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January 15, 2009 12:58 PM |

Research Gets Billions in House Recovery Plan

by Jeffrey Mervis

House Democrats today unveiled an $825 billion plan to boost the U.S. economy that includes $10 billion for research and instrumentation and another $6 billion to modernize academic laboratories. A...

January 15, 2009 12:15 PM |

New Wings for NASA?

by Andrew Lawler

The appointment of a new NASA administrator typically comes months after the 20 January swearing-in of a new president. But Washington insiders say that President-elect Barack Obama may name his...

January 14, 2009 2:44 PM |

Obama's Pick for EPA Pledges to Rely on Science

by Erik Stokstad

"Science, science, science, and the rule of law," demanded Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) at the confirmation hearing today for Lisa Jackson, the presumptive head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency....

January 14, 2009 11:56 AM |

Duncan Hearing Mum on Science and Math Education

by Jeffrey Mervis

The National Science Board--the body that oversees the National Science Foundation--is so worried about the state of math and science education in U.S. schools that it sent President-elect Barack Obama...

January 14, 2009 10:50 AM |

Steve Chu Comes to Washington

by Eli Kintisch

For senators cross-examining physicist Steven Chu yesterday at his confirmation hearing to become secretary of the $24 billion Department of Energy, one thing was clear: The pick was a real...

January 13, 2009 1:34 PM |

Griffin Going?

by Andrew Lawler

Despite a concerted campaign by his supporters—including his wife—to keep him on the job, NASA Chief Mike Griffin may be leaving the space agency for good on Friday. Along...

January 12, 2009 2:31 PM |

How Healthy? A Public Health Official's Legacy

by Jennifer Couzin-Frankel

Another Bushie is on her way out: Julie Gerberding has resigned as head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a post she’s held for more than 6...

January 9, 2009 5:38 PM |

Obama and Science in Developing Countries

by Robert Koenig

While some fear that the scientific and technical assistance programs to Africa and other developing regions may suffer as a result of the economic downturn, Harvard University's Calestous Juma,...

January 8, 2009 5:48 PM |

Angst and Embarrassment, FDA Style

by Jennifer Couzin-Frankel

Looks like some scientists at the Food and Drug Administration are doing what they can to influence President-elect Barack Obama's choice of their new boss. Nine scientists have written...

January 8, 2009 12:36 PM |

Science Plays Key Role in Obama Economic Recovery Plan

by Jeffrey Mervis

Barack Obama has put science in the middle of his economic recovery plan. Speaking today at George Mason University, the president-elect ticked off the elements of a plan that, while...

January 7, 2009 3:49 PM |

Will Science Be Part of Recovery Package? Pelosi Says Yes

by Jeffrey Mervis

Image via Wikipedia House Democratic leaders this morning strongly signaled their support for including research, training, and scientific equipment in a massive economic recovery package being crafted this month....

January 6, 2009 5:12 PM |

And They Say Jobs for Journalists Are Scarce These Days

by Eliot Marshall

The Obama White House has reportedly signed up a nominee for surgeon general—CNN commentator and celebrity doc Sanjay Gupta, according to the Washington Post. Gupta, who has not commented...

January 5, 2009 5:28 PM |

Economic Stimulus: U.S. House Could Call for Test Tubes As Well As Pavement

by Jeffrey Mervis

U.S. scientists have been wondering whether research will be part of the upcoming economic stimulus package that Congress and President-elect Barack Obama are working on. Past economic stimulus packages have...

January 5, 2009 2:14 PM |

Could NASA Get a Lift From the Pentagon?

by Science News Staff

Bloomburg says President-elect Barack Obama might think so:Obama has said the Pentagon’s space program -- which spent about $22 billion in fiscal year 2008, almost a third more than NASA’s...

January 2, 2009 3:04 PM |

Collins Dominates Rumor Mill for NIH Director

by Constance Holden

Francis Collins, former director of the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, appears to be the top contender for the post as President-elect Barack Obama's director of the...

December 30, 2008 11:32 AM |

Bush Science Advisers Offer Regrets, Advice

by Jeffrey Mervis

It's not often that White House science advisers suggest how the next Administration might want to do things differently. But that's what the outgoing President's Council of Advisors on Science...

December 22, 2008 2:17 PM |

Obama Adds to Science Team

by Jeffrey Mervis

On Saturday, President-elect Barack Obama confirmed that John Holdren will be his White House science adviser, a pick first reported here on ScienceInsider last week. The Harvard University professor, a...

