Key White House S&T Related Positions Remain Unfilled. Scientists Take Note.

The EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT has yet to fill several key-science and technology related senate-confirmed positions such as:

• President’s Science Adviser and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy: No Nominee
• -Associate Director for environment, Office of Science and Technology Policy: No Nominee
• -Associate Director for Science, Office of Science and Technology Policy: No Nominee
• -Associate Director for National security and International affairs, Office of Science and Technology Policy: No Nominee

Personally, these are my concerns

1. For the appointees already announced/ nominated there are some decidedly unscientific views. Will they follow evidence in their new roles?
2. President Trump has named only 29 of his 660 executive department appointments, many science related appointments remain unfilled. Trump needs to act quickly on science appointments. A long delay on key appointments could mean science will take a back seat in policy deliberations.
3. Already his executive actions can be linked to a range of scientific issues, but he has yet to name a science advisor. For example, Trump signed measures to expedite construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines, which have drawn concern over the contribution of oil extraction to man-made climate change. The White House temporarily blocked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing grants etc...
4. The absence of an OSTP director is deeply concerning to me, as Trump’s policies represent a challenge to the fundamentals of science.

What are you concerns?