More Influence for Science

Kery Murakami
January 18, 2021
President-elect Joe Biden on Friday nominated Eric Lander to be his science adviser and director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy — and also elevated the role of science adviser so that it will have cabinet rank.
Lander is president and founding director of the Broad Institute at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In a speech introducing Lander, Biden outlined five priorities for science in his administration.
“First, the pandemic and what can we learn about what is possible, or what should be possible, to address the widest range of our public health needs?
“Second, the economy, and how can we build back better to ensure prosperity is fully shared across America and among all Americans?
“Third, how can science help us confront the climate crisis with American jobs and ingenuity?
“Fourth, how can we ensure the United States leads the world in the technologies and industries of the future that will be critical to our economic prosperity and national security, especially as we compete with China and other nations?
“And fifth, how can we ensure the long-term health and trust in science and technology in our nation?”