NoeMacmillan574 at 20:09, 1 April 2026

2026-04-01T20:09:54Z

New page

{{short description|American engineer (born 1959)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Arati Prabhakar
| image = Arati Prabhakar, OSTP Director.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2024
| office = 12th Director of the [[Office of Science and Technology Policy]]
| president = [[Joe Biden]]
| term_start = October 3, 2022
| term_end = January 20, 2025
| predecessor = [[Eric Lander]]
| successor = [[Michael Kratsios]]
| office1 = 22nd [[Science Advisor to the President]]
| president1 = Joe Biden
| term_start1 = October 3, 2022
| term_end1 = January 20, 2025
| predecessor1 = [[Francis Collins]] (acting)
| successor1 = [[Michael Kratsios]]
| office2 = 20th Director of the [[Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]]
| president2 = [[Barack Obama]]
| term_start2 = July 30, 2012
| term_end2 = January 20, 2017
| predecessor2 = [[Regina E. Dugan]]
| successor2 = Steven Walker
| office3 = 10th Director of the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]]
| president3 = [[Bill Clinton]]
| term_start3 = 1993
| term_end3 = 1997
| predecessor3 = John Lyons
| successor3 = Raymond Kammer
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|2|2}}
| birth_place = [[New Delhi]], India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| spouse =
| children = 2
| citizenship = India (1959–67) United States (1967–present)
| education = [[Texas Tech University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]]) [[California Institute of Technology]] ([[Master of Science|MS]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])
|module = {{Infobox scientist
|embed = yes
|fields = [[Applied physics]]
|workplaces = [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] [[U.S. Venture Partners]] [[Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]]
|thesis_title = Investigation of Deep Level Defects in Semiconductor Material Systems
|thesis_url = https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-06212004-160535
|thesis_year = 1985
|doctoral_advisor = Thomas McGill}}
|module2 = {{Listen
|pos = center
|embed = yes
|filename = Arati Prabhakar speaks on the role of technical experience within a governmental role.ogg
|title = Prabhakar's voice
|type = speech
|description = Prabhakar on the role of technical experience within a governmental position Recorded July 20, 2022}}
}}

'''Arati Prabhakar''' (born February 2, 1959) is an American engineer and public official. From October 3, 2022 to January 20, 2025, she served as the 12th director of the [[Office of Science and Technology Policy|White House Office of Science and Technology Policy]] ("OSTP") (aka the [[Science Advisor to the President]]<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=White House unveils 'AI bill of rights' as 'call to action' to rein in tool|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/04/white-house-unveils-ai-bill-rights-call-action-rein-tool/|website=washingtonpost.com|access-date=2022-10-05}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Senate Confirms Prabhakar to Lead White House Science Office|url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/senate-confirms-prabhakar-to-lead-white-house-science-office|website=bloomberglaw.com|access-date=2022-10-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aamc.org/news/press-releases/aamc-statement-nomination-arati-prabhakar-phd-be-white-house-science-advisor-and-director-office|title=AAMC Statement on the Nomination of Arati Prabhakar, PhD, to be White House Science Advisor and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy|website=AAMC}}</ref> in other administrations). Via her service as OSTP Director, she also served in the [[Cabinet of the United States|President's cabinet]].

From 1993 to 1997, Prabhakar served as the 10th Director of the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] (NIST), the first woman to hold the position.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |last=Holusha |first=John |date=1993-08-01 |title=Profile/Arati Prabhakar; She's Not Just Setting Standards |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/01/business/profile-arati-prabhakar-she-s-not-just-setting-standards.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm |accessdate=2012-08-25}}</ref><ref>Gibbs, W. W. (1995) ''Profile: Arati Prabhakar – Engineering the Future'', [[Scientific American]] '''272'''(4), 44–48.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |date=16 March 2010 |title=Directors of the National Bureau of Standards (1901–1988) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (1988–present) |url=https://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/directors.cfm |journal=NIST |accessdate=2012-08-30}}</ref> Prabhakar served as 20th Director of [[DARPA]] (United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) from 2012 to 2017. In 2019, she founded and became CEO of Actuate,<ref>Unorthodox Philanthropy [https://www.unorthodoxphilanthropy.org/arati.html Arati Prabhakar, Actuate].</ref> a data-focused nonprofit organization.

==Early life and education==
Prabhakar's family immigrated to the United States from [[New Delhi|New Delhi, India]], when she was three;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/north/story/delhi-born-arati-prabhakar-us-defense-advanced-research-projects-agency-109110-2012-07-11|title=Delhi-born Arati Prabhakar is new head of US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency|first=Manoj|last=Joshi|work=[[India Today]]|date=2012-07-12|access-date=2012-08-26}}</ref> her mother was seeking an advanced degree in social work in Chicago. Prabhakar grew up in [[Lubbock, Texas]], from age ten.<ref name="wired">{{cite magazine |last=Shachtman |first=Noah |date=2012-07-10 |title=Exclusive: Darpa Gets a New Boss, and Solyndra Is in Her Past |url=https://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/07/darpa-solyndra/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |accessdate=2012-08-25}}</ref><ref name="nyt"/> Her mother encouraged her to pursue a doctorate from a very early age.<ref>{{cite news|title=Family Expectations Spawn Successful Careers|first=Katherine|last=Olstein|work=IEEE SSCS News|publisher=[[IEEE]]|date=Spring 2008|pages=34–35|doi=10.1109/N-SSC.2008.4785747}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eas.caltech.edu/engenious/eight/alumni_prabhakar|title=Alumni Profile: Arati Prabhakar|year=2011|work=Engenious|publisher=[[UC Berkeley College of Engineering]]|accessdate=2012-08-25|archive-date=2014-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016014829/http://www.eas.caltech.edu/engenious/eight/alumni_prabhakar|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1979, she obtained a [[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]] degree in electrical engineering from [[Texas Tech University]] in Lubbock, Texas.<ref name="eere">{{cite web|url=http://www1.eere.energy.gov/eere_advisory_committee/pdfs/erac_arati_prabhakar.pdf |title=Dr. Arati Prabhakar |work=Efficiency & Renewables Advisory Committee |publisher=[[United States Department of Energy]] |accessdate=2012-08-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925042746/http://www1.eere.energy.gov/eere_advisory_committee/pdfs/erac_arati_prabhakar.pdf |archivedate=2012-09-25 }}</ref> She earned an [[Master of Science|M.S.]] degree in electrical engineering in 1980 and a [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] in applied physics in 1984, both from the [[California Institute of Technology]].<ref name="wired"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/nii/Prabhakar.html|title=Dr. Arati Prabhakar|work=The National Information Infrastructure: Agenda for Action|publisher=[[ibiblio]]|accessdate=2012-08-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/distinguishedasi00kimh|url-access=registration|quote=Arati Prabhakar 1959.|title=Distinguished Asian Americans: A Biographical Dictionary|first=Hyung-Chan|last=Kim|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|year=1999|isbn=978-0313289026|pages=[https://archive.org/details/distinguishedasi00kimh/page/289 289]–292}}</ref><ref name="thesis-prabhakar-1985">{{cite thesis |url=https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-06212004-160535 |title=Investigation of deep level defects in semiconductor material systems |date=1985 |publisher=[[California Institute of Technology]] |type=Ph.D. |last=Prabhakar |first=Arati |oclc=31089816 |id={{ProQuest|303375005}} |doi=10.7907/BNQT-B222}}</ref> She was the first woman to earn a PhD in applied physics from Caltech.<ref name = "nyt" />

==Career==
After receiving her PhD, she went to [[Washington, D.C.]], on a 1984 to 1986 congressional fellowship with the [[Office of Technology Assessment]].<ref name="eere"/> Prabhakar subsequently worked at DARPA from 1986 to 1993, initially as a program manager but later as founding director of DARPA's [[Microelectronics Technology Office]].<ref name="wired"/>

At the age of 34, Prabhakar was appointed as head of the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] (NIST), a position she held from 1993 to 1997.<ref name="wired"/><ref name="nyt"/> After NIST, she was the [[Chief Technology Officer]] and senior vice president of [[Raychem]] from 1997 to 1998.<ref name="darpa">{{cite web|url=http://www.darpa.mil/About/Leadership/Director_Bio_Dr_Arati_Prabhakar.aspx |title=Arati Prabhakar |publisher=[[DARPA]] |accessdate=2012-08-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806041730/http://www.darpa.mil/About/Leadership/Director_Bio_Dr_Arati_Prabhakar.aspx |archivedate=2012-08-06 }}</ref><ref name="li">{{cite web|url=http://www.linkedin.com/pub/arati-prabhakar/7/673/a36|title=Arati Prabhakar|publisher=[[LinkedIn]]|accessdate=2012-08-25}}</ref> She was then the vice president and later president of [[Interval Research Corporation|Interval Research]] from 1998 to 2000.<ref name="darpa"/><ref name="li"/>

She joined [[U.S. Venture Partners]] from 2001 to 2011, focusing on investment in [[green technology]] and [[information technology]] startups.<ref name="wired"/> On July 30, 2012, she became the head of [[DARPA]], replacing [[Regina E. Dugan]].<ref name="wired"/> She left DARPA in January 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicholas |first=Scott |date=2017-12-29 |title=DARPA Appoints Steven Walker Full-Time Director |url=https://executivegov.com/2017/12/darpa-appoints-steven-walker-full-time-director/ |access-date=2023-10-30 |language=en-US |quote="He succeeds Arati Prabhakar, who left DARPA in January and now serves as a fellow at Stanford University's Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences..."}}</ref>

