Washington, D.C. -  U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson today issued the following statement in response to President Bush’s appointment of University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman to the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

“Chancellor Herman is an excellent and logical choice to participate on this all-important panel that will help direct the focus of the nation’s science and engineering efforts for years to come,” said Rep. Johnson, a member of the House Science Committee.'

“I’m delighted the President underscored this initiative in his State of the Union address and even more pleased to see he is following through with appointments of this caliber. Chancellor Herman is among few leaders in the public or private sector who grasp the genius of interdisciplinary research endeavors that have distinguished the University of Illinois and that hold uncalculated promise for the nation.”

Chancellor Herman was one of 14 leaders in the field of science and engineering whose appointments were announced Monday.

The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is charged with providing the President with an independent assessment of progress in technology developments. PCAST’s role is particularly significant in helping launch the American Competitiveness Initiative, a renewed effort on the part of the White House to bolster research and development.

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