Bruce Alberts, a prominent biochemist with a strong commitment to the improvement of science education, was awarded the National Medal of Science by US President Barack Obama in 2014. Bruce served as Editor-in-Chief of Science (2009 - 2013) and as one of the first three US Science Envoys (2009 - 2011), assigned to Indonesia.

He is now the Chancellor's Leadership Chair in Biochemistry and Biophysics for Science and Education, Emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco, to which he returned after serving for 12 years as President of the US National Academy of Sciences. Bruce is also noted as one of the original authors of Molecular Biology of the Cell, a preeminent textbook in the field, now in its seventh edition.

From 2000 to 2009, he served as the Co-Chair of the InterAcademy Council, an organisation based in Amsterdam governed by the presidents of 15 national academies of sciences, now known as the InterAcademy Partnership for Policy and relocated to Trieste . Bruce has earned many honours and awards, including 18 honorary degrees. He currently serves on the advisory boards of more than 10 non-profit institutions, having just completed 16 years as a Trustee of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.