Evans, who holds a
bachelor's degree in mathematics and a doctorate in oceanography,
has been with NOAA since 1993, first as Senior Scientist and
Deputy Assistant Administrator
for Ocean Services, and later as Deputy Administrator for
Fisheries. He also
led the White
House Global Climate Change Initiative, coordinating activities of
12 federal agencies.
Evans will be responsible for a large domain in Washington and
beyond, including the
National Zoo, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of
Natural
History, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge,
Massachusetts;
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland;
and the
Smithsonian Tropical Research Center in Panama.