Office of Science and Technology Policy

Last updated

Office of Science and Technology Policy
US-OfficeOfScienceAndTechnologyPolicy-Seal.svg
Agency overview
FormedMay 11, 1976;47 years ago (1976-05-11)
Preceding agency
  • Office of Science and Technology
Headquarters Eisenhower Executive Office Building
725 17th Street NW, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Employees130
Agency executive
Parent agency Executive Office of the President
Website WhiteHouse.gov/OSTP

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.

Contents

The director of this office is traditionally colloquially known as the Science Advisor to the President. A recent appointed director was mathematician and geneticist Eric Lander who was sworn in on June 2, 2021. [1] Lander resigned February 18, 2022, following allegations of misconduct. [2]

On February 16, 2022, the Biden administration announced that deputy director Alondra Nelson would serve as acting director and former NIH director Francis Collins would serve as acting science advisor. Both assumed positions on February 18, 2022. In October 2022, Arati Prabhakar became Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. [3] [4]

On August 25, 2022, OSTP issued guidance to make all federally funded research in the United States freely available without delay. [5] [6]

History

20th century

President Ford signing H.R. 10230, establishing the Office of Science and Technology Policy Gerald Ford A9732 (1976-05-11) A.jpg
President Ford signing H.R. 10230, establishing the Office of Science and Technology Policy

President Richard M. Nixon eliminated the President's Science Advisory Committee after his second Science Advisor, Edward E. David Jr., resigned in 1973, rather than appointing a replacement. In 1975, the American Physical Society president Chien-Shiung Wu met with the new president Gerald Ford to reinstate a scientific body of advisors for the executive branch and the president, which President Ford concurred to do. [7] The United States Congress then established the OSTP in 1976 with a broad mandate to advise the President and others within the Executive Office of the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs. The 1976 Act also authorizes OSTP to lead inter-agency efforts to develop and to implement sound science and technology policies and budgets and to work with the private sector, state and local governments, the science and higher education communities, and other nations toward this end.

21st century

Under President Donald Trump, OSTP's staff dropped from 135 to 45 people. [8] The OSTP director position remained vacant for over two years, the longest vacancy for the position since the office's founding. [9] [10] [11] Kelvin Droegemeier, an atmospheric scientist who previously served as the vice president of research at the University of Oklahoma, was nominated for the position on August 1, 2018 [12] and confirmed by the Senate on January 2, 2019.

Michael Kratsios was nominated by President Trump to be the fourth Chief Technology Officer of the United States and associate director of OSTP in March 2019 [13] and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on August 1, 2019. [14] During Trump's tenure, Droegemeier also managed the National Science and Technology Council.

President Joe Biden named, and the Senate later unanimously confirmed, [15] Eric Lander as head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, which is a cabinet-level post. [16] Lander resigned in February 2022 following reports that engaged in abusive conduct against both subordinates and other White House officials. [17]

In 2022, The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy held a roundtable discussion with some of the nation’s leading scientists to discuss the need to combat the climate crisis and counter arguments for delaying climate action. It is the first time that the White House has recognized scientists who study the climate denial operation run by the fossil fuel industry. [18]

On August 8, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the CHIPS and Science Act which included a provision to create a blockchain and cryptocurrency specialist advisory position under the OSTP to be established and appointed by the Director. [19]

Staff

Key positions vary among administrations and are not always published online. [20] Current deputy directors are listed alphabetically by portfolio and do not indicate an order of rank. [21] [22] [23]

Directors

List of OSTP directors. [25]

