National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., has nominated individuals to serve as members of the Scientific Management Review Board (SMRB). The SMRB will examine the NIH's organizational structure and balance and will provide recommendations for enhancing the agency's mission through greater agency flexibility and responsiveness.

SMRB was authorized by the NIH Reform Act of 2006 and signed into law by the President in January 2007. This act was the first omnibus reauthorization of NIH in 14 years. A major element of the Reform Act of 2006 was the new authority it gave to the NIH Director to improve program coordination, assemble and analyze accurate data, implement strategic plans based on institute and center determined priorities, ensure resources are properly allocated, and further maximize investigator-initiated research in high impact and emerging research areas.

"My charge to the Board is to be thorough with their organizational reviews," said NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. "NIH must respond nimbly and strategically in an era when the scale and complexity of the scientific and health problems we are facing require constant innovation and adaptability due to the rapidly changing pace of promising discoveries and increased interdisciplinary efforts."
More information about the NIH reform Act of 2006 can be found at: http://www.nih.gov/about/reauthorization/index.htm

Norman R. Augustine has been nominated to serve as the board's first chairman. Mr. Augustine is chairman of the executive committee of Lockhead Martin Corporation. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Princeton University, majoring in aeronautical engineering. Mr. Augustine was a consultant to the Executive Office of the President, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research and Development, and was Undersecretary of the Army. After leaving government service, he served as vice president for operations, Martin Marietta Aerospace Corporation, president, Martin Marietta Denver Aerospace Company, and president and chief operating officer. He was also chairman, advisory board Department of Aeromechanical Engineering, Princeton University and professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, Princeton University. Mr. Augustine served as the president of Martin Marietta Aerospace Corporation between 1986 and 1987. He also served as the CEO of Martin Marietta from 1987 and as chairman of Martin Marietta from 1988. He is the chair of the audit committee of the National Association of Corporate Directors.

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