Science Advice In The Trump White House

As President Trump takes office, he has the enormous undertaking of making thousands of political appointments across the federal government, including nearly 800 nominations requiring Senate confirmation. Among his top priorities should be to nominate a science adviser and to staff the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the single agency in the government responsible for the health of the entire federal science and technology (S&T) portfolio. OSTP is the sole voice in the White House focused on using and supporting scientific research, advancing the nation's technological capability, and advising the president on all policy issues as they relate to S&T. Here, we describe the vital role of OSTP and its policy councils and offer recommendations on selecting the president's science adviser and OSTP leadership. A strong OSTP will be critical for maintaining U.S. leadership in S&T and innovation (1).