Dr. James S. Murday received a B.S. in Physics from Case Western Reserve in 1964, and a Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from Cornell in 1970.  He joined the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in 1970, led the Surface Chemistry effort from 1975-1987, and has been Superintendent of its Chemistry Division since 1988.   From May to August 1997 he served as Acting Director of Research for the Department of Defense, Research and Engineering.  From January 2003 to July 2004, he served as Chief Scientist, Office of Naval Research. 

From January 2001 to April 2003 he served as Director, National Nanotechnology Coordination Office.  He is presently Executive Secretary to the U.S. National Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittee on Nanometer Science Engineering and Technology (NSET).

He is a member of the American Physical Society, the American Chemical Society and the Materials Research Society; and a fellow of the AVS-the Science and Technology Society, and the UK Institute of Physics.  For the AVS, he has served as trustee for 1981-1984, director for 1986-1988, representative to the American Institute of Physics Governing Board 1986-1992, president for 1991-93, and representative to the Federation of Materials Societies 1998-2003.  His research interest in nanoscience began in 1983 as an Office of Naval Research program officer and continues through the NRL Nanoscience Institute.  He has organized numerous International STM/NANO conferences and their proceedings.  Under his direction, both the AVS and the International Union for Vacuum Science, Technology and Applications created a Nanometer Science/Technology Division.