The Science Philanthropy Alliance announced today the addition of Fleming Crim, Ph.D., as a senior science advisor. Crim, who is the John E. Willard and Hilldale Professor of Chemistry Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, previously served as chief operating officer of the National Science Foundation (NSF). Crim joins the Alliance’s four existing senior science advisors, each of whom lend their expertise to philanthropists investing in fundemental science.

During a 40-year career at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Crim chaired the Chemistry Department and led research in chemical reaction dynamics, using laser preparation of selected quantum states to control the course of chemical reactions. Crim spent 2013–2017 as an assistant director at NSF where he led the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, overseeing programs in astronomy, chemistry, materials research, mathematics, and physics. He returned to NSF in 2018 to serve as COO for three years under Alliance president and then-NSF director France Córdova.

“In my time working with Fleming, I’ve been consistently impressed by his thoughtful, wide-ranging approach. He adds to the Alliance’s already-deep bench of preeminent senior science advisors, all of whom play an important role in supporting our members and advisees in their critical funding for basic scientific research,” said Córdova.

Crim has served on and led committees of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the American Physical Society (APS), and he chaired the Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology of the National Academies. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences as well as a fellow of the ACS, APS, and American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Among other honors, Crim has received the Plyler Prize of the APS, the Langmuir Award of the ACS, and the Centenary Prize of the Royal Society of Chemistry (London). Crim was awarded a bachelor’s of science degree in chemistry from Southwestern University and a Ph.D. from Cornell University. He worked in the semiconductor industry and was a post-doctoral staff member at Los Alamos National Laboratory prior to joining the University of Wisconsin.