Senate Confirms Inaugural Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology
Aprille Ericsson at her nomination hearing on Jan. 23.
(Senate Armed Services Committee)
By voice vote, the Senate confirmed Aprille Joy Ericsson as the first assistant secretary of defense for science and technology on Feb. 28. Ericsson has worked at NASA for three decades, most recently as a lead business strategist at the Goddard Space Flight Center, and President Joe Biden nominated her for the new position last September.
The Department of Defense created the role through a reorganization that replaced three deputy chief technology officer roles with three equivalent assistant secretary positions requiring Senate confirmation. Nominees for the other two roles, the assistant secretary of defense for mission capabilities and assistant secretary of defense for critical technologies, have yet to be announced.
Ericsson will oversee the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program as well as policy affecting the defense STEM workforce, labs, and test infrastructure. The role will also focus on four of the 14 technology areas deemed critical by DOD: quantum science, advanced materials, biotechnology, and next-generation wireless networks.
This news brief originally appeared in FYI’s newsletter for the week of March 4.
