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In the coming retrospectives on Joe Biden’s presidency many will likely point to how he handled the series of crises that colored his entire term: the COVID-19 pandemic, rising inflation, a surge in immigration, the Russo-Ukrainian war, the Israel-Hamas war, climate change and its ensuing disasters, among others.
One understated but no less consequential facet of his presidency: how he helped place society at the heart of solutions-based science.
In some respects, it’s not surprising that the Biden administration tilted the nation’s ear a bit more toward the voices of scientists and engineers – technological advancements are often seen as the key to breaking through walls on the way to progress. Science and technology policy scholar Arthur Daemmrich of Arizona State University points to Biden’s promotion of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to his Cabinet as an indicator of science’s increased influence in policymaking.
But innovations coming out of the lab are only as useful as they are informed by the communities and individuals they will affect – and these stakeholders are often left out of designing and deciding on solutions. Over the past four years, Biden and his team took measured steps to encourage public participation in scientific research – not just as consultants, but also as active contributors. Through a multitude of initiatives, Biden signaled that science is most effective when its ethical and social implications are considered from the beginning.
“Future administrations can further advance science and address major societal challenges by considering how ready society is to take up new technologies and increasing collaboration between government and civil society,” Daemmrich writes.
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