Jerry Sheehan, Director, Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation

Jerry Sheehan is Director of the Science, Technology, and Innovation Directorate. He joined the OECD in 2023 with 30 years of experience in developing and implementing policies for innovation, scientific data, and information technology in the United States.

He was previously Deputy Director for Policy and External Affairs at the National Library of Medicine, one of the 27 components of the National Institutes of Health. He led efforts across both institutions and the US Federal government to advance open science and enhance public access to the results of government-funded research, including scholarly publications, preprints, research data, and clinical trial results. 

Jerry twice served in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, leading efforts on open science, scientific integrity, scientific collections, and medical imaging. He served as Co-Chair of the US National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Open Science, Chair of the OECD Working Party on Innovation and Technology Policy, and US delegate to the G7 Open Science Working Group.

Before joining the National Library of Medicine, Jerry worked as a Senior Economist at the OECD from 2000 to 2006, coordinating preparation of the flagship Science, Technology, and Industry Outlook and performing analytical work on business R&D, patent licensing, technology transfer, and innovation policy. 

He previously directed expert assessments on computing and internet policy at the US National Academy of Sciences and on science and technology policy at the US Congress Office of Technology Assessment.

An American national, Jerry holds a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters degree in Technology & Policy, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.