The politicization of science for political gain occurs when government,business,or advocacy groups use legal or economic pressure to influence the findings of scientific research or the way it is disseminated,reported or interpreted. The politicization of science may also negatively affect academic and scientific freedom,and as a result it is considered taboo to mix politics with science. Historically,groups have conducted various campaigns to promote their interests,many times in defiance of scientific consensus,and in an effort to manipulate public policy.
Gary David Cohn is an American businessman and philanthropist who served as the 11th director of the National Economic Council and chief economic advisor to President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2018. He managed the administration's economic policy agenda. Before serving in the White House,Cohn was president and COO of Goldman Sachs,where he worked for more than 25 years. Cohn was appointed vice-chairman of IBM on January 5,2021.
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is a department of the United States government,part of the Executive Office of the President (EOP),established by United States Congress on May 11,1976,with a broad mandate to advise the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs.
The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is a council,chartered in each administration with a broad mandate to advise the president of the United States on science and technology. The current PCAST was established by Executive Order 13226 on September 30,2001,by George W. Bush,was re-chartered by Barack Obama's April 21,2010,Executive Order 13539,by Donald Trump's October 22,2019,Executive Order 13895,by Joe Biden's February 1,2021,Executive Order 14007 and by Donald Trump again on January 23,2025 with Executive Order XXXXX.
The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) is a council in the Executive Branch of the United States. It is designed to coordinate science and technology policy across the branches of federal government.
The National Space Council is a body within the Executive Office of the President of the United States created in 1989 during the George H. W. Bush administration,disbanded in 1993,and reestablished in June 2017 by the Donald Trump administration. It is a modified version of the earlier National Aeronautics and Space Council (1958–1973).
The United States Chief Technology Officer is an official in the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The U.S. CTO helps the President and their team harness the power of technology and data to benefit all Americans. The CTO works closely with others both across and outside government on a broad range of work including bringing technology expertise to bear on federal policy and programs,and promoting values-driven technological innovation. The CTO and their team have historically focused on leveraging technology and technical expertise to help create jobs,strengthen privacy protections,harness the benefits and mitigate the risks of artificial intelligence,create paths to improve government services with lower costs,higher quality and increased transparency and accessibility,help upgrade agencies to use open data and expand their data science capabilities,improve quality and reduce the costs of health care and criminal justice,increase access to broadband,bring technical talent into government for policy and modern operations input,improve community innovation engagement by agencies working on local challenges,and help keep the nation secure.
Alondra Nelson is an American academic,policy advisor,non-profit administrator,and writer. She is the Harold F. Linder chair and professor in the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study,an independent research center in Princeton,New Jersey. Since March 2023,she has been a distinguished senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. In October 2023,she was nominated by the Biden-Harris Administration and appointed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to the UN High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence.
Rosina M. Bierbaum is currently the Roy F. Westin Chair in Natural Economics and Research Professor at the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy. She is also a professor and former dean at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE). She was hired in October 2001,by then-University of Michigan President,Lee Bollinger. She is also the current Chair of The Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) that provides independent scientific and technical advice to the GEF on its policies,strategies,programs,and projects.
James Nicholas Ayers is an American political strategist and consultant who served as Chief of Staff to Vice President Mike Pence between July 2017 and January 2019. He had previously served as national chairman for Pence's vice-presidential campaign in 2016,as well as executive director of the Republican Governors Association from 2007 to 2010.
The Oklahoma Secretary of Science and Technology is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor,with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate,to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary serves as the chief advisor to the Governor on the impact of science and technology on the State's economic development.
Arati Prabhakar is an American engineer and public official. From October 3,2022 until January 20,2025,she had served as the 12th director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Science Advisor to the President.
Joseph Keith Kellogg Jr. is an American statesman,diplomat,and retired lieutenant general in the United States Army. He previously served as the National Security Advisor to Vice President Mike Pence,and as the Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff of the United States National Security Council in the first Trump administration. He served as National Security Advisor on an acting basis following the resignation of Michael T. Flynn. In November 2024,President-elect Trump selected Kellogg to be his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia.
Joshua Matthew Pitcock is an American political operative who served as chief of staff to Mike Pence,the Vice President of the United States,from January 2017 to July 2017. Pitcock has also been Assistant to the President. He was a member of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential transition team.
Marc T. Short is an American political advisor who served as chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence. Prior to holding this role,Short was the director of legislative affairs at the White House from 2017 to 2018. He became chief of staff for Pence in March 2019. He was a senior fellow at the Miller Center of Public Affairs,a CNN contributor,chief of staff to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison,and the House Republican Conference. He was president of Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce from 2011 to 2016. He was a frequent guest on Meet The Press of NBC News.
Michael John Kotsakas Kratsios is an American business executive and government official. He served as the fourth Chief Technology Officer of the United States at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In this role,Kratsios served as President Donald Trump's top technology advisor. From July 10,2020 to January 20,2021,Kratsios was also the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
The National Council for the American Worker was an entity within the White House during the Trump administration whose aim was to "ensure that America’s students and workers have access to affordable,relevant,and innovative education and job training that will equip them to compete and win in the global economy." It was established as an executive order by President Donald Trump on July 19,2018.
Plan S is an initiative for open-access science publishing launched in 2018 by "cOAlition S",a consortium of national research agencies and funders from twelve European countries. The plan requires scientists and researchers who benefit from state-funded research organisations and institutions to publish their work in open repositories or in journals that are available to all by 2021. The "S" stands for "shock".
Jennifer Leigh Williams is an American United States Department of State official who has served as a special advisor to U.S. vice president Mike Pence on European and Russian affairs. Williams testified under subpoena,in the impeachment hearings of Donald Trump,in closed-door hearings before the House intelligence,Oversight,and Foreign Affairs committees on November 9,2019. She gave public testimony to the House of Representatives ten days later.
The core White House staff appointments,and most Executive Office of the President officials generally,are not required to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate,with a handful of exceptions. There are about 4,000 positions in the Executive Office of the President.
