Professor Holdren to Be Nominated as White House Science Adviser

John P. Holdren, Heinz professor of environmental policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, is to be nominated as the White House science adviser by President-elect Barack Obama, according to several news reports.

Holdren’s website (which lists his current courses, publications, etc.) describes his research interests and academic engagements this way: he is “director of the program on science, technology, and public policy at the Kennedy School, as well as professor of environmental science and public policy in the department of earth and planetary sciences at Harvard University. He is also the director of the Woods Hole Research Center and from 2005 to 2008 served as president-elect, president, and chair of the board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His work focuses on causes and consequences of global environmental change, analysis of energy technologies and policies, ways to reduce the dangers from nuclear weapons and materials, and the interaction of content and process in science and technology policy.”

See this Harvard Magazine coverage of his research on the potential of and problems associated with nuclear power; it accompanied a larger article on global warming and the issues surrounding coal. In 2000, he was awarded the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. Holdren spoke on sustainability and related concerns at the inaugural ceremonies for Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences as well (audio available here).

The Boston Globe and New  York Times both covered his career, prospective appointment, and possible role in the new administration.

For more information on Holdren’s appointment, consult here and the Harvard Kennedy School/Harvard University release. The latter also covers the appointment of Eric Lander to serve on the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology, with Holdren; Lander is professor of systems biology and director of the Broad Institute, a genomics-research center.