ISGP Staff
Director, Dr. George H. Atkinson
The professional career of Dr. Atkinson spans several diverse arenas including academic responsibilities for teaching, scientific research, and administration within university communities, duties as the founder and Chief Executive Officer of a small high technology company focused on laser-based sensors for the semiconductor industry, and public service as a science and technology adviser within the U.S. Government, including service as the Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.
In January 2008, Dr. Atkinson launched the new Institute on Science for Global Policy (ISGP) within the ten-campus University of California system. The principles underlying the ISGP derive from Dr. Atkinson's view that the effectiveness of timely governmental and societal policies is increasingly dependent on decision-makers obtaining an accurate understanding of the often transformational opportunities and potential risks associated with emerging and "at-the-horizon" scientific and technological achievements.
As Director, Dr. Atkinson seeks to guide the ISGP in the creation of a new type of forum in which governmental and societal decision-makers routinely obtain a global objective, up-to-date understanding of the science and technology (S&T) that can be reasonably anticipated to significantly impact the increasingly global societies of the 21st century.
Acting Deputy Director, Dr. Giorgio Einaudi
Giorgio Einaudi was born in Torino (Italy) in 1950. He graduated in Physics at the Pisa University in 1974, has been a postdoctoral fellow at the Physics Institute of Pisa from 1974 to 1980, assistant professor at the Scuola Normale of Pisa from 1980 to 1987, professor at the Astronomy and Space Physics Department of the Florence University from 1987 to 1994 and at the Physics Department of the Pisa University of MIT and Affiliate Professor at the School of Art and Science at George Mason University.
Since July 2001, he is the Scientific Attache at the Embassy of Italy in Washington D.C. and he remains a tenured Professor at the University of Pisa. As the Scientific Attache, he is an important interlocutor with the various Departments and Agencies dealing with science and technology (S&T) in the US and he acts to strengthen the S&T relationships between Italy and the US.
He has been the National Coordinator of projects financed by the European Community, Local Coordinator of national research projects, National Coordinator of two national research projects, Local Coordinator of projects financed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Guest Investigator in the SOHO mission supported by ESA and NASA and collaborator in projects financed by NASA.
Dr. Einaudi has authored about one hundred papers with many Italian and national and international collaborators and has received many invitations from foreign academic institutions for collaboration, in particular from the University of California Irvine, Stanford University, University of St. Andrews, Observatory of Paris-Meudon, the Institute of Space Astrophysics of Orsay, and the Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA and the Naval Research Laboratory.
Senior Fellow, Joshua L. Mandell
Joshua Mandell has over ten years experience working on domestic and international science policy. Previous to his Senior Fellow position at the ISGP, Joshua served as the Science Adviser at the British Embassy in Washington as a member of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Global Science and Innovation Network. In this capacity, his responsibilities included advising the UK Government and scientific community on developments in S&T policy, forging new transatlantic collaborations, promotion of UK scientific excellence abroad, facilitating high-tech trade opportunities for the UK, and working with UK and US officials on the alignment of science policy and strategy.
Prior to his Embassy position, Mr. Mandell served the US Government at the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Air Force Programs Division. Joshua also held several positions in the private sector for international science and engineering firms where he utilized his scientific and technical training in geographic information systems, natural resource management and environmental engineering.
Chief of Staff, Elise Herrera-Mahoney
Elise Herrera-Mahoney, MBA, was previously the Assistant Vice Chancellor, Budget and Administration of U.C. Santa Cruz's largest division on campus, Student Affairs. She obtained her master of business administration focusing on international business, and has been employed with the University of California for over 15 years. Elise brings to the ISGP, strong administrative, human resources, and budgetary management experience, along with strong personal connections to UCSC, and a knowledge of University policies to help propel the ISGP forward in the accomplishment of its vision.
Fellow, Dr. Rebecca B. Blank
Dr. Blank obtained her Ph.D. from the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program at the University of California, San Francisco. She has a broad education in biomedical sciences which allowed her to focus on immunology and parasitology for her thesis work. She was awarded a fellowship in science and technology policy through the American Association for the Advance of Science, and was placed in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) working on their health and biodiversity program GEOSS (Global Earth Observations Systems) program which is international in scope. She joins the ISGP with a keen interest and professional experience regarding how science can help inform governmental policy to positively impact the global science and technology issues of today.
Fellow, Dr. Laura Ines Salazar-Fontana
Dr. Salazar-Fontana obtained her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences with a specialty in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. She continued her postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and was appointed assistant professor at George Washington University (GWU) in 2006. She is an immunologist with a 1st class academic background, peer-reviewed publications, and a vast experience in academia. Dr. Salazar-Fontana has 12 years expertise in basic and human immunology related to autoimmunity, infectious diseases and bone marrow transplantation which will help the ISGP bridge science and technology with informed policymaking.
Administrative Associate, Genine Scelfo
Genine Scelfo, MS, is the Administrative Specialist for ISGP. She has 20 years experience in administration and management for scientific research projects at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Ms. Scelfo has a Masters in Science degree and extensive experience in environmental research, and has managed projects for the San Francisco Bay Regional Monitoring Program and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Genine thrives as the detail-oriented person “behind the scenes” providing logistical and informational support to the ISGP team.
Program Coordinator, Livi Kerszenbaum
Livi Kerszenbaum, MBA, joined ISGP with strong organizational management experience from her years in several diverse industries including the Aerospace and Health Industries. She is not a stranger to the UC system, having completed her BA in Psychology at U.C. San Diego and her MBA at U.C. Irvine. Livi has participated in business development and consulting projects with various organizations such as: The Paul Merage Foundation for US-Israeli Trade, The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, and the American Cancer Society. She brings to the team a passion for science, a joy of life, and a strong belief in harnessing the global opportunities to build a future in which human needs are met in harmony with business and nature.