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March 28, 2012

Dr. Robert Pohanka Appointed as Director of the NNCO

Lynn L. Bergeson

On March 20, 2012, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) announced the appointment of Dr. Robert Pohanka as the Director of the NNCO. The NNCO provides technical and administrative support to the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee, serves as a central point of contact for federal nanotechnology research and development activities, and provides public outreach on behalf of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). Dr. Pohanka previously served as the Director of the Defense Venture Catalyst Initiative (DeVenCI), where he led and directed the strategy for finding private sector technologies, developed independently of the Department of Defense (DoD), and transitioned them to DoD Research, Development, and Acquisition. Prior to leading the DeVenCI program, Dr. Pohanka served as the Head of the Materials and Physical Sciences Department at the Office of Naval Research, where he was responsible for leading and directing the strategy for planning and executing a broad range of science and technology investments from basic physics and chemistry at the nanometer scale to engineering solutions for aircraft carriers.  During this period, Dr. Pohanka also served as Director for the Materials Science and Technology Division and as Director for the Ship, Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical Division.