The director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is responsible for direction and leadership of the agency. Within the director's office are the deputy director, who assists the director in coordination of the USGS; and eight associate directors, each overseeing a particular program, who report to the director. The director is typically sworn in by the secretary of the interior—for example, Bruce Babbitt swore in Charles Groat, and Deb Haaland swore in David Applegate.
History The U.S. Geological Survey was established in 1879 by an act of Congress. Clarence King was appointed as the first director. King was picked because he was the leader of a USGS predecessor survey.
Later, in 2018, during the confirmation of James Reilly at a hearing with the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the committee emphasized the fact that the appointee would have to protect scientific integrity within the USGS. This was a new theme, stemming from concerns over other people nominated to positions by President Trump. It was also noted that Trump had taken more than a year to announce Reilley's nomination, which was noted by The Washington Post as a departure from the usual time a president would take to nominate someone for the role.
List of USGS directors The following persons have led the U.S. Geological Survey since 1879 as director:
PortraitDirectorTerm startTerm endNotes1Clarence King187918812John Wesley Powell188118943Charles Doolittle Walcott189419074George Otis Smith190719305Walter Curran Mendenhall193019436William Embry Wrather194319567Thomas Brennan Nolan195619658William Thomas Pecora196519719Vincent Ellis McKelvey1971197810Henry William Menard1978198111Dallas Lynn Peck1981199312Gordon P. EatonMarch 14, 1994October 1, 1997actingThomas CasadevallOctober 2, 1997November 12, 199813Charles G. GroatNovember 13, 1998June 17, 2005actingP. Patrick LeahyJune 18, 2005September 25, 200614Mark MyersSeptember 26, 2006January 8, 2009actingSuzette KimballJanuary 9, 2009November 4, 200915Marcia McNuttNovember 5, 2009February 15, 2013actingSuzette KimballFebruary 16, 2013January 7, 201416January 8, 2014January 20, 2017actingWilliam WerkheiserJanuary 20, 2017May 13, 201817James F. ReillyMay 14, 2018January 20, 2021actingDavid ApplegateJanuary 20, 2021August 14, 202218August 15, 2022January 20, 2025acting Sarah J. RykerJanuary 20, 2025November 18, 202519Ned MamulaNovember 18, 2025Present
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