Roster Change

Peggy Whitson has been selected as the first NASA science officer for the International Space Station, the agency announced Sept. 16.

With the space station nearing its second year with a permanent crew living on board, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe noted that it was time to increase the emphasis on the orbiting outpost's main mission — research.

Whitson, who has a doctorate in biochemistry from Rice University, became the station's first resident scientist when she arrived at the ISS June 7, 2002, as an Expedition 5 Flight Engineer.

The NASA ISS science officer is a new duty assignment that will be made for a NASA astronaut on each expedition crew. For now, the science officer will focus on U.S. research conducted aboard ISS. NASA will explore with its 15 international partners the potential to expand the science officer role as the station's research capabilities are increased.

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David Barram has been appointed to the board of directors of NetIQ Corp., a provider of systems management, security management and Web analytics solutions, the company announced last week. Barram formerly was administrator of the General Services Administration. He also is a 24-year veteran of the technology industry.

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President Bush last week announced the 24 members of National Infrastructure Advisory Council, which will make recommendations regarding the security of the cyber and information systems of the country's critical infrastructure. The group will also examine ways that public/private partnerships can be enhanced to improve cybersecurity.

Richard Davidson will serve as chairman of the National Infrastructure Advisory Board. He is currently the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Union Pacific Corp.

Other members are:

* Alfred Berkeley III, vice chairman, Nasdaq Stockmarket Inc.

* Martin McGuinn, chairman and CEO, Mellon Financial Corp.

* Richard Kovacevich, chairman and CEO, Wells Fargo.

* L. George Martinez, chairman, Sterling Bank and Sterling Bancshares Inc.

* Charles Holliday Jr., chairman and CEO, DuPont Co.

* Margaret Grayson, president and CEO, V-ONE Corp.

* John Thompson, chairman and CEO, Symantec Corp.

* Thomas Noonan, chairman, president and CEO, Internet Security Systems Inc.

* George Conrades, chairman and CEO, Akamai Technologies.

* Craig Barrett, CEO, Intel Corp.

* Enrique Hernandez Jr., president and CEO, Inter-Con Security Systems Inc.

* Maynard Webb, COO, eBay.

* Erle Nye, chairman and CEO, TXU Corp.

* Marilyn Ware, chairman, American Waterworks Co.

* Archie Dunham, chairman, ConocoPhillips.

* Donald John Carty, chairman and CEO, American Airlines.

* Thomas Weidemeyer, COO, UPS.

* Linwood Rose, president, James Madison University.

* William Owens, governor of Colorado.

* Jorge Santini, mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

* Raymond Kelly, police commissioner, city of New York

* Gilbert Gallegos, chief of police, Albuquerque, N.M.

* Karen Katen, president, Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals and executive vice president, Pfizer Inc.