AGU President's Message: Obama Administration's Commitment to Scientific Integrity

In March 2009, President Barack Obama issued a memorandum on the subject of scientific integrity in which he stated emphatically, 'Science and the scientific process must inform and guide decisions of my Administration on a wide range of issues, including improvement of public health, protection of the environment, increased efficiency in the use of energy and other resources, mitigation of the threat of climate change, and protection of national security.” The president charged John Holdren, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), with developing specific recommendations “for ensuring the highest level of integrity in all aspects of the executive branch's involvement with scientific and technological processes.” On Friday, 17 December, OSTP released federal department and agency guidelines for implementing the administration's policies on scientific integrity.