ImageNameStartEndPresident
Guyford Stever.jpg Guyford Stever August 9, 1976January 20, 1977 Gerald Ford
Frank Press Jerusalem1953.jpg Frank Press January 20, 1977January 20, 1981 Jimmy Carter
No image.svg Benjamin Huberman
Acting		March 5, 1981August 1981 Ronald Reagan
George A. Keyworth, II 1981, 4.jpg Jay Keyworth August 1981December 1985
No image.svg John McTague
Acting		January 1986May 23, 1986
No image.svg Richard Johnson
Acting		May 24, 1986October 1, 1986
William Robert Graham, NASA photo portrait, November 1985.jpg William Graham October 2, 1986June 1989
No image.svg Thomas Rona
Acting		June 1989August 1989 George H. W. Bush
No image.svg William Wells
Acting		August 1989August 1989
D. Allen Bromley.jpg Allan Bromley August 1989January 20, 1993
Dr Gibbons USDA (cropped).jpg Jack Gibbons January 20, 1993April 3, 1998 Bill Clinton
Kerri-Ann Jones.jpg Kerri-Ann Jones
Acting		April 4, 1998August 3, 1998
Neal-lane.jpg Neal Lane August 4, 1998January 20, 2001
Dean Rosina M. Bierbaum.jpg Rosina Bierbaum
Acting		January 21, 2001September 30, 2001 George W. Bush
No image.svg Clifford Gabriel
Acting		October 1, 2001October 28, 2001
John Marburger official portrait.jpg Jack Marburger October 29, 2001January 20, 2009
No image.svg Ted Wackler
Acting		January 20, 2009March 19, 2009 Barack Obama
John Holdren official portrait small.jpg John Holdren March 19, 2009January 20, 2017
No image.svg Ted Wackler
Acting		January 20, 2017January 11, 2019 Donald Trump
Kelvin Droegemeier official photo.jpg Kelvin Droegemeier January 11, 2019January 15, 2021
20161006-OSEC-RBN-7275 (30189848116).jpg Kei Koizumi
Acting		January 20, 2021June 2, 2021 Joe Biden
Eric Lander July 2021.jpg Eric Lander June 2, 2021February 18, 2022
Alondra Nelson, OSTP Deputy Director (cropped).jpg Alondra Nelson
Acting [26] 		February 18, 2022October 3, 2022
Arati Prabhakar by christopher michel 5-9-23.jpg Arati Prabhakar [4] October 3, 2022present

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States National Security Council</span> U.S. federal executive national security and intelligence forum

The United States National Security Council (NSC) is the principal forum used by the president of the United States for consideration of national security, military, and foreign policy matters. Based in the White House, it is part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, and composed of senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology</span> White House advisory board

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, and by Joe Biden's February 1, 2021, Executive Order 14007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Science and Technology Council</span> The NSTC establishes national goals for science and technology.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White House Office</span> Part of the Executive Office of the President of the U.S.

The White House Office is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). The White House Office is headed by the White House Chief of Staff, who is also the head of the Executive Office of the President. The staff work for and report directly to the president, including West Wing staff and the president's senior advisers. Almost all of the White House Office staff are political appointees of the president, do not require Senate confirmation and can be dismissed at the discretion of the president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Deese</span> American business executive and government official (born 1978)

Brian Christopher Deese is an American economic and political advisor who was the 13th director of the National Economic Council, serving under President Joe Biden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office of the Vice President of the United States</span> U.S. government body

The Office of the Vice President includes personnel who directly support or advise the vice president of the United States. The office is headed by the chief of staff to the vice president of the United States, currently Lorraine Voles. The office also provides staffing and support to the second gentleman of the United States. It is primarily housed in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, with offices for the vice president also in the West Wing, the U.S. Capitol, and in the vice president's official residence.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alondra Nelson</span> American sociologist, policy advisor and author (born 1968)

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. From 2021 to 2023, Nelson was deputy assistant to President Joe Biden and principal deputy director for science and society of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), where she performed the duties of the director from February to October 2022. She was the first African American and first woman of color to lead OSTP. Prior to her role in the Biden Administration, she served for four years as president and CEO of the Social Science Research Council, an independent, nonpartisan international nonprofit organization. Nelson was previously professor of sociology at Columbia University, where she served as the inaugural Dean of Social Science, as well as director of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender. She began her academic career on the faculty of Yale University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senior Advisor to the President of the United States</span>

Senior Advisor to the President is a title used by high-ranking political advisors to the president of the United States. White House senior advisors are senior members of the White House Office. The title has been formally used since 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arati Prabhakar</span> American engineer (born 1959)

Arati Prabhakar is an American engineer and public official. Since October 3, 2022, she has served as the 12th director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Science Advisor to the President.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Kratsios</span> American government official (born 1986)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelvin Droegemeier</span> American research meteorologist (born 1958)

Kelvin Kay Droegemeier is an American research meteorologist, most recently having served as Director of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Droegemeier is known for his research in predicting the development of extreme weather events, and previously served as Oklahoma Secretary of Science and Technology and the Vice President for Research at the University of Oklahoma. He currently is serving as Regents Professor of Meteorology, Roger and Sherry Teigen Presidential Professor, and Weathernews Chair Emeritus at the University of Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office of Digital Strategy</span> Executive Branch of the US federal government

The Office of Digital Strategy (ODS) is an Executive Branch agency that promotes the U.S. president's messaging through traditional and social media. It is part of the White House Office and is led by the assistant to the president and director of digital strategy, who reports to the White House Communications Director. The incumbent director is Christian Tom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Kupperman</span> American government official (born 1950)

