Victor R. McCrary, Jr.

Victor R. McCrary, Vice President for Research at the University of the District of Columbia, where he champions the growth, development, direction and oversight of the University’s research enterprise. He is a visionary serial innovator, responsible for developing impact-based research strategies, which fosters economic development and national security via engagement with federal, state and private entities. He has held research and technology leadership positions at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Morgan State University, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST. His career includes basic and applied research in laser spectroscopy, semiconductors, convergent information systems and technologies for national security applications. He received his doctoral degree in chemistry from Howard University, a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from The Catholic University of America.

Victor has authored and co-authored more than 60 technical papers and co-edited two books during his career at AT&T Bell Laboratories and NIST. He has received numerous honors and awards including co-recipient of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Gold Medal in 2000 for developing standards for the electronic book industry, and the 2002 Percy Julian Award by the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) for his pioneering work in the metal organic chemical vapor deposition of semiconductors. He served as national president of NOBCChE for two years. In 2011, he was honored as Scientist of the Year by the Annual Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) STEM Conference for his leadership in basic research investments for national security. He is a Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

In October 2016, was appointed Victor to serve on the National Science Board which oversees the National Science Foundation, was re-appointed in 2022 to a six-year term on the National Science Board. He is currently the Acting Chair of the National Science Board.