Washington, D.C. – Dr. Dwayne Norris, a vice president at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), has been appointed to serve a five-year term as a public member of the Board of Examiners for the U.S. Foreign Service.

Patrick F. Kennedy, the U.S. State Department's Under Secretary of State for Management, appointed Dr. Norris to one of the five public Board positions as a result of his knowledge, experience, and training in the fields of testing and employment opportunity. The appointment was effective November 1, 2011.

At AIR, Dr. Norris is responsible for the design, execution, and quality of a portfolio of work focused on human performance in the workplace, including selection and certification, performance management, workforce development, and organizational effectiveness. He has led the development of personnel selection and certification programs for electricians; conducted assessment validation studies such as the SAT writing study for the College Board; and analyzed the job requirements of numerous occupations, including Foreign Service officers. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Virginia Tech.

The Foreign Service Act of 1980 tasked the U.S. Department of State, and the Board of Examiners specifically, with the responsibility for the evaluation and selection of candidates for the Foreign Service.

About AIR
Established in 1946, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education, and workforce productivity. For more information, visit www.air.org.

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