President's Science Advisory Committee

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The President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) was created on November 21, 1957, by President of the United States

James R. Killian
as PSAC's first director.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy renamed the agency the Office of Science and Technology (OST). This lasted until Richard Nixon's administration in 1973. In 1976 the Office of Science and Technology Policy was established.

First report

The first report of the newly formed Science Advisory Committee, commonly known as the Killian Report (February 14, 1955, officially "Meeting the Threat of Surprise Attack"),

mutually assured destruction
. It also suggested that the lag in US missile technology was a systemic problem in the education system, which led to widespread reform in the public school system.

Committee members

The President's Science Advisory Committee included many noteworthy scientists and non-scientists, including:

PSAC's activities

The committee had no operating responsibilities. Its purpose was to provide advisory opinions and analysis on science and technology matters to the entire

Federal Government and specifically to the President. About one-half of the panels' studies were directed to the question of how science could support the United States' national security objectives. The creation of Arms Limitations and Control, Limited Warfare, and Space Science Panels, for example, reflected the national security concerns of the committee. Two important themes common to many of the studies are the budgetary problems of funding projects, and the administration's concern over competing successfully with the Soviet Union
in science and technology.

In 1965, the PSAC environmental pollution panel issued a major report outlining water, air, and

atmospheric carbon dioxide.[3]

During the administration of President John F. Kennedy, the PSAC advised against pursuing a human Moon landing due to cost. Kennedy rejected the committee's recommendation and aggressively pursued the goal of putting an American on the Moon before the end of the decade.[4]

The end of the PSAC

In 1973, shortly after winning re-election in a landslide, President

PCAST), was established in 1990 by President George H. W. Bush,[8] and renewed by three subsequent presidents.[9][10][11]

See also

External links

References

  1. OCLC 1225683283
    .
  2. ISBN 978-0-313-29133-3
    . Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  3. ^
    The White House
    . November 1965.
  4. doi:10.1063/PT.5.3042
    .
  5. ISBN 978-0813546889
    .
  6. ISBN 978-1560008293
    .
  7. doi:10.1126/science.323.5910.28
    .
  8. ^ "Executive Order 12700". Wikisource. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  9. ^ "Executive Order 12882". Wikisource. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  10. ^ "Executive Order 13226". Wikisource. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  11. ^ "Executive Order 13539". Wikisource. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
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