Mr. Craig McLean

Craig McLean served in NOAA for over 40 years. He was in uniform as a ship captain and in program roles including ocean exploration, mapping, marine fisheries, marine sanctuaries, and law. After retirement from the service at the grade of Captain he was appointed as deputy, then director of NOAA's research organization, Oceans and Atmospheric Research in charge of NOAA's climate, ocean, and weather research. He served for eleven years as the head of the US Delegation to the UN's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, five years as NOAA's acting Chief Scientist, and was the US lead in creating both the UN Decade of Ocean Science, and the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance. He retired from government in 2022, and was recognized by President Biden for his work in promoting scientific integrity.