The President and Science Advising

Event Details

Former official from the Bureau of the Budget discusses the presidency and science advising. Beginning with a description of his first involvement with science, the speaker moves into a series of anecdotal stories about nontraditional advising, as well as about the president advising his officials, instead of the other way around. He addresses the standing of science advising among other presidential priorities and the loose management of the U.S. science policy, the mechanisms of conveying scientific information to the president, science advising related to the Strategic Defense Initiative, and the science advisory system in its recent historical context. He explains the scientific advisor's lack of power and the need for a better system of science advising. During the questioning time, he addresses the declassification of the Smyrh report, instituting a science policy, former influence of science, and the power of Congress as it relates to the subject.