In a time of intense political change, one thing is constant: the Belfer Center’s continuing commitment to providing independent, policy-relevant knowledge at the nexus of science, technology, and international security. The Center had alumni in senior posts during the Obama administration and has alumni serving the nation now during the Trump administration. 

"In recent years we’ve seen an increasing number of influential politicians reject well-established science on climate change, evolution, vaccines, gun violence. The value of government investments in research (particularly basic research) is being called into question — as is whether leaders of government need advice from scientists at all. These attitudes have been most evident in the first 100 days of the Trump administration."

"The scientific community needs to more effectively speak out about the necessity of evidence-based policies, scientific integrity protections and public access to research to defend the role of science, said John Holdren, former White House science adviser, in a speech on the eve of the April 22nd March for Science."

Understandable concerns have been expressed by some in the scientific community that marching on April 22 will make scientists look like "just another interest group" or "just worried about their jobs" or that they will be seen as "politicizing science." After considerable reflection and discussion with a number of science-community leaders, John P. Holdren, Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy at Harvard University has reached the following conclusions about this issue. 

"Every president stocks the White House with people who can advise him on the economy, national defense, and foreign relations. And nearly all presidents in modern times have understood that science and technology are so central to all of those top-tier issues — and practically every other issue on the nation’s agenda — that science and technology advice in the White House is no less essential."

"President Donald Trump's executive actions of earlier this week, which attempt to undermine progress made under President Barack Obama to combat the menace of human-caused climate change, are yet another example of the new administration's propensity to let blind ideology "trump" clear-eyed science and good sense."

President Trump's executive actions of today, which attempt to undermine progress made under President Obama to combat the menace of human-caused climate change, are yet another example of the new administration's propensity to let blind ideology "trump" clear-eyed science and good sense.

If this budget or anything close to it were enacted into law, the result would be a severe setback for international relations and America's standing in the world; for clean air and water for Americans: for progress in conquering cancer, influenza, and Alzheimer's; for the fight against human-caused climate change; for U.S. leadership in science and technology; for culture and the arts; and, yes, for American business, which depends on government services far more heavily than is generally recognized.  It can only be hoped that this misguided budget will be resoundingly rejected by Congress on a bipartisan basis.

John P. Holdren, Ph.D.

Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Government

Senior Advisor to the President, The Woods Hole Research Center

Formerly President Obama’s Science Advisor and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (January 2009 – January 2017)

John Holdren, the longest-serving White House science advisor in history, is returning to Harvard Kennedy School and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Effective today, John will again be the Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and will join Dan Schrag in co-directing the Center’s Program on Science, Technology, and Public Policy.

ON TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016, Commander Scott Kelly returned home from the International Space Station after twelve months working off the Earth, for the Earth. His year in space will pay scientific and medical dividends for years to come, helping pave the way for future astronauts to travel to Mars and beyond.