Yale Biologist Named to White House Post

Jo Handelsman, professor of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology at Yale University, has been selected by President Obama as associate director for science at the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

In commenting on the Handelsman appointment, Yale University President Peter Salovey stated, “She is passionate about improving science education and spurring increased opportunities for women and minorities in the sciences. We know she will bring considerable energy, enthusiasm, and dedication to her new position.”

Professor Handelsman is a graduate of Cornell University. She earned a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She taught at the University of Wisconsin for 25 years before joining the faculty at Yale in 2010 as the Frederick Phineas Rose Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology.