Nomination of Melvin N.A. Peterson To Be Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The President today announced his intention to nominate Melvin N.A. Peterson to be Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at the Department of Commerce. This is a new position.

Since 1971 Mr. Peterson has been director and principal investigator, Deep Sea Drilling Project at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. Prior to this, he was chief scientist at Deep Sea Drilling Project, 1967-1971; assistant and acting chairman at Scripps Institution's graduate department of oceanography, 1967; and assistant / associate professor of oceanography at Scripps Institution, 1962-1967.

Mr. Peterson graduated from Northwestern University (B.S., 1951; M.S., 1956) and Harvard University (Ph.D., 1960). He served in the United States Navy, 1951-1954. Mr. Peterson was born May 27, 1929, in Evanston, IL. He is married, has four children, and resides in Del Mar, CA.