Arthur Bienenstock

Arthur Bienenstock

Arthur Bienenstock is currently the Special Assistant to the President for Federal Research Policy, Director of the Wallenberg Research Link and Professor emeritus of Photon Science at Stanford University. He also serves as a member of the National Science Board, the governing body of the National Science Foundation. Prior to his retirement in March, 2010, he also held the position of professor in the Applied Physics and Materials Science & Engineering Departments. From 2003 to 2006, he was the Vice Provost and Dean of Research and Graduate Policy. From 2002 to 2003, he was the director of the Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials and from 1978 to 1997, he directed the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. During the last five years of his tenure as director, he also served as associate director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center.

In 1997, he was nominated by President Clinton to become associate director for science of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. As associate director — along with the director of the National Institutes of Health and the director of the National Science Foundation — Bienenstock filled one of the administration’s key positions in the area of science. In that role, he was a strong advocate for federal research funding and provided guidance on complex scientific and policy issues.

At Stanford, he has also held the positions of vice provost for faculty affairs (1972-1977); associate professor, applied physics and materials science & engineering (1967-1972); and at Harvard University, assistant professor of applied physics (1963-1967).

He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Physical Society. He received the Cuthbertson Award from Stanford University (2010), Ph.D. (Honorary) from Lund University (2006), the Distinguished Contribution to Research Administration Award from the Society of Research Administrators (2000); a Ph.D. (Honorary) from Polytechnic University (1998); and the Rector’s Lecture and Medal from the University of Helsinki (1994). Bienenstock was a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (1989-1990 and 1993-1996) and a member of the Board of Trustees, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (1983-1988).

Bienenstock received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics from Polytechnic University of New York, Brooklyn and his doctorate in applied physics from Harvard University. He served as a CCST Board member from 2006-2007 and was appointed a CCST Fellow in 2008.