A controversial and prominent Harvard expert on risk analysis was confirmed by the Senate last week to a powerful regulatory post in President Bush’s administration.

School of Public Health (SPH) Professor for Policy and Decision Sciences John D. Graham will serve as the administrator for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), part of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

As head of OIRA, Graham will be responsible for reviewing all federal regulations submitted by the various agencies of the executive branch.

In an interview this week with The Crimson, Graham said he looked forward to the move from the academic arena to government and policymaking.

“One of the exciting things about this job is that I will now have a chance to implement many of the academic theories and tools that I’ve taught my students,” Graham said.

Until he left for Washington, Graham was the founding director of Harvard’s Center for Risk Analysis (HCRA) at SPH.

Graham has resigned from HCRA and is on leave from SPH. George M. Gray, lecturer on risk analyis, will serve as acting director of HCRA, while the future administrative structure of the center is examined.

Graham’s record as director of the center and as an academic was subject to conflicting interpretations.