Rumors are all over the internet that John Holdren will be nominated to be Obama’s science advisor, and in all likelihood director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Holdren is a Harvard Professor of environmental policy, as well as director of the Program on Science, Technology, and Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government. 
He’s also director of the Woods Hole Research Center, and he was even chosen to give the Nobel lecture on behalf of the Pugwash Conferences. It is hard to imagine someone more qualified for the position. He has a PhD in Physics from Stanford on the stability of inhomogeneous plasmas, and has spent much of his career working on climate change and nuclear nonproliferation issues, as well as science and technology policy.
Along with Nobel Laureate Steve Chu as Department of Energy Secretary, as well as Carol Browner as Energy Czar (a newly created position), Obama is picking an absolutely fantastic group of advisors. The critical question is whether he will listen to them, and support them (both with political and economic capital) in their efforts to fix the greater scientific enterprise (as well as our planet).
December 18th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
[...] There is widespread hope that these excellent picks (in science) will continue. [...]
December 19th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I forgot to mention: It would be very powerful symbolically if Obama promoted the Science Advisor to a cabinet-level position. This would officially give science a seat at the table. We’ll find out if this happens in the Press Conference on Saturday.
December 19th, 2008 at 11:16 am
He should really shave the ghastly hair off of his face. Beards look so awful. Obama should have a no beard policy.
December 20th, 2008 at 10:11 am
This gentleman begs to differ.
December 20th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
[...] address, and it was exclusively devoted to science and technology. In addition to Steve Chu and John Holdren, he has now added Harold Varmus and Eric Lander as co-chairs of the President’s Council of [...]
December 23rd, 2008 at 7:41 am
A. Lincoln’s beard was much cooler. I like how he shaved around the mouth. The effect is that his face is still open, but he gets the added advantages of keeping his chin warm and having a place to collect is cheeto crumbs.
Our main man Holdren on the other hand has one of the “dude who’s got something to hide” beards. If you look into his eyes you can see that he is trying to infiltrate the government and institute the hirsute agenda.