View source for Biography:Arden L. Bement Jr.

{{Infobox officeholder
|name              = Arden L. Bement Jr.
|image             = Arden-Bement-at-TTU-tn1.jpg
|caption           = Arden L. Bement Jr. in 2014
|order             = 12th
|title             = Director of the [[Organization:National Science Foundation|National Science Foundation]]
|term_start        = 2004
|term_end          = 2010
|president         = George W. Bush<br>[[Biography:Barack Obama|Barack Obama]]
|predecessor       = Rita R. Colwell
|successor         = [[Biography:Subra Suresh|Subra Suresh]]
|order2            = 5th
|title2            = Director of the [[Organization:National Institute of Standards and Technology|National Institute of Standards and Technology]]
|term_start2       = 2001
|term_end2         = 2004
|president2        = George W. Bush
|predecessor2      = Karen Brown (acting)
|successor2        = Hratch Semerjian (acting)
|birth_date        = {{b-da|May 22, 1932}}
|birth_place       = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
|death_date        = 
|death_place       = 
|residence         = 
|citizenship       = 
|nationality       = {{wipe|United States}}
| module           = 
  {{Infobox scientist | embed=yes
  |field             = Material Science and Engineering, Nuclear Engineering
  |work_institutions = General Electric Company, [[Organization:Battelle Memorial Institute|Battelle Memorial Institute]], MIT, DARPA, Office of the Secretary of Defense, [[Company:TRW Inc.|TRW]], [[Organization:Purdue University|Purdue University]], [[Organization:National Science Foundation|National Science Foundation]], [[Organization:National Institute of Standards and Technology|National Institute of Standards and Technology]]
  |alma_mater        = [[Organization:Colorado School of Mines|Colorado School of Mines]]<br />[[Organization:University of Idaho|University of Idaho]]<br />[[Organization:University of Michigan|University of Michigan]]
  |thesis_title      = Effects of cold work and neutron irradiation on the tensile properties of zircaloy-2
  |thesis_url        = https://search.proquest.com/docview/302279111/
  |thesis_year       = 1963
  |doctoral_advisor  = 
  |doctoral_students = 
  |known_for         = 
  |influences        = 
  |influenced        = 
  |prizes            = 
  }}
}}

'''Arden Lee Bement Jr.''' (born May 22, 1932) is an {{wipe|United States}} [[Engineering:Engineer|engineer]] and [[Scientist|scientist]] and has served in executive positions in government, industry and academia . 

Bement was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 1983 for contributions to the understanding of irradiation effects in nuclear materials and development of advanced materials concepts for defense applications.

He is a former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Advanced Technology, Chief Technical Officer of TRW, Director of the [[Organization:National Science Foundation|National Science Foundation]] (NSF) and Director of the [[Organization:National Institute of Standards and Technology|National Institute of Standards and Technology]] (NIST).  Following the end of his six-year term at NSF, on June 1, 2010 he became the founding director of the Global Policy Research Institute and Chief Global Affairs officer at [[Organization:Purdue University|Purdue University]].

==Biography==
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Bement started his career at Climax Molybdenum Mine after graduating from high school. His supervisor, Prentice Cain, was a graduate of the [[Organization:Colorado School of Mines|Colorado School of Mines]]. He encouraged Arden to go to Mines, in fact, he helped Arden fill out the admission form, and then made a life-changing covenant. He agreed to put up the first semester’s tuition and if Arden made it beyond the first semester, he wouldn't owe him a dime.  Unfortunately,  Prentice Cain died before he could see Arden graduate but his unselfish contribution forever changed the career path and subsequent Science and Engineering contributions from Dr. Arden Bement.

Dr. Bement holds an engineer of metallurgy degree from the [[Organization:Colorado School of Mines|Colorado School of Mines]], a master's degree in metallurgical engineering from the [[Organization:University of Idaho|University of Idaho]], a doctorate in metallurgical engineering from the [[Organization:University of Michigan|University of Michigan]],<ref name="thesis-bement-1963">{{cite thesis |url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/302279111/ |title=Effects of cold work and neutron irradiation on the tensile properties of zircaloy-2 |date=1963 |publisher=[[Organization:University of Michigan|University of Michigan]] |type=Ph.D. |last=Bement, Jr. |first=Arden Lee |via=ProQuest |url-access=subscription  |oclc=516233963}}</ref> and honorary doctorates from Cleveland State University, [[Organization:Case Western Reserve University|Case Western Reserve University]], [[Organization:Colorado School of Mines|Colorado School of Mines]], Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, [[Organization:University of Idaho|University of Idaho]], University of Macau, and the [[Organization:Michigan Technological University|Michigan Technological University]]. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Bement is also a retired lieutenant colonel of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

[[File:Arden L Bement Jr.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Bement speaking at Penn State in 2005]]
Dr. Bement served as a member of the U.S. National Commission for [[Organization:UNESCO|UNESCO]] and as the vice-chair of the Commission's Natural Sciences and Engineering Committee. He has served on and has chaired numerous NRC studies, most relevant to this study chairing the Committee on the Scientific and Technical Assessment of Stockpile Stewardship.  He has served as the head of the NIST Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology, head of the advisory committee for NIST’s Advanced Technology Program and as a member of the board of overseers for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. He chaired the Commission for Engineering and Technical Studies and the National Materials Advisory Board of the National Research Council, was a member of the Space Station Utilization Advisory Subcommittee and the Commercialization and Technology Advisory Committee for NASA and was a member of the U.S. National Science Board from 1989-1995, which guides NSF activities and serves as a policy advisory body to the President and Congress.