Charles Martin Kupperman was the United States Deputy National Security Advisor for President Donald Trump, a position he held from January to September 2019. He also was the acting United States National Security Advisor for eight days in September 2019 between John Bolton and Robert C. O'Brien.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of Joe Biden</span> Members of President Joe Bidens Cabinet

Joe Biden assumed office as President of the United States on January 20, 2021. The president has the authority to nominate members of his Cabinet to the United States Senate for confirmation under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidential transition of Joe Biden</span> Transfer of presidential power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden

The presidential transition of Joe Biden began on November 7, 2020, and ended on January 20, 2021. Unlike previous presidential transitions, which normally take place during the roughly 10-week period between the election in the first week of November and the inauguration on January 20, Biden's presidential transition was shortened somewhat because the General Services Administration under the outgoing Trump administration did not recognize Biden as the "apparent winner" until November 23.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kei Koizumi (science policymaker)</span> American science policy advisor

Kei Koizumi is an American policy advisor serving as Principal Deputy Director for Policy for the Office of Science and Technology Policy. He previously served as a senior advisor on science policy for the American Association for the Advancement of Science after serving as a senior advisor to the National Science and Technology Council under President Obama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Monje</span> American government official and advisor

Carlos Alberto Monje Jr. is an American government official and senior advisor to Secretary Pete Buttigieg. He has served as the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy within the Biden administration since July 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danielle Carnival</span>

Danielle Carnival is an American neuroscientist who is a deputy assistant to the president for the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot initiative and the deputy director for health outcomes in the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

References

  1. ↑ "White House science advisor Eric Lander sworn in on Pirkei Avot published in 1492". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  2. ↑ Thompson, Alex. "'I am deeply sorry for my conduct': Biden's top science adviser apologizes to staff". POLITICO. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  3. ↑ "White House unveils 'AI bill of rights' as 'call to action' to rein in tool". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Senate Confirms Prabhakar to Lead White House Science Office". bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  5. ↑ "OSTP Issues Guidance to Make Federally Funded Research Freely Available Without Delay".
  6. ↑ Patel, Vimal (August 26, 2022). "White House Pushes Journals to Drop Paywalls on Publicly Funded Research". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  7. ↑ Chiang, Tsai-Chien (January 2013). Madame Wu Chien-shiung: The First Lady Of Physics Research. World Scientific. pp. 184–185. ISBN   9789814579131.
  8. ↑ Alemany, Jacqueline (November 21, 2017). "Donald Trump's science office is a ghost town". CBS.
  9. ↑ Morello, Lauren (October 24, 2017). "Wait for Trump's science adviser breaks modern-era record". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2017.22878.
  10. ↑ Aldhouse, Peter (January 18, 2017). "Trump's war on science isn't what you think". CBS.
  11. ↑ Reardon, Sara; Witze, Alexandra (July 31, 2018). "The wait is over: Trump taps meteorologist as White House science adviser". Nature. 560 (7717): 150–151. Bibcode:2018Natur.560..150R. doi:10.1038/d41586-018-05862-y. PMID   30087470.
  12. ↑ Irfan, Umair (August 1, 2018). "Trump finally picked a science adviser. He's a meteorologist. Named Kelvin". Vox.
  13. ↑ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to a Key Administration Post". whitehouse.gov . Retrieved August 5, 2019– via National Archives.
  14. ↑ Chappellet-Lanier, Tajha (August 1, 2019). "Michael Kratsios confirmed as US CTO". Fedscoop. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Eric Lander Confirmed for Top White House Science Post | Inside Higher Ed". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Biden elevates science post to level". msn.com. Yahoo News. AFP. January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  17. ↑ "White House science adviser resigns after probe found he bullied staffers". February 7, 2022.
  18. ↑ Joselow, Maxine (February 24, 2022). "White House science office to hold first event on countering climate change denial and delay". The Washington Post .
  19. ↑ Ryan, Tim (August 9, 2022). "Text - H.R.4346 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Supreme Court Security Funding Act of 2022". www.congress.gov. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Staff". whitehouse.gov – via National Archives.
  21. ↑ "Eric Lander quits as Biden's top science adviser after bullying investigation". TheGuardian.com . February 8, 2022.
  22. ↑ "The race to replace Lander at OSTP". Politico .
  23. ↑ "A Google billionaire's fingerprints are all over Biden's science office". Politico .
  24. ↑ "White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Announces New Chief of Staff | OSTP". The White House. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Previous Science Advisors (1973–2009)". whitehouse.gov – via National Archives.
  26. ↑ Ward, Myah. "Biden names 2 people to replace Eric Lander in top science roles". Politico . Retrieved February 17, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.