Presidential Science Advisors Meeting
Earlier this week, the President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) held their second meeting. As expected, there was considerable discussion about the changes which have occurred in Washington since their first meeting last fall, and what these changes portend for federal science and technology policy and funding.
PCAST has 19 members drawn from academia and industry, and is co-chaired by OSTP Director John Gibbons and John Young, former president and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co. The entire committee meets at approximately 100 day intervals, with more frequent meetings of various working groups. PCAST provides science and technology advice to the president.
Gibbons opened the meeting by discussing administration efforts to reduce the deficit, saying that the schedule for balancing the federal budget “will frame a lot of debate” in Congress. “How to create and sustain” investment in science and technology while cutting the deficit will be a challenge, Gibbons warned.
Initial discussion focused on young investigators in health research, university funding, basic v. applied research, and the advanced technology program (ATP). Regarding ATP and DOD’s TRP program, Gibbons admitted that supporters “haven’t been describing these things very well.” “People who know these issues are losing the language battle,” one participant noted. To counter criticism of these programs it was agreed that PCAST should take a more active role.
M.R.C. Greenwood of OSTP (who is leaving this position) gave a candid presentation on fundamental science policy and funding. She described the current mood in Congress as “anything you can cut I can cut better.” Greenwood discussed the possibility of changing agency mission roles, and how this could create holes in federal support of research. She cautioned that various budget reductions could result in “dying the death of a million cuts.”
Other topics at the first day’s meeting were the role of science and technology in national security, and various initiatives in sustainable development, health, education, and high performance computing and communications.
During the afternoon session, NASA Director Daniel Goldin discussed the just-released findings of a task force on the agency’s restructuring (to be covered in a future FYI.) Charles Curtis, Undersecretary of the Department of Energy, briefed PCAST members on the national laboratory task force report, saying that “we remain open” about corporatizing the labs (although he did not seem overly enthusiastic about this proposal.) Craig Dorman of the Department of Defense discussed a review of DOD research units. All of these efforts will be combined into a report to be given to President Clinton within the next few months.
The second day of the PCAST meeting open to the public was devoted to a discussion with House Science Committee Chairman Robert Walker (R-PA) and ranking minority member George Brown (D-CA). Their remarks, and reactions to them, with be the subject of FYI #48. Also covered in a future FYI will be formation of a new PCAST working group on fusion energy.
At the conclusion of the PCAST meeting a statement was released. It stated, “Funding for science and technology programs is our nation’s most fundamental investment in our future and our children’s future.... In the debate over national spending priorities, we must take time to assess carefully the impact of proposed cuts on our Nation’s ability to maintain world-class science and technology..... We must lead the pack or lose the race -- and the jobs that go with it.... In the face of mounting pressure to reduce science and technology spending, PCAST supports our National commitment to maintain a robust R&D portfolio. The President must promote this investment as essential for our nation’s long term prosperity and security.”
