Arden L. Bement, Jr.

Arden L. Bement, Jr.
Arden L. Bement, Jr. in 2014
Born	May 22, 1932 (1932-05-22) (age 84) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Nationality	United States
Fields	Material Science and Engineering, Nuclear Engineering
Institutions	General Electric Company, Battelle Memorial Institute, MIT, DARPA, Office of the Secretary of Defense, TRW, Purdue University, National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Alma mater	Colorado School of Mines University of Idaho University of Michigan

Arden Lee Bement, Jr. (born May 22, 1932) is an American engineer and scientist and has served in executive positions in government, industry and academia . He is a former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Advanced Technology, Chief Technical Officer of TRW, Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Following the end of his six-year term at NSF, on June 1, 2010 he became the founding director of the Global Policy Research Institute and Chief Global Affairs officer at Purdue University.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Bement started his career at Climax Molybdenum Mine after graduating from high school. His supervisor, Prentice Cain, was a graduate of Colorado School of Mines. He encouraged Arden to go to the Mines, in fact, he helped Arden fill out the admission form, and then made a life-changing covenant. He agreed to put up the first semester’s tuition and if Arden made it beyond the first semester, he wouldn't owe him a dime. Unfortunately, Prentice Cain died before he could see Arden graduate but his unselfish contribution forever changed the career path and subsequent Science and Engineering contributions from Dr. Arden Bement.

Dr. Bement holds an engineer of metallurgy degree from the Colorado School of Mines, a master's degree in metallurgical engineering from the University of Idaho, a doctorate in metallurgical engineering from the University of Michigan,and honorary doctorates from Cleveland State University, Case Western Reserve University, Colorado School of Mines, Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, University of Idaho, University of Macau, and the Michigan Technological University. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Bement is also a retired lieutenant colonel of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.