Dr. Juan Gilbert, UF Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Computer and Information Science and Engineering and member of FICS, was appointed by President Biden to the National Science Board, which serves as an independent body of advisors to the president and Congress on policy matters related to science, technology, and math and also provides direction to the National Science Foundation. Dr. Gilbert’s research projects include election security, usability, and accessibility, advanced learning technologies, human-centered artificial intelligence and machine learning, and ethnocomputing, or culturally relevant computing. Notably, his work has included the pioneering of voting systems that prioritize security and accessibility.

“Serving on the National Science Board is a tremendous honor and responsibility. The ability to set the scientific agenda for the nation is a major responsibility,” Gilbert said. “Also, serving as an expert to the President and Congress is an acknowledgment of the research accomplishments from our lab over the years. Serving with so many other esteemed researchers and leaders is humbling. I am truly honored to be a member of the NSB.”
“This tremendous honor marks far more than Juan’s technical acumen or his relentless drive to help students from all walks of life become leaders in STEM fields,” said Forrest Masters, Ph.D., interim dean for UF’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. “What it tells us is that Juan is a trusted voice that the president of the United States deems vital in the shaping the nation’s science agenda.”

Dr. Gilbert was one of only 8 people appointed to the NSB this year. In addition to publishing major reports, the board also prepares policy papers and statements on issues of importance to U.S. science and engineering.
Click here for the full White House Announcement.