Prabhakar was a Fellow at the [[Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences]] (CASBS) at Stanford 2017–18.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://casbs.stanford.edu/people/arati-prabhakar|title=Arati Prabhakar {{!}} Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences|website=casbs.stanford.edu|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref> In 2019, she started Actuate, a nonprofit organization focused on issues including climate change and chronic diseases.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Southwick |first=Ron |date=2022-06-27 |title=How Biden's nominee for science adviser would make history |url=https://www.chiefhealthcareexecutive.com/view/how-biden-s-nominee-for-science-adviser-would-make-history |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=OncLive |language=en}}</ref>

=== Biden Administration ===
In 2022, Prabhakar was appointed by President [[Joe Biden]] as Director of the [[Office of Science and Technology Policy|White House Office of Science and Technology Policy]] (OSTP) and Science and Technology Advisor to the President,<ref name=":1" /> replacing [[Eric Lander]] upon his departure.

This made her the first woman and person of color to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Director of the [[Office of Science and Technology Policy|White House Office of Science and Technology Policy]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elements.lbl.gov/news/prabhakar-confirmed-to-head-white-house-ostp/|title=Prabhakar Confirmed to Head White House OSTP – Elements for Berkeley Lab|date=September 27, 2022|website=Elements}}</ref> and the first woman and first person of color to be the top science and technology advisor to the President.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.abplive.com/news/world/arati-prabhakar-indian-origin-physicist-set-to-become-joe-biden-science-adviser-know-about-her-in-details-1537321|title=Who is Arati Prabhakar? Indian-Origin Physicist Set To Become US President's Science Adviser|date=June 14, 2022|website=news.abplive.com}}</ref>

Prabhakar was among Biden's top advisors on matters regarding [[artificial intelligence]] (AI) regulation, where she has endorsed AI safeguards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-21 |title=White House science adviser calls for more safeguards against artificial intelligence risks |url=https://apnews.com/article/biden-artificial-intelligence-ai-safeguards-arati-prabhakar-a0fbc6d6adbf5ccc3c439eab7faddb92 |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> Under her leadership, OSTP contributed to improving health outcomes with the Biden Cancer Moonshot,<ref>Alltucker, Ken (8 March 2024) [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/03/08/biden-cancer-moonshot-expands-sotu/72885977007/ "Biden's Cancer Moonshot is expanding: New patient navigators, insurance coverage"]</ref> promoting research and strategies to address climate and nature, and strengthening federally funded research and development.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Levy|first=Steven|date=1 May 2024|title=Meet the Woman Who Showed President Biden ChatGPT—and Helped Set the Course for AI |url=https://www.wired.com/story/arati-prabhakar-ostp-biden-science-tech-adviser/ |magazine=WIRED|location= |publisher= |access-date= 8 February 2025}}</ref><ref>Biden White House Archives [https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/ostp/news-updates/2024/08/01/ostp-climate-environment-leaders-emphasize-key-role-of-nature-in-u-s-federal-policy/ "OSTP Climate & Environment Leaders Emphasize Key Role of Nature in U.S. Federal Policy"] August 1, 2024.</ref>

=== Amicus brief ===
On July 25, 2025, Prabhakar filed an amicus brief<ref>[https://www.brennancenter.org/media/14193/download/arati-prabhakar-amicus-brief.pdf?inline=1 Brief for Amicus Curiae Dr. Arati Prabhakar in support of Plaintiffs-Appellees and Affirmance]</ref> in the case of ''New York v. Trump'' (25–1236 and 25-1314),<ref>''Court Listener'' [https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69720767/state-of-new-york-v-trump/ New York v. Trump (25-1236)]</ref> the case brought by 23 attorneys general and the governor of Kentucky against the Trump administration’s federal funding freezes and grant cancellations. Many of the plaintiffs and amicus filers challenged the authority of the president to redirect Congressionally appropriated funds. Prabhakar’s brief details the lasting harms that the freeze will have on the efforts of scientific researchers who innovate for the nation’s health, security, and economy.<ref>Brennan Center for Justice [https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/annotated-guide-amicus-briefs-new-york-v-trump-funding-freeze-case#:~:text=This%20brief%20from%20engineer,counsel%20for%20this%20brief. Annotated Guide to the Amicus Briefs in the New York v. Trump Funding Freeze Case: Arati Prabhakar] July 30, 2025.</ref> It further warns that the freeze has created lasting damage to the United States’ status as a leader in scientific innovation, weakening the nation’s pipeline of scientists and engineers and depriving Americans of future scientific advancements.

