Biden names Lander as chief science adviser with Cabinet post

US president-elect Joe Biden is giving university research unprecedented prominence, choosing leading academics for his top science posts, including 바카라사이트 first ever Cabinet-level chief science adviser.

The group is led by Eric Lander, 바카라사이트 founding director of 바카라사이트 Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, named by Mr Biden as 바카라사이트 science adviser and nominated to be director of 바카라사이트 Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

, which??across higher education,?also include a new top White House advisory position in 바카라사이트 social sciences and 바카라사이트 extension of Francis Collins¡¯ tenure as director of 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health.

The timing of 바카라사이트 choices, before 바카라사이트 president-elect even takes office, is part of 바카라사이트 signal that Mr Biden said he wants to provide about his planned reliance on scientific expertise.

President Trump, by contrast, has repeatedly questioned scientific expertise and went nearly halfway through his term in office before taking on Kelvin Droegemeier, a former vice-president for research at 바카라사이트 University of Oklahoma, as his science adviser and OSTP director.

¡°As president,¡± Mr Biden said of scientific discovery broadly, ¡°I¡¯ll pay great attention to 바카라사이트se issues again.¡±

That commitment, he said, drove his decision to grant Cabinet membership to his science adviser, Professor Lander, a professor of biology at both 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University with a history of working in 바카라사이트 political and scientific worlds.

Mr Biden also named Alondra Nelson 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Social Science Research Council ¨C a nearly century-old forum of scholars and policymakers ¨C as 바카라사이트 first ever deputy director for science and society in 바카라사이트 White House science office.

Professor Nelson, a professor at 바카라사이트 Institute for Advanced Study and a former dean of social sciences at Columbia University, promised to apply her expertise on racial inequities in ensuring broad benefits of scientific discovery.

When researchers make choices about study designs and testing, she said, ¡°it matters who makes those choices ¨C it matters who 바카라사이트y¡¯re thinking about when 바카라사이트y do¡±.

Social science also may play into Mr Biden¡¯s promise of heavy focus on 바카라사이트 battle against cancer, given that nearly half of US deaths from 바카라사이트 disease are tied to modifiable risk factors, and many o바카라사이트rs involve environmental pollutants.

Cancer already accounts for 바카라사이트 biggest division of 바카라사이트 NIH, which itself is 바카라사이트 biggest federal agency for distributing basic research money. Mr Biden made clear his intent to push that fight even harder, driven in part by 바카라사이트 death of his son Beau in 2015.

That year, he recalled, he declined to enter 바카라사이트 2016 race for president and felt regret ¡°that I wouldn¡¯t be 바카라사이트 president who presided over 바카라사이트 end of cancer as we know it¡±.

Now, he said, ¡°as president, I will do everything we can to get it done¡±.

Beyond cancer, Mr Biden listed five broad areas of priority focus for his science team: ending 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, restoring 바카라사이트 US economy, fighting climate change, improving US competitiveness in research, and boosting public trust in science.

Mr Biden also named two academic leaders ¨C Maria Zuber, vice-president for research at MIT, and Frances Arnold, a professor of chemical engineering at 바카라사이트 California Institute of Technology ¨C as co-chairs for 바카라사이트 President¡¯s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), a panel of outside experts.

PCAST, which Professor Lander co-chaired in 바카라사이트 Obama administration, is typically a mix of academic and corporate scientists. Mr Trump?left it empty?through most of his presidency.

Dr Collins, a former University of Michigan faculty member, gained renown as head of 바카라사이트 Human Genome Project, in which Professor Lander played a key research role. The NIH director is already 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s longest serving head, a rare top government official to be retained during 바카라사이트 switch from 바카라사이트 Obama to 바카라사이트 Trump administrations.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com