Science Envoys to Visit PCAST

The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) will hear from the Nation’s first three science envoys during a public meeting this Friday, July 16, 2010 at the National Academies’ Keck Center in Washington, DC.

The three globe-trotting scientists include Elias Zerhouni, former director of the National Institutes of Health; Ahmed Zewail, Nobel Prize-winning chemist; and Bruce Alberts, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Science, who were announced by Secretary Clinton in Marrakesh last November and whose participation was acknowledged during the one year anniversary of President Obama’s New Beginnings speech in Cairo. This Friday, they will report directly to PCAST members on what progress has been made in strengthening collaboration with the Muslim world on shared energy, environment, and health challenges. Additionally, OSTP has created a Global Science Diplomacy webpage, which will be updated periodically and serve as a portal for information about the science envoys.

President Obama has made clear that one of his top priorities is enhancing US cooperation with its global partners; this session will provide insights and observations to PCAST for their consideration in this area.

Click here for an agenda for the meeting. Attending this Friday’s PCAST meeting requires registering for the meeting. Alternatively, you can view this meeting without registering live via webcast; within a week after the meeting an archived version will be available.