Norbert Holtkamp is a physicist and science administrator who has served as director of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) since January 2026. He previously held senior leadership roles at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and the ITER fusion project, where he focused on large-scale accelerator and scientific infrastructure development. [This interview was edited for length and clarity.] How would you describe the current state of American science? On supporting science.