Members of PCAST Announced
By: Sydney Sheffield
President Joe Biden announced the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), external advisors charged with making science, technology, and innovation policy recommendations to the President and the White House. Thirty leaders were selected, containing the most diverse group in United States history.
“Science and technology permeate so many elements of government decision making,” said PCAST Co-Chair Dr. Maria Zuber. “I am excited to bring this historic and brilliant group’s knowledge, experience, and innovative thinking to bear on the nation’s toughest challenges in science and technology and navigate an equitable and inclusive path forward for the nation.”
PCAST was established by an Executive Order and is an independent Federal Advisory Committee involving distinguished individuals from industry, academia, and non-profit organizations with a range of perspectives and expertise. The committee will inform policy affecting the economy, worker empowerment, education, energy, the environment, public health, national and homeland security, racial equity, and other topics.
Biden’s PCAST consists of 20 elected members of the National Academies of Sciences (NAS), Engineering (NAE), and Medicine (NAM), 5 MacArthur “Genius” Fellows, 2 former Cabinet Secretaries, and 2 Nobel Laureates. Since its inception in 1957, there has never been a woman serve as co-chair of PCAST. This chapter of PCAST contains 2 women co-chairs, along with half of the committee comprising women. People of color and immigrants also make up one-third of PCAST.
“We congratulate our members on being appointed by President Biden to PCAST,” said NAS President Marcia McNutt, NAE President John L. Anderson, and NAM President Victor J. Dzau in a joint statement. “We are proud of their willingness to serve the nation in this capacity and look forward to working with them as they advise the White House on how science, engineering, and medicine can inform solutions to the many challenges facing the United States and the world.”
The PCAST Co-Chairs are Frances Arnold, PhD, Eric Lander, PhD, and Maria T. Zuber, PhD. Members of PCAST are as follows:
Listen to President Biden’s announcement here.
