Trump staffs science and technology panel with non-scientists | Appointee list is in keeping with the administration’s hostility toward science

Issues of note: >The list of appointees was finally released on Wednesday, and it’s notable for its almost complete absence of scientists. There are still nine unfilled vacancies on the council, so it’s possible more scientists will be named later. But for now, PCAST is heavily tilted toward extremely wealthy technology figures. > >These include investor Marc Andreessen, Google’s Sergey Brin, Michael Dell of Dell, Larry Ellison of Oracle, Jensen Huang of NVIDIA, Lisa Su of AMD, and Mark Zuckerberg of Meta. But many of the lesser known names have similar backgrounds. Previously named chairs of PCAST are investor David Sacks and a former investment company CFO and current head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, John Kratsios. Of the new appointees, Safra Catz also comes from Oracle, Fred Ehrsam co-founded Coinbase, and David Friedberg is another investor. > >Three of the new members actually have some background in academic research. Both Jacob DeWitte and Bob Mumgaard got PhDs from MIT before founding nuclear companies: DeWitte is the CEO of the small modular nuclear startup Oklo, and Mumgaard is the CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems. John Martinis is a Nobel Prize w***** for his work on quantum physics; he played a critical role in the development of Google’s quantum computing efforts and has since been involved in two additional quantum computing startups. > >This is not the council you’d name if you were at all interested in the role of fundamental research in enabling technology development. It’s more appropriate if your focus is on investing in well-proven commercial technologies. In keeping with that, the announcement says, “Under President Trump, PCAST will focus on topics related to the opportunities and challenges that emerging technologies present to the American workforce, and ensuring all Americans thrive in the Golden Age of Innovation.” What this administration clearly doesn’t understand is that technological advancements are based on basic scientific research. Having no scientists and only investors and some other wealthy tech figures on this council indicates that they care more about returns than they do about innovation.

Ostensibly this should be full of academics, but there’s always been a bit of industry insider representation on the panel. This slate is particularly egregious: > These include investor Marc Andreessen, Google’s Sergey Brin, Michael Dell of Dell, Larry Ellison of Oracle, Jensen Huang of NVIDIA, Lisa Su of AMD, and Mark Zuckerberg of Meta. But many of the lesser known names have similar backgrounds. Previously named chairs of PCAST are investor David Sacks and a former investment company CFO and current head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, John Kratsios. Of the new appointees, Safra Catz also comes from Oracle, Fred Ehrsam co-founded Coinbase, and David Friedberg is another investor. We should make rules about the types of professionals allowed on these advisory positions.

Science, compassion, human rights, accountability. Out the window. Greed seems to be the common factor.

Truth in any of its forms.

I'd like the see a religious panel stuffed with atheists.

Didn’t these people ban him?

wonder if they are taking applications.

Following in Russia's footsteps. Par for the course with this Convicted Criminal in Charge.