Statement of Research!America President and CEO Mary Woolley on the Confirmation of Eric Lander as OSTP Director

Research!America applauds the confirmation of Dr. Eric Lander as the  Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). President Biden previously appointed Dr. Lander, his Science Advisor to a Cabinet-level position, a strong statement of the importance of science and technology to our nation’s future. The breadth and depth of Dr. Lander’s scientific accomplishments are astounding. In addition, he is an internationally respected voice in the science and technology (S&T) policy arena. This is welcome news at an urgent turning point for our nation. COVID-19 is an all-too-clear harbinger. To secure our future, we must assign a higher priority to S&T to predict, preempt, and defeat current and future threats confronting our nation. We are confident that Dr. Lander is the right leader at the right time to provide cabinet-level counsel on the nation’s most challenging issues; we congratulate him and look forward to working with him.