The director of this office is traditionally colloquially known as the science advisor to the president. A recent appointed director was mathematician and geneticist Eric Lander who was sworn in on June 2, 2021.[1] Lander resigned February 18, 2022, following allegations of misconduct.[2]
On February 16, 2022, the Biden administration announced that deputy director Alondra Nelson would serve as acting director and former National Institutes of Health (NIH) director Francis Collins would serve as acting science advisor. Both assumed positions on February 18, 2022. In October 2022, Arati Prabhakar became Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.[3][4] The most recent Michael Kratsios became Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy on March 25, 2025.[5]
History
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(March 2020)
20th century
President Ford signing H.R. 10230, establishing the Office of Science and Technology Policy
President Richard M. Nixon eliminated the President's Science Advisory Committee after his second Science Advisor, Edward E. David Jr., resigned in 1973, rather than appointing a replacement. In 1975, the American Physical Society president Chien-Shiung Wu met with the new president Gerald Ford to reinstate a scientific body of advisors for the executive branch and the president, which President Ford concurred to do.[6] The United States Congress then established the OSTP in 1976 with a broad mandate to advise the President and others within the Executive Office of the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs. The 1976 Act also authorizes OSTP to lead inter-agency efforts to develop and to implement sound science and technology policies and budgets and to work with the private sector, state and local governments, the science and higher education communities, and other nations toward this end.
21st century
Under President Donald Trump, OSTP's staff dropped from 135 to 45 people.[7] The OSTP director position remained vacant for over two years, the longest vacancy for the position since the office's founding.[8][9][10]Kelvin Droegemeier, an atmospheric scientist who previously served as the vice president of research at the University of Oklahoma, was nominated for the position on August 1, 2018[11] and confirmed by the Senate on January 2, 2019.
President Joe Biden named, and the Senate later unanimously confirmed,[14]Eric Lander as head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, while also upgrading the position to a cabinet-level post.[15] Lander resigned in February 2022 following reports that engaged in abusive conduct against both subordinates and other White House officials.[16]
In 2022, The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy held a roundtable discussion with some of the nation’s leading scientists to discuss the need to combat the climate crisis and counter arguments for delaying climate action. It is the first time that the White House has recognized scientists who study the climate denial operation run by the fossil fuel industry.[17]
On August 8, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the CHIPS and Science Act which included a provision to create a blockchain and cryptocurrency specialist advisory position under the OSTP to be established and appointed by the Director.[18]
On August 25, 2022, OSTP issued guidance to make all federally funded research in the United States freely available without delay.[19][20]
Staff
Key positions vary among administrations and are not always published online.[21]
Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and OSTP Director: Michael Kratsios[22]
Deputy Assistant to the President for Cancer Moonshot and OSTP Deputy Director for Health Outcomes: Danielle Carnival
Special Assistant to the President and OSTP Chief of Staff and Deputy Director for Strategy: Asad Ramzanali[23]
Special Assistant to the President and OSTP Principal Deputy Director for Science, Society, and Policy: Kei Koizumi
Special Assistant to the President and OSTP Deputy Director for National Security: Stephen Welby
Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer and OSTP Deputy Director for Technology: Karen Kornbluh[24]
OSTP Deputy Director for Climate and Environment: Jane Lubchenco
OSTP Deputy Director for Industrial Innovation: Justina Gallegos
OSTP Deputy Chief of Staff: Jack Cumming
OSTP Director of Communications: Jackie McGuinness
OSTP Director of Legislative Affairs: Alexandrine De Bianchi
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