Scientists Urged to Plan for the Next US President

NATURE|Vol 451|21 February 2008 NEWS ON THE RECORD Allowing an 8-year- old“ elephant to conceive is the equivalent of allowing your 12-year- old daughter to become Scientists urged to plan pregnant. A spokesperson” for the International Fund for Animal Welfare reacts to news that Thong Dee, who lives at for the next US president Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, has grown up rather too quickly. Quit whining and get proactive. That’s the up the names of top scientists who could serve SCORECARD message that policy experts gave scientists as science adviser, as well as lobby to restore at the weekend. They advised them to stop the title of ‘special assistant to the president’ Space veg complaining that politicians don’t take science — a direct reporting line to the president that Kimchi, South Korea’s seriously and instead prepare for the presiden- was removed by Bush. Other key positions to pickled-cabbage-based treat, has been cleared for tial changeover next January. be filled include possible heads of the National launch on the nation’s first space Scientists were urged to organize now — for Science Foundation, the National Institutes of expedition this April — minus instance, by coming up with a list of names Health and NASA. a bacterium usually used in the for high-profile science positions in the new At the conference, representatives from the recipe that could pose health administration, no matter who problems in orbit. runs it. There are just 77 days between Bad brew the 4 November presidential Scientists who like election and the 20 January REED/REUTERS J. a few beers publish 2009 inauguration, notes Neal fewer papers and get their Lane, a senior fellow at the work cited less often than their James A. Baker III Institute for more abstemious colleagues, Public Policy at Rice University according to Czech research. in Houston, Texas, who served as science adviser to President NUMBER CRUNCH Bill Clinton. During those 77 days, the entire executive branch Don’t wait: scientists told to start lobbying presidential candidates 9 shark species are set to be added to the World Conservation of the government must be set such as Barack Obama (left) and Hillary Clinton. Union’s list of endangered species up, including some 50 positions this year. particularly important to science and technol- Obama and Clinton campaigns competed ogy. “It’s a huge undertaking,” Lane says. to win the hearts of the assembled scientists. 1 fatal shark attack took place Lane and other experts were address- Clinton adviser Tom Kalil of the University of worldwide in 2007 — a 20-year low. ing researchers at the annual meeting of the California, Berkeley, ran through key points in American Association for the Advancement Clinton’s ‘innovation agenda’, which includes 33 years ago, Steven Spielberg of Science (AAAS) in Boston, Massachu- doubling basic research funding over 10 years. released Jaws, adding to sharks’ setts. The hotly contested presidential race Alec Ross, a technology entrepreneur and fearsome reputation and, in the dominated much of the meeting: in the hall- adviser to Obama, focused on his candidate’s eyes of some conservationists, ways, advocates passed out lapel plans to expand broadband and worsening their plight. buttons promoting the idea of a sci- “No matter who technology infrastructure to all ence debate between the candidates wins, we’ll be light Americans. He also hinted that SHOWBIZ NEWS (see Nature 451, 621; 2008). The within weeks Obama would years ahead of Seal appeal Union of Concerned Scientists, an unveil a new plan for NASA and Former Baywatch babe advocacy group, announced a “call where we are.” space exploration. Pamela Anderson has used to action for scientific freedom and Both advisers said their candi- her publicity-courting skills to the public good”, asking Congress and the White dates were considering participating in the sci- speak out against Canada’s House to support integrity in federal science. ence debate, planned for 18 April at the Franklin culling of baby seals. And representatives of Democratic presidential Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Invita- “It sickens me, candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton tions have also gone to John McCain and Mike not just as a spoke to a packed room about the positions their Huckabee.The pair, together with Ron Paul, Canadian but candidates hold on science and technology. were all invited to the AAAS meeting, although as a human Underlying this activity is a palpable frustra- none sent a representative. being,” she tion with eight years of President George W. Outgoing AAAS president David Baltimore IMAGES E. RYAN/GETTY explains. Bush’s administration, during which scientists says he sees little difference between the Demo- have spoken out about the perceived manipula- cratic candidates, and knows little about where Sources: tion of science for political ends (see Nature 427, McCain stands on science issues. But no matter The Times, BBC, 663; 2004). Policy experts advised researchers who wins, he says, “we’ll be light years ahead of Null Hypothesis, The Guardian, ■ to waste no time in trying to change that. Lane, where we are”. PhysOrg.com, for instance, said the community needs to line Alexandra Witze Reuters SIDELINES 875.

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