Dr. Bement has been a director of Keithley Instruments Inc., Lord Corporation,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ryan|first1=Kevin|title=The Top Ten Connections Between NIST and Nano-Thermites|url=http://911review.com/articles/ryan/nist_thermite_connection.html}}</ref> Midwest Superconductivity Consortium and the Consortium for the Intelligent Management of the Electrical Power Grid and as a member of the Science and Technology Advisory Committee, Howmet Corporation, a division of Alcoa.  He has been an advisor for The Electric Power Research Institute, the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, and the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.  He is currently serving on the Science Advisory Council of the [[Organization:Skolkovo Foundation|Skolkovo Foundation]], the Board of Trustees of the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, the Board of Visitors of the National Intelligence University, the Board of Trustees of Radian Research Inc., and President of the Indiana Academy of Science.
 
* 1954-1965, [[Company:General Electric|General Electric Company]]: Sr. Research Associate
* 1965-1970, [[Organization:Pacific Northwest National Laboratory|Battelle Northwest Laboratories]]: Manager of Fuels, Materials, Metallurgy
* 1970-1976, [[Organization:Massachusetts Institute of Technology|Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]: Professor of Nuclear Materials
* 1976-1979, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency: Director, Office of Materials Science
* 1979-1980, United States Department of Defense: Deputy Undersecretary for Research and Engineering
* 1980-1992, [[Company:TRW Inc.|TRW]]: Vice President of Technical Resources and of Science and Technology
* 1992-2001, [[Organization:Purdue University|Purdue University]]: Distinguished Professor of Nuclear Engineering, Materials, Electrical, Computer Engineering
* 1992-2001, [[Organization:Purdue University|Purdue University]]: Head of the Schools of Nuclear Engineering, Appointment to Krannert School of Management
* 2001-2004, NIST: Director of the National Institute of Standards and Acting Director of NSF from February–November 2004
* 2004-2010, [[Organization:National Science Foundation|NSF]]: Director of the National Science Foundation
* 2010-2012, [[Organization:Purdue University|Purdue University]]:  Inaugural Director of Purdue University's Global Policy Research Institute
* 2010-2012, [[Organization:Purdue University|Purdue University]]:  Chief Global Affairs Officer for Purdue University
* 2012-      [[Organization:Purdue University|Purdue University]]:  Professor Emeritus and Adjunct Professor, Department of Technology Leadership and Innovation, College of Technology

==Awards and honors==
*Distinguished Service Medal of the Department of Defense (1980)
*Member of the National Academy of Engineering (1983)<ref name=NAE>{{cite web|title=Dr. Arden L. Bement Jr.|url=http://www.nae.edu/MembersSection/Directory20412/29702.aspx|work=National Academy of Engineering|accessdate=June 2, 2011}}</ref>
*Member of the Cosmos Club (1980)
*Distinguished Achievement Award from the [[Organization:Colorado School of Mines|Colorado School of Mines]] (1984)
*Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2004)<ref name=AAAS>{{cite web|title=Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter B|url=http://www.amacad.org/publications/BookofMembers/ChapterB.pdf|publisher=American Academy of Arts and Sciences|accessdate=June 2, 2011}}</ref>
*Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star awarded by the Emperor of Japan (2009)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.physicstoday.org/wht/2009/05/nsf-director-arden-bement-awar.html |title=NSF director Arden Bement awarded Japan's Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star |work=Physics Today |date=May 8, 2009 |accessdate=August 6, 2009 |archivedate=July 19, 2011 |archiveurl=https://archive.is/20110719233837/http://blogs.physicstoday.org/wht/2009/05/nsf-director-arden-bement-awar.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*Navigator Award awarded by Potomac Institute for Policy Study (2010)<ref>[http://www.potomacinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=793:arden-bement-phd-to-receive-navigator-award-&catid=36:articles&Itemid=58 "Arden L. Bement, Jr., PhD, to Receive Navigator Award" ] ''Potomac Institute'' May 8, 2010.</ref>
*Legion of Honor with the rank of Chevalier from the French Republic (2011)<ref>
[http://ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?article2255 "Bestowal of the Insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor upon Dr. Arden L. Bement, Jr."]''Embassy of France'' August 2012.</ref>
*Chinese Academy of Sciences Graduate School Honorary Professorship (2011)

==See also==
* List of directors of the National Institute of Standards and Technology

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.nsf.gov/news/speeches/bement/bement_bio.jsp Biography on the NSF website]
*[https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=116338&org=NSF&from=news Press release about Purdue GPRI appointment]

{{S-start}}
{{s-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=Rita R. Colwell}}
{{s-ttl|order=12th|title=Director of the [[Organization:National Science Foundation|National Science Foundation]]|years=2004 - May 2010}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Biography:Subra Suresh|Subra Suresh]]}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-bef|before=Raymond G. Kammer}}
{{s-ttl|order=5th|title=Director of the [[Organization:National Institute of Standards and Technology|National Institute of Standards and Technology]]|years=2001 - 2004}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Biography:William A. Jeffrey|William A. Jeffrey]]}}
{{S-end}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Bement, Arden L., Jr.}}
[[Category:National Science Foundation]]

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