University of Oklahoma meteorologist Kelvin Droegemeier received broad, bipartisan praise from senators at a hearing on his nomination to lead the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Droegemeier repeatedly stressed that science must be free from political influence and outlined his views on growing global R&D competition, particularly from China.

President Trump has signed legislation that updates the Department of Education’s $1.2 billion Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. The new law expands support for integrating STEM education into CTE efforts and complements recent White House initiatives focused on workforce development.

President Trump’s choice of meteorologist Kelvin Droegemeier to lead the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has received widespread acclaim. Droegemeier has longstanding ties to the National Science Foundation and has contributed extensively to science policy at the national and state levels.

The White House has released a long-anticipated blueprint outlining over 80 recommendations for reforming, reorganizing, and streamlining the federal government. Among its proposals for science agencies, the plan calls for consolidating the Department of Energy’s applied R&D programs into a new “Office of Energy Innovation” and consolidating the administration of “small” federal graduate research fellowship programs into the National Science Foundation.