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Leadership

For nearly two decades, Tulane's international commitment has been a principal focus of former university president Dr. Eamon M. Kelly and university vice-president Dr. William E. Bertrand.  Dr. Kelly is the Executive Director of the Payson Center and served as a former Chairman of the National Science Board.  Dr. Bertrand is the former Director of the Payson Center and serves on the Infectious Disease Advisory Board of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Drs. Kelly and Bertrand are both full professors and hold endowed chairs at the University.

Their extensive experience has confirmed for Drs. Kelly and Bertrand the importance of scientific advancements and the technological tools they generate as the driving force behind globalization. With new technologies guiding the development field, the future economic survival of peoples and nations will depend upon the number of individuals equipped with the skills and competencies necessary for furthering social and economic development. The leadership of the Payson Center is committed to the belief that scientific and technological advancements are important to developing as well as developed countries and that new technologies may in fact have greater immediate significance for developing countries.