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Cita Furlani appointed by
White House
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For Immediate Release
202-456-6108
September 26, 2000
CITA FURLANI NAMED AS DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL COORDINATION OFFICE
FOR COMPUTING, INFORMATION, AND COMMUNICATIONS
Neal Lane, the President's Science Advisor, announced today that he
will appoint Ms. Cita Furlani as Director of the National Coordination
Office for Computing, Information, and Communications, effective October
1, 2000. Ms. Furlani will replace Ms. Kay Howell, who served ably
as the NCO Director since December 1997, leading the Federal interagency
Information Technology Research and Development (IT R&D) program through
a period of rapid growth and helping to increase its prominence as
a centerpiece of the President's 21st Century Research Agenda.
The National Coordination Office, established under the White House
Office of Science and Technology Policy's National Science and Technology
Council, is responsible for coordinating the Federal interagency IT
R&D programs. As part of this effort, the National Coordination Office
works closely with the Interagency Working Group (IWG) for IT R&D
to formulate implementation plans and a unique crosscutting budget
to assure that the overall Federal information technology research
is properly focused on the research priorities established by the
IWG. The National Coordination Office also supports the influential
President's Information Technology Advisory Committee, which provides
guidance to the President on key issues related to IT research.
Ms. Furlani is currently the Acting Deputy Director of the Advanced
Technology Program (ATP) at the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, providing leadership for ATP?s portfolio of over 200 projects
that advance high-risk, high-impact technologies. She works extensively
with industry to develop Federal IT research programs which complement
private sector investments in areas that include healthcare, component-based
software, manufacturing automation, photonics and microelectronics
manufacturing, intelligent control, electronic commerce, adaptive
learning systems, and semiconductor lithography. Previously, Ms. Furlani
directed the interagency Committee on Applications and Technology
of the former Information Infrastructure Task Force (IITF) on behalf
of the NIST Director, helping to create the Administration's National
Information Infrastructure (NII) Agenda for Action and supporting
the work of the NII Advisory Council.
"Ms. Furlani has an outstanding record of serving the national interest
through her leadership in our Federal technology programs," said Dr.
Lane. "Her knowledge and expertise in advancing the applications of
information technology -- so critical to our economic productivity
-- will be especially valuable."
An employee of NIST since 1981, Ms. Furlani holds a Master of Science
degree in Electronics and Computer Engineering from George Mason University
and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics and Mathematics from Texas
Christian University. |
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