. This group advises on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Early Life and Education

Alondra Nelson was born in Bethesda, Maryland, in 1968. She grew up in San Diego, California.

In 1994, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in anthropology. She studied at the University of California, San Diego. She then earned her Ph.D. in American studies from New York University in 2003.

Career Highlights

Alondra Nelson has had a very impressive career. She has taught at top universities and led important organizations.

Teaching and Leadership at Universities

From 2003 to 2009, Nelson taught at Yale University. She was a professor of African American studies and sociology. She was the first African American woman to join the Sociology Department at Yale.

In 2009, she moved to Columbia University. There, she became the first African American person to become a tenured professor in the Sociology Department. She also led the Institute for Research on Women and Gender. Later, she became the first Dean of Social Science for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In this role, she helped start many new programs. These programs focused on topics like racial fairness and civil rights.

In 2019, she joined the Institute for Advanced Study. This is a famous research center where Albert Einstein once worked.

Leading the Social Science Research Council

In 2017, Nelson became the president and CEO of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC). She was the first African American person and the first person of color to lead this organization. During her time at SSRC, she started many new projects. These projects looked at how social media affects democracy. They also studied misinformation and how to use technology fairly. One important project was the COVID-19 and the Social Sciences platform. This platform shared research about the pandemic.

Other Important Roles

Nelson has also served on the boards of many important groups. These include the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She also worked with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. She is a director for Brotherhood/Sister Sol, a youth development group. She has been elected to several important academic groups. These include the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Public Service and White House Role

In 2021, President Joe Biden chose Alondra Nelson for a key role. She became the principal deputy director for science and society. This was part of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). People praised her appointment. They said she would help make government more inclusive. They also noted her focus on fairness in science and medicine.

Leading the OSTP

From February to October 2022, Nelson served as the acting director of OSTP. She was the first Black person and first woman of color to lead this office. In this role, she helped guide many important projects. These included:

  • Investing in clean energy.
  • Creating a "Bill of Rights" for automated technologies. This helps make sure AI is fair and safe.
  • Developing a plan for fairness in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
  • Helping to use data to guide new laws.

She also worked to make science policy more open to the public. She represented the United States in science discussions around the world. This included meetings with leaders from other countries.

Key Initiatives at OSTP

As deputy director, Nelson led a team that reviewed scientific policies. This team worked to prevent political interference in science. She also worked on policies to make science more open to everyone. She helped create the "Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights." This document outlines how AI should be developed and used fairly.

Her time at OSTP ended in February 2023. In October 2023, she was chosen to join the UN's advisory group on AI. In October 2024, President Biden appointed her to the National Science Board. This board helps guide the National Science Foundation.

Writing and Research

Alondra Nelson's writing explores how science, technology, and medicine connect with inequality. She believes that innovation should benefit everyone. She has written a lot about genetics, race, and how they relate to history.

Early Work

In the late 1990s, Nelson helped start the study of race and technology. In 2001, she co-edited a book called Technicolor: Race, Technology and Everyday Life. This was one of the first books to look at how race affects technology.

She also started an online community called "Afrofuturism" in 1998. Afrofuturism is a way of looking at the future through the eyes of Black people. It explores themes of being different and hoping for a better future. Nelson also discussed the "digital divide." She argued that simply giving people access to technology might not solve inequality. She said that other factors are also very important.

Recent Books

Nelson's 2011 book, Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight Against Medical Discrimination, was highly praised. It looked at how the Black Panther Party worked to improve health care.

In 2016, she published The Social Life of DNA: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliation After the Genome. This book is about how Black communities use genetic ancestry testing. It shows how science can help people connect with their past and build new identities. This book was called a "landmark book" and was a finalist for several awards.

Articles and Commentary

Nelson's writings have appeared in many major newspapers and magazines. These include The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian.

Awards and Honors

Alondra Nelson has received many awards and honors for her work:

Personal Life

Alondra Nelson was born in Bethesda, Maryland. Her father was in the U.S. Navy. Her mother worked for the U.S. Army. She is the oldest of four children. She grew up in San Diego, California. She went to the University of San Diego High School.

Nelson is married to Garraud Etienne. He works for a non-profit organization.

Images for kids

  • Alondra Nelson, OSTP Deputy Director

    Alondra Nelson

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