PCAST Reports
Created in 1990, PCAST is composed of scientists, engineers, and industry leaders with diverse areas of expertise and backgrounds who are appointed by the president (E.O. 12700). The council is co-led by the assistant to the president for science and technology (also known as the president’s “science advisor,” who in most recent administrations has also served as director of OSTP)—the council’s only federal member—and up to two members from the private sector. According to its most recent charter, PCAST advises the president on “policy that affects science, technology, and innovation, as well as S&T information that is needed to inform public policy relating to the economy, energy, environment, public health, national and homeland security, and other topics” (E.O. 14007).
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President George H. W. Bush (1989-1993)
President Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
President George W. Bush (2001-2009)
President Barack Obama (2009-2017)
Recent Submissions
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Report to the President Revitalizing the U.S. Semiconductor Ecosystem
(2022-09)The semiconductor industry in is critical to maintaining US economic and national security. To ensure America remains the global leader in semiconductor manufacturing, the federal government must sustain long-term investment in research and development (R&D), startups, education, and workforce development. The President’s Council of Advisors on ... -
Industries of the Future Institutes: A New Model for American Science and Technology Leadership
(2021-01)The success of US leadership in key, emerging industries- including artificial intelligence, quantum information science, advanced manufacturing, communication, and biotechnology- requires an effective national research and development (R&D) ecosystem. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) proposes a new framework for ... -
Recommendations for Strengthening American Leadership in Industries of the Future
(2020-06)The future of American leadership in science and technology (S&T) will be both challenged and defined by a group of fields that can be called Industries of the Future (IotF)- comprising artificial intelligence, quantum information science, advanced communications, advanced manufacturing, and biotechnology. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science ... -
Wellspring of Prosperity: Science and Technology in the U.S. Economy
(2000)The economic benefits of new technologies and the ongoing research and development (R&D) behind them have contributed to, perhaps more than anything else, the prosperity enjoyed by the United States in the late 20th century. While several theories have been advanced to explain the United States’ economic success, the President’s Committee of Advisors ... -
Biodiversity: Connecting with the Tapestry of Life
(2001)Biodiversity, a term used to describe the variety of Earth’s organisms and the ecosystems they inhabit, is vital to the health of the planet and its inhabitants. Expanding human populations and increased consumption have precipitated a decline in biodiversity, causing disruption in ecosystems and the economies dependent on them. The President’s ... -
Powerful Partnerships: The Federal Role in International Cooperation on Energy Innovation
(1999-06)Cooperation between public and private sectors is essential for effective energy research and development (R&D) and innovation. While the U.S. federal government’s commitment to energy innovation cooperation is effective, it is insufficient to exploit the possible benefits that can be gained by further funding and cooperation. The President’s Committee ... -
Teaming with Life: Investing in Science to Understand and Use America's Living Capital
(1998-03)New information theories and technologies can be used to revolutionize our current knowledge on the environments and ecosystems native to the United States, creating a new knowledge base that can inform the decisions made about capitalizing on and protecting these natural assets. The coming of the 21st century introduces new issues which demand a ... -
The U.S. Program of Fusion Energy Research and Development
(1995-07-11)Fusion energy, as a potential new energy source, requires adequate research and development (R&D) funding to make it a viable part of 21st century global infrastructure. In this report, the President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) recommends that funding proposals made by the Department of Energy (DOE) be implemented, which ... -
Technology and the American Standard of Living
(1992-12)There must be a presidential commitment to American industrial effectiveness—to use technology and scientific knowledge to raise the American standard of living across all demographics. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) briefly outlines steps to bolster American innovation through basic research, commercialization ... -
Science, Technology, and National Security
(1992-12)U.S. science and technology policy must adapt to meet the changing post-Cold War national security environment. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) argues that the principal role of science and technology for national security is to bolster U.S. industrial competitiveness. In order to maintain technological ... -
Renewing the Promise: Research-Intensive Universities and the Nation
(1992-12)The federal government and research-intensive universities must rethink government-university partnerships in light of increasing competing for federal research funding. The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) recommends universities strategically select areas of focus, even if this requires the termination of ... -
Megaprojects in the Sciences
(1992-12)Scientific "megaprojects" are essential to national leadership in a number of important scientific fields, but face new organizational and management challenges. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) proposed three major policy recommendations: increase engagement between the government and the scientific community to ... -
Learning to Meet the Science and Technology Challenge
(1992-12)Realizing President George H.W. Bush's 1990 National Education Goals will require new reforms to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) recommends the federal government develop national educational standards and a corresponding system for performance ... -
High Performance Computing and Communications Panel Report
(1992-12)The High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) Initiative was launched in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush in an effort to secure and extend U.S. leadership in advanced technologies. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology’s (PCAST) assesses HPCC’s program activities along four central issues: program strategy; ... -
Achieving the Promise of the Bioscience Revolution: The Role of the Federal Government
(1992-12)Increased federal investment in the bioscience promotes public health and helps foster a vigorous domestic biotechnology industry. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) examined several facets of federal bioscience policy, including research and development (R&D), education, technology transfer, regulation, and protection ... -
The Fifth Assessment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative
(2014-10)The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) was established in 2001 to coordinate federal research and development (R&D) efforts in nanoscale technologies. In this fifth review of the NNI, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) finds that the initiative has reached a “turning point” and NNI should transition its focus ... -
Addendum to the PCAST Report on Forensic Science in Criminal Courts
(2017-01-06)This letter responds to stakeholder input concerning the 2016 PCAST report “Forensic Science in Criminal Courts: Ensuring Scientific Validity of Feature-Comparison Methods.” PCAST reaffirms its commitment to the need for empirically validated scientific evidence of existing forensic practices. PCAST also urges the forensic science community to establish ... -
Big Data: A Technological Perspective
(2014-05)Advances in data collection and analysis on a large scale—termed “big data”—often outpace measures required to protect the privacy of the users that generate such data. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) argues that since technology cannot ensure adequate privacy by itself, policy must be implemented to protect ... -
Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
(2014-09)Effectively combating antibiotic resistance requires a strategy of continual surveillance and analysis of resistant bacteria and an accelerated research and development (R&D) cycle for new antibiotics. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) recommends that the federal government take steps to increase resistant bacteria ... -
Information Technology for Targeting Job-Skills Training and Matching Talent to Jobs
(2014-09)The middle-skill jobs of the U.S. workforce—jobs that typically require two-year degrees or certifications—employ the most Americans and, consequently, require special attention to ensure effective adaptation to changing workplace demands. The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) argues that the comfortability with ...
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