Former president Donald Trump was, unfortunately, not a big fan of science. Perhaps more damaging, he was an instigator of misinformation and disinformation. One gem that will be remembered long after he has left the White House was his idea of injecting disinfectants into people to treat COVID-19. Having blogged about Trump’s stance on science four years ago, it seems fitting to explore what a Biden presidency might look like, with respect to science.
What we think
Shortly after the 2020 election, Nature published an article with the headline “Scientists Relieved as Joe Biden Wins Tight U.S. Presidential Election” and Scientific American republished it, suggesting approval of the message. Whereas we didn’t know a lot about Trump’s views on science prior to his taking office, president Biden was vice president to Barack Obama and that administration had a pro-science approach, even if it didn’t always live up to its promises.
In October, Nature wrote that a Biden presidency would tackle five key science issues. According to the article, they would be the following: the coronavirus pandemic (of course; it’s one of the most significant issues facing the country); climate change (good news after Trump’s confusing stance), space exploration, research priorities and international research collaborations.
Let’s explore the latter two.
President Biden and vice-president Kamala Harris both have personal reasons for focusing on cancer and medical research so expect these to make the list. The Trump administration prioritized artificial intelligence and quantum science and, because they are popular with Congress, they could remain a focus. The Nature article states manufacturing technology, public health and health disparities are also going to be important.
We know that Trump, with his travel bans, border wall, visa restrictions and isolationist agenda, was not kind or welcoming to immigrants and foreigners, and hurt the country’s ability to attract foreign students and scientists.
Quoting from the article, “Biden has pledged to reverse the travel bans and to make it easier for foreign scientists and engineers who graduate with PhDs to permanently stay in the United States. He has also proposed to increase the number of visas available to highly skilled workers, including scientists.” What does that mean for Canada? Read Camila Londono’s blog called “Making a case for investing in Canada revisited: Prioritizing our strengths.”
Nature has also put together a helpful guide of the people President Biden wants on his science team. You’ll find some additional names here.
What we know
In an online briefing prior to the inauguration, President Biden, in a show of support for science, announced he will be elevating the post of presidential science advisor to a cabinet rank, the first time ever in U.S. history. At this briefing he also named his science team and identified their priorities, as follows: the pandemic, the economy, the climate crisis, technological and industrial leadership, and restoring “trust in science in our nation.”
The key takeaway? President Biden does care about and believe in science. See it for yourself.
Stacey Johnson
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