Director of the U.S. Geological Survey
| Director of the U.S. Geological Survey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| U.S. Geological Survey | |
| Reports to | Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, U.S. Department of the Interior |
| Appointer | President of the United States with advice and consent of the Senate[1] |
The director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is responsible for direction and leadership of the agency.[2] Within the director's office are the deputy director, who assists the director in coordination of the USGS; and eight associate directors, each overseeing a particular program, who report to the director.[3] The director is typically sworn in by the Secretary of the Interior—for example, Bruce Babbitt swore in Charles Groat,[4] and Deb Haaland swore in David Applegate.[5]
History
[edit]The U.S. Geological Survey was established in 1879 by an act of Congress. Clarence King was appointed as the first director.[6] King was picked because he was the leader of a USGS predecessor survey.[7]
Later, in 2018, during the confirmation of James Reilly at a hearing with the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the committee emphasized the fact that the appointee would have to protect scientific integrity within the USGS. This was a new theme, stemming from concerns over other people nominated to positions by President Trump.[8] It was also noted that Trump had taken more than a year to announce Reilley's nomination, which was noted by The Washington Post as a departure from the usual time a president would take to nominate someone for the role.[9]
List
[edit]| No. | Image | Name | Term[10] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Clarence King | 1879–1881 |
| 2 | .jpg)
|
John Wesley Powell | 1881–1894 |
| 3 | 
|
Charles Doolittle Walcott | 1894–1907 |
| 4 | 
|
George Otis Smith | 1907–1930 |
| 5 | 
|
Walter Curran Mendenhall | 1930–1943 |
| 6 | 
|
William Embry Wrather | 1943–1956 |
| 7 | 
|
Thomas Brennan Nolan | 1956–1965 |
| 8 | 
|
William Thomas Pecora | 1965–1971 |
| 9 | 
|
Vincent Ellis McKelvey | 1971–1978 |
| 10 | 
|
Henry William Menard | 1978–1981 |
| 11 | 
|
Dallas Lynn Peck | 1981–1993 |
| 12 | 
|
Gordon P. Eaton | 1994–1997 |
| 13 | 
|
Charles G. Groat | 1998–2005 |
| 14 | 
|
Mark Myers | 2006–2009 |
| 15 | 
|
Marcia K. McNutt | 2009–2013 |
| 16 | 
|
Suzette Kimball | 2015–2017 |
| 17 | .jpg)
|
Jim Reilly | 2018–2021 |
| 18 | 
|
David Applegate | 2022–present |
References
[edit]- ^ "Authorizations". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "Office of the Director". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ "Office of the Director". Departmental Manual 120 DM 2. U.S. Department of the Interior. 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ Showstack, Randy (1998-11-03). "U.S. Senate confirms new USGS director". Eos. 79 (44): 534. doi:10.1029/EO079i044p00534-03.
- ^ Cartier, Kimberly M. S. (2022-08-26). "New USGS Director: Partnerships Are Our Superpower". Eos. 103. doi:10.1029/2022eo220409. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ Rabbitt, Mary C. (1986). "A Brief History of the U.S. Geological Survey". U.S. Geological Survey General Information Product.
- ^ Wallace, Robert E.; Scott, Stanley (1996). "Earthquakes, minerals, and me with the USGS, 1942-1995". U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 96-260. doi:10.3133/ofr96260.
- ^ Diep, Francie (2018-03-08). "The USGS Director's Newest Job Description: Maintaining 'Scientific Integrity'". Pacific Standard. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ Grandoni, Dino (2020-07-17). "The Energy 202: Trump nominates USGS head. It took him more than a year". Analysis. The Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ "Past Directors". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2024-03-10.