Science & Justice sends our congratulations to longtime friend and collaborator Alondra Nelson, who has been appointed by the Biden/Harris administration to the position of Deputy Director for Science and Society in the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Dr. Nelson will be the first person to fill this Science and Society role, which will bring social science expertise to national science and technology policy.
Nelson made clear in her acceptance speech that she will make inclusion, equity and justice core guiding principles at the OSTP. As she eloquently explained:
“I believe we have a responsibility to work together to make sure that our science and technology reflects us, and when it does that it reflects all of us, that it reflects who we truly are together. This too is a breakthrough. This too is an innovation that advances our lives. We have an incredible opportunity ahead of us to approach our science and technology policy in ways that are honest and inclusive, to bring the full strength of our communities—our experiences, our concerns and our aspirations—to every table as we think through emergent forms of science and technology. There has never been a more important moment for scientific development—to get scientific development right or to situate that development in our values of equality, accountability, justice, and trustworthiness.”
We are thrilled by Dr. Nelson’s appointment. We look forward to the values of social justice and the insights of social science guiding science and technology policy on the national stage.
Congratulations, Dr. Nelson!
Links:
- https://www.ias.edu/news/2021/nelson-ostp-appointment
- Watch her announcement speech on CSPAN. Dr. Nelson takes the podium at 21:30.
- https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00159-z
- https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/29/climate/biden-trump-science.html