Dr. Roberts is the Deputy Chief Officer for Research Facilities at the National Science Foundation (NSF). He assists with the formulation of the agency’s goals and priorities with respect to major and mid-scale research infrastructure and works with the Chief Officer for Research Facilities (CORF) to advise the Director on all aspects of research infrastructure. He contributes to strategic portfolio planning for research infrastructure and implements the policies and practices necessary for the success of research infrastructure in the NSF context. At NSF, he previously served as a Program Director in Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) in the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) where he managed awards to the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and the Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio) hub. He also managed the Collections in Support of Biological Research (CSBR) and the Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections (ADBC) programs. In addition to program management, he has worked on initiatives to increase the participation of under-served groups in the biodiversity sciences and biodiversity informatics.

A botanist by training, Dr. Roberts’ research focuses on the systematics of the tribe Astereae, Asteraceae (Sunflowers). That work has resulted in numerous publications, chapters in regional flora, and contributions to the Flora of North America. During his 10-year tenure at Towson University, he taught courses in introductory biology for non-majors, biodiversity, plant taxonomy, molecular evolution, and molecular systematics. He mentored numerous independent undergraduate and graduate research projects - most involving laboratory and field components. Dr. Roberts holds a doctoral degree in plant biology from Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge and an M.S. in biology from Texas State University at San Marcos.

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