When Norman Neureiter was appointed as the first science and technology adviser to the Secretary of State in the waning days of the Clinton administration, his first priorities were to make State Department employees aware of the value of science in international relations and to convince scientists that they could contribute to the work of diplomats. Nearly 16 months later, Neureiter has two veteran scientists working on year-long fellowships in the department, a separate program that sends scientists on brief stints to embassies around the globe, and foreign service officers in 40 embassies saying they would like scientific help.

“I think one always wishes we could do more,” said the low-key Neureiter, a chemist who retired as a vice president of Texas Instruments Japan several years before he received the State Department call. The key to his success thus far, he said, has been to effectively integrate people with science...

You do not currently have access to this content.