Dr. Ali Nouri is the President of the Federation of American Scientists. His scientific publications are in the fields of virology, cell biology, and developmental biology. His policy focus is in the areas of science and technology capacity in Congress, dual-use biotechnology, and infectious disease. Prior to assuming his role at FAS Nouri served in Congress advising Senators Jim Webb and Al Franken over a ten year period. He served in various positions including as legislative director, national security advisor, energy and environment advisor, and as a science and technology advisor. He began his Senate career as a AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow.

Nouri is co-chair of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s New Voices initiative; serves on the upcoming National Academy’s Global Science Diplomacy Roundtable; and chairs the AAAS Science and Engineering Fellowship Advisory Committee. He also serves on the MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change Wise Head Panel.

Nouri previously served as an advisor in the office of then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and as a research associate at Princeton University’s Princeton School of Public and International Affairs where he developed initiatives to bolster global health, while working to reduce the risk of deliberate biological weapon attacks.

He holds a B.A. in Biology from Reed College and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Princeton University.

Dr. Nouri participated in the first annual GradFUTURES Forum. View his talk here:

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Dr. Nouri published a column, "The Crucial Need for Public Service Scientists," in Inside Higher Ed, in which he and Jennifer Pearl argue that there has never been a more important moment for universities to encourage STEM PhDs to step into the policy-making arena.