Vaughan Turekian is the executive director of the Office of International Networks, Collaboration, and Security. Prior to joining the Academies, he served as the fifth science and technology adviser to the U.S. secretary of state. In this capacity, he advised the secretary of state and other senior State Department officials on emerging science, technology, and health matters affecting the foreign policy of the United States.  Previously, Turekian was chief international officer for the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the founding director of its Center for Science Diplomacy. In this capacity, he worked to build bridges between nations based on shared scientific goals, placing special emphasis on regions where traditional political relationships are strained or do not exist. In addition, Turekian worked at the State Department as a special assistant and adviser to the undersecretary for global affairs (2002 - 2006). Turekian holds a B.S. in geology and geophysics and international studies from Yale University and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, where he focused on the transport and chemistry of atmospheric aerosols in marine environments.