In another step to promote science diplomacy, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has just appointed its first ever science and technology advisor. The new post is filled by Alex Dehgan, a conservation biologist with a degree in law.

According to a press release from USAID, Dehgan will restore science to its “rightful place within USAID” and also “ensure that USAID is the global leader on employing science, technology, and research to help solve traditional and persistent development challenges.”

It is particularly interesting that USAID is recognizing that science can solve many of the problems of the region, and have started implementing Obama’s promise to reach out to “the Muslim world” through science and technology cooperation.

Dehgan is an interesting choice because he has good previous experience in the Middle East. According to NatureJobs, he has previously served in Iraq to retrain weapons scientists in fields such as ecology and conservation biology.

According to SciDev.Net, Dehgan’s appointment will also bring a focus in USAID to conservation and environmental sciences.

It will be interesting to follow up on how the USAID will implement its expected budget increase for 2010 with a new focus on science and science collaboration, especially with the Muslim world.