Scientists Needed In Policy Positions

Science and technology experts should join economists in holding top government policy-making positions, according to a report released Thursday by a professor at the Kennedy School of Government (KSG).

Authored by KSG Professor of the Practice of International Development Calestous Juma, the report, which addresses the necessary role scientists play in advising developing countries, will be officially submitted to the United Nations on January 17.

“There is not enough attention on the importance of science within policy-making, and this is a problem world-wide,” Juma said, explaining the motivation for the research compiled by a task force of 27 international experts on science, technology and innovation.

The report describes ways to use science and technology to achieve goals set at the United Nations (UN) Millennium Summit in September 2000. The summit aimed to improve living standards of developing countries by eliminating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy and discrimination by 2015.

“The overall aim of the project is to dramatically reduce the poverty that affects over two billion people worldwide,” said Erin Trowbridge, communications manger of the UN Millennium Project, noting that over 1.3 billion or one-sixth of the world population live in extreme poverty.

Juma said the report also notes specific examples of how science is effective in improving the quality of life in a country and referenced the recent tsunami tragedy as evidence for giving science a more central role within governments.

“Designing infrastructure projects to promote technological innovation, instituting improved disaster warning systems and improving the means of reconstruction would all have lessened the destruction of the tsunami.”

Juma’s report also spoke of the importance of scientists in a world of rapidly emerging technology. “Science advisors will soon be a necessary part of every presidential and executive office, including the Office of the UN Secretary-General,” he said in the public release.

The ten Millennium task forces will issue a final project, “Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals,” on January 17th, when Columbia Professor of Health Policy and Management Jeffrey D. Sachs presents it to the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York.

The official launch of the project’s final recommendations will also take place in over 100 other countries around the world. Juma is currently in Nairobi, Kenya to lead the Millennium Project’s official launch there.