Alan I. Leshner

Alan Leshner has held top-level scientific posts for much of his career. He served as chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and executive publisher of its journal, Science, from December 2001 through February 2015. Previously he was director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, and prior to that he had been deputy director and acting director of the National Institute of Mental Health. He also held a variety of senior positions at the National Science Foundation, focusing on basic research in the biological, behavioral, and social sciences; science policy; and science education. A member of the National Academy of Medicine, Leshner served two terms on its governing council. He also served two terms on the National Science Board, appointed first by President George W. Bush in 2004 and reappointed by President Barack Obama in 2010. He received his master’s and PhD degrees in physiological psychology from Rutgers University.