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        • About Us

          URA is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) academic consortium composed of over 94 premier research universities across the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan headquartered in Washington, D.C. supporting government lab management and operation in the national interest.

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        • Member Universities

          URA fosters valuable university research partnerships through membership. URA presents members with research opportunities at national engineering and physics labs, engagement with laboratory leadership and management, and recognition of academic achievements.

        • Lab Management

          Since 1965 URA has been an integral part of the management of Fermilab, overseeing the management and operations of the lab and bringing the expertise of our 94 member universities to bear on the challenges facing the Fermilab.  URA supports scholars and interns doing research at Fermilab and recognizes outstanding contributions.  In 2007 URA became part of the organization that manages and operates Sandia National Laboratories and since then has worked to support the scientific and technical demands of Sandia by supporting external calibration of science, technology and engineering (ST&E) programs; aid in ST&E programs’ strategic planning; and assist in development of university partnerships and diverse workforce talent.

        • Science & Research Policy

          URA strives to engender an awareness of the current national science policy issues among its members and early career scientists. This is achieved through a variety of platforms at URA, including science policy and communication training, connecting scientists and policymakers, and policy town halls and workshops. URA’s goal is to facilitate effective science communication to promote the public’s understanding of scientific discoveries, foster trust in scientific institutions, and facilitate informed decision-making by policymakers and the public.

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URA Staff

Home | About Us | Leadership & Management | URA Staff | John C. Mester

URA Staff

JOHN C. MESTER

President and CEO

John C. Mester, President and Chief Executive Officer of Universities Research Association (URA), was appointed on September 1, 2021.

 

As President and Chief Executive Officer, in coordination with the URA Board of Trustees, Dr. Mester provides leadership in the strategic planning, governance, and administration of the organization, and corporate relations with Federal government, industry, and general public.

Dr. Mester provides leadership in the strategic planning, governance, and administration of the organization, and corporate relations with Federal government, industry, and general public.

Prior to his appointment at URA, Dr. Mester served as Associate Vice President for Research and Professor in the College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona.  Prior to that, John was Vice President for Science and Programs at Associated Universities, Inc., which manages the $864 million cooperative agreement for the  management and operation of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory for the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Mester earned his doctoral and master’s degrees in physics from Harvard University and his undergraduate degree in physics and mathematics, Phi Beta Kappa, from The Johns Hopkins University.