December 19, 2008 4:07 PM |

Obama Stacks the Energy and Climate Deck

by Jeffrey Mervis

So far, President-elect Barack Obama's scientific appointments are heavily skewed toward one piece of the vast U.S. scientific enterprise: energy and climate research. Researchers in those communities were generally thrilled...

December 18, 2008 3:49 PM |

Obama Advised Not to Fire NASA Administrator

by Jeffrey Mervis

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin may be under fire for his alleged rude behavior toward the Obama transition team, and he's said he doesn't expect to keep his job. But Representative...

December 18, 2008 12:38 PM |

Sources: John Holdren to be Nominated as Obama's Science Adviser

by Eli Kintisch

Strong indications are that President-elect Barack Obama has picked physicist John Holdren to be the president's science adviser. A top adviser to the Obama campaign and international expert on energy...

December 17, 2008 7:14 PM |

Astronaut Declines Presidential Invitation, Science Her Excuse

by Rachel Zelkowitz

She sends regrets, from orbit Image via Wikipedia Astronaut Sandra Magnus won't be joining her six fellow crewmates in the presidential inauguration parade in which they've been invited to march...

December 17, 2008 6:55 PM |

Interior and Ag Secretaries Continue Focus on Energy

by Erik Stokstad

President-elect Barack Obama continued last week's theme of energy independence—think Steve Chu. Today's announcement of his choices to lead the departments of the Interior and Agriculture focus instead on resources...

December 16, 2008 5:33 PM |

Obama's Education Pick Gets Science

by Jeffrey Mervis

The science education community is adding its voice to the chorus of praise accompanying President-elect Barack Obama's selection of Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education. As CEO of Chicago Public...

December 15, 2008 4:52 PM |

IOM to Obama: Get Your Act Together on Global Health

by Jon Cohen

A new Institute of Medicine report released today by a prominent group of scientists and former public officials on a global health committee has a message for President-Elect Barack Obama:...

December 15, 2008 9:01 AM |

Obama Tapping Critics at FDA?

by Jennifer Couzin-Frankel

Two of the most likely candidates to take over the beleagered U.S. Food and Drug Administration have been vociferous critics of the agency. The Wall Street Journal says Steven Nissen...

December 12, 2008 12:21 PM |

Obama's Green Team ...

by Eli Kintisch

… gets full and mostly positive coverage today in the Washington Post's take on Energy nominee Steve Chu and their look at Carol Browner, Lisa Jackson, and Nancy Sutley, his...

December 11, 2008 12:50 PM |

Putting the E back into DOE: Three Ways Chu Could Energize Energy

by Eli Kintisch

Steve Chu could be a groundbreaking energy secretary for the energy research efforts of President-elect Barack Obama's Administration in several ways. It's not just that Chu will be the first...

December 7, 2008 9:59 PM |

Obama on White House Lectures: Let's Get Subatomic

by Science News Staff

President-Elect Obama today on Meet the Press, compelling hundreds of scientists to start editing their PowerPoints: MR. BROKAW: Who are the kinds of artists that you would like to bring...

December 4, 2008 5:35 PM |

Clues on Obama's Stem Cell Plans?

by Constance Holden

Now it's coming from the horse's mouth. The Center for American Progress, headed by John Podesta, who is also running Barack Obama’s transition team, has spelled out on its Web...

December 4, 2008 11:48 AM |

Bill Richardson's Big Picture

by Jeffrey Mervis

When President-elect Barack Obama introduced New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson yesterday as his nominee to be secretary of commerce, both men emphasized that getting Americans back to work would be...

December 2, 2008 2:19 PM |

Bioterror Trumps Nuclear Threat

by Jocelyn Kaiser

A congressionally appointed commission has been grabbing headlines with its message that the threat of a bioterrorist attack outweighs the risk of a nuclear weapons attack. In its report, World...

November 26, 2008 1:59 PM |

Extension for Gates as Defense Secretary, A Plus for Research

by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee

The news that U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will serve for at least a year in the new Administration should be good news for basic science funded by the military....

November 24, 2008 2:03 PM |

Former NASA Science Chief Lashes Out

by Andrew Lawler

NASA managers are typically like old soldiers—they fade away once they leave the agency, discreetly joining aerospace companies, stepping into academia, or entering retirement. But Alan Stern's not going quietly....