America Leads the World in Science and Technology

“This becomes the base of operations for those bright students and faculty members to answer really fundamental questions and uncover fundamental workings of science and technology.”

Dr. Steve Taylor has served as Auburn University’s Senior Vice President for Research and Economic Development since 2023, leading a research enterprise that reached $431 million in expenditures in fiscal year 2025. He also serves as president of the Auburn Research and Technology Foundation, which advances applied research, industry partnerships, startups, and workforce innovation through the 240-acre Auburn Research Park. Since joining Auburn in 1989, Taylor has held numerous leadership roles, including interim dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, where he helped establish the Auburn University Applied Research Institute in Huntsville. He holds degrees in agricultural engineering from the University of Florida and Texas A&M University.

“One of the real opportunities that federal funding gives us that we cannot realize through private sector funding is the ability to explore new ideas — where the application and the pathway to commercialization are not clear initially. That's really what seeds the next generation of innovation.”

Dr. Jeanne Hossenlopp is Vice President for Research and Innovation and professor of chemistry at Marquette University. A Marquette faculty member since 1989, she previously served as vice provost for research, dean of the Graduate School, interim dean of the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, and chair of chemistry. Her research spans laser-induced chemical reactions, nanomaterials, chemical sensors, fire retardants, and water-quality remediation, supported by NSF, NIST, and USDA funding. She leads initiatives advancing research, innovation, entrepreneurship, compliance, and technology transfer. Hossenlopp earned degrees from Colgate University, Siena Heights College, and Syracuse University and was named a 2020 Milwaukee Business Journal Woman of Influence.

“We're a research institution, but we also are very much an access institution for students. Federal funding has allowed us to pursue basic research in everything from quantum physics and semiconductors to cultural anthropological work in sub-Saharan Africa. Through all of that, our students are at the table.”

Richard Mocarski, Ph.D., arrived at NIU in 2024 after previously serving as the Associate Vice President of Research at San José State University. Over the course of two decades of progressive experience in research administration, he has played a leadership role in securing and administrating more than a billion dollars in external funding. Mocarski holds bachelor's degrees in English and psychology from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in communication studies and Ph.D. in communication and information sciences from the University of Alabama. His own research has been funded continually for over a decade by the National Institutes of Health and focused on lowering barriers to health care.

“The science itself is very important, but when I look at our federally funded research portfolio, these are really investments in our workforce of the future.”

Dr. Ryne P. Raffaelle is Vice President for Research and Associate Provost at Rochester Institute of Technology. Previously, he directed the National Center for Photovoltaics at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Since joining RIT in 1999, he has served as inaugural director of the NanoPower Research Labs and academic director of the Golisano Institute for Sustainability. His research spans nanomaterials, photovoltaics, lithium-ion batteries, and space power systems. Raffaelle has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, holds eight U.S. patents, and has helped launch three companies. He also serves as managing editor of Progress in Photovoltaics and holds physics degrees from Southern Illinois University and the University of Missouri–Rolla.

“One key thing that every taxpayer and lawmaker should know when they invest in basic sciences, they're investing in the economic future of our country.”

Duncan Brown is Vice President for Research and the Charles Brightman Endowed Professor of Physics at Syracuse University. An internationally recognized leader in gravitational-wave astronomy, he played a pivotal role in LIGO’s discovery of gravitational waves and contributes to the development of Cosmic Explorer, a next-generation U.S. observatory. Brown has strengthened Syracuse University’s research enterprise by establishing its Research Computing group and Open Source Program Office. He also leads the university’s Collaboration and Commercialization Center within the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub, supporting regional semiconductor innovation and university-industry partnerships.

“These are really national interest priorities that the United States chooses to fund for the creation of social and economic and educational and quality of life outcomes for our citizens, not just today with among those who actually fund the research today, but for generations to come.”

Dr. John M. Horack is Vice President for Research at The Ohio State University, leading the Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge and overseeing research strategy, commercialization, venture initiatives, and partnerships. A globally recognized leader with 30 years of experience in the spaceflight industry, he holds the Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy and faculty appointments in the colleges of engineering and public affairs. Before joining Ohio State in 2016, Horack held senior roles at Teledyne Brown Engineering, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. He has authored more than 100 papers and holds degrees in physics and astronomy from Northwestern University and The University of Alabama in Huntsville.