==Awards and memberships==
Prabhakar was a University of California Berkeley Executive Fellow in Applied Technology Policy in 2025,<ref>US Berkeley School of Information [https://www.ischool.berkeley.edu/news/2025/commencement-speaker-and-executive-fellow-arati-prabhakar-encourages-graduates-live-bold Commencement Speaker and Executive Fellow Arati Prabhakar Encourages Graduates To Live “Bold” and Build a Greater Future] May 27, 2025.</ref> and delivered the 2025 commencement address for UC Berkeley’s School of Information.

Prabhakar is a member of the [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]] and was named [[IEEE Fellow]] in 1997 for "leadership in partnering between industry and government to promote economic growth through the development of manufacturing technologies for semiconductor devices".<ref name="darpa"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/fellows/women.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100407141944/http://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/fellows/women.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 7, 2010|title=Women Fellows|publisher=[[IEEE]]|accessdate=2012-08-25}}</ref> She is a member of the [[National Academy of Engineering]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nae.edu/149826/Dr-Arati-Prabhakar|title=Dr. Arati Prabhakar|website=NAE Website|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref> She has also been named a [[Texas Tech University|Texas Tech]] Distinguished Engineer and a Distinguished Alumna of [[California Institute of Technology]].<ref name="darpa"/>

She was a member of the governing board for the [[Pew Research Center]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/about/our-governing-board/|title=Our Governing Board|website=Pew Research Center|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref> and a member of the U.S. National Academies' Science Technology and Economic Policy Board.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/step/PGA_043840|title=Membership|website=sites.nationalacademies.org|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref> She was a member of the board of directors of [[SRI International]] in 2012,<ref name="sri">{{cite news|url=http://www.sri.com/newsroom/press-releases/dr-arati-prabhakar-joins-sri-international-board-directors|title=Dr. Arati Prabhakar Joins SRI International Board of Directors|publisher=[[SRI International]]|date=2012-03-26|accessdate=2012-03-25|archive-date=2012-07-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120703072942/http://www.sri.com/newsroom/press-releases/dr-arati-prabhakar-joins-sri-international-board-directors|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was also a member of the [[U.S. National Academies]]' Science Technology and Economic Policy Board and the [[UC Berkeley College of Engineering|College of Engineering]] Advisory Board at the [[University of California, Berkeley]].<ref name="darpa"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://staging.theinstitute.ieee.org/people/achievements/achievements-august-2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415014751/http://staging.theinstitute.ieee.org/people/achievements/achievements-august-2012|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 15, 2013|title=Achievements: August 2012|work=The Institute|publisher=[[IEEE]]|date=2012-08-27|accessdate=2012-08-25}}</ref>

Prabhakar is featured in the Notable Women in Computing cards.<ref>{{Cite web| title = Notable Women in Computing| url = http://www.cs.duke.edu/csed/wikipedia/cards.html}}</ref>

In 2024, [[Time (magazine)|TIME magazine]] listed Prabhakar among 100 most influential people in AI.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Booth|first= Harry|date= 5 September 2024 |title=Arati Prabhakar|url=https://time.com/7012807/arati-prabhakar/|magazine=TIME100 AI 2024 |location= |publisher=TIME magazine |access-date=8 February 2025}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
*[https://repository.aip.org/node/129400 Interview of Arati Prabhakar by David Zierler on August 11, 2020, Niels Bohr Library & Archives, American Institute of Physics, College Park, MD USA]
*{{C-SPAN|70529}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=John Lyons}}
{{s-ttl|title=Director of the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]]|years=1993–1997}}
{{s-aft|after=Raymond Kammer}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Regina E. Dugan]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Director of the [[Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]]|years=2012–2017}}
{{s-aft|after=Steven Walker}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Alondra Nelson]] Acting}}
{{s-ttl|title=Director of the [[Office of Science and Technology Policy]]|years=2022–2025}}
{{s-aft|rows=2|after=[[Michael Kratsios]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Francis Collins]] Acting}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Science Advisor to the President]]|years=2022–2025}}
{{s-end}}

{{Biden cabinet}}
{{DARPA |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prabhakar, Arati}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American engineers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women engineers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women civil servants]]
[[Category:21st-century American engineers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women engineers]]
[[Category:American electrical engineers]]
[[Category:American scientists of Asian descent]]
[[Category:Biden administration cabinet members]]
[[Category:California Institute of Technology alumni]]
[[Category:DARPA directors]]
[[Category:Directors of the Office of Science and Technology Policy]]
[[Category:Directors of SRI International]]
[[Category:Engineers from Texas]]
[[Category:Fellows of the IEEE]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of the United States of Asian descent]]
[[Category:NIST Directors]]
[[Category:People from Lubbock, Texas]]
[[Category:People from New Delhi]]
[[Category:Texas Tech University alumni]]
[[Category:Women members of the Cabinet of the United States]]
[[Category:American women electrical engineers]]

Arati Prabhakar - Revision history

NoeMacmillan574 at 20:09, 1 April 2026