David Asai

David Asai is a former senior director for Science Education at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), where he served from 2008 to 2024. Prior to joining HHMI, Asai was on the faculty at Purdue University, where he served as Head of Biological Sciences, and then at Harvey Mudd College, where he was Stuart Mudd Professor and Chair of Biology.

Currently, Asai is a member of several advisory committees, including: Understanding Interventions, Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI), Yale Ciencia Academy, Claremont McKenna College Founding Science Advisory Council, the NASEM Committee on Advancing Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEMM, the Yale University Peabody Museum Advisory Council, and the Board of Directors of Conservation Nation.

Asai received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Stanford University and a PhD in biology from Caltech. He is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the American Society for Cell Biology Board Members.