National Academy of Sciences (United States)
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| National Academy of Sciences (United States) | |
|---|---|
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| Name | National Academy of Sciences |
| Formation | 1863 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
National Academy of Sciences (United States) is a private, nonprofit society of distinguished scholars established to advise on matters of science and technology, founded during the Civil War era with presidential authorization. It operates alongside sibling bodies such as the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine, engaging with federal institutions like the United States Congress, the Executive Office of the President of the United States, and agencies including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Its membership comprises recipients of major recognitions such as the Nobel Prize in Physics, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and the Lasker Award.
History
The institution was created in 1863 by an act of the United States Congress signed during the administration of Abraham Lincoln and modeled in part on the Royal Society and the Académie des Sciences. Early convenings included scientists associated with the Smithsonian Institution, the United States Army Signal Corps, and the United States Coast Survey. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, members engaged with issues raised by events such as the Spanish–American War, the expansion of the Panama Canal, and the scientific mobilization of World War I and World War II, advising agencies like the Office of Scientific Research and Development and interacting with figures connected to the Manhattan Project and the Truman administration. Postwar activities linked the Academy to initiatives under the National Defense Education Act and collaborations with the Department of Defense and the Atomic Energy Commission.
Organization and Governance
The Academy is governed by a Council elected from its membership and structured into disciplinary sections like physics, chemistry, and biology, comparable to divisions in the Royal Society and committees in the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Its headquarters in Washington, D.C. houses administrative offices that coordinate boards such as the Board on Life Sciences, the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, and the Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy—entities that interact with bodies including the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Budgetary and oversight interactions involve the National Science Foundation and Congressional panels such as the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Membership and Election
Membership is by election in recognition of distinguished and continuing achievements in original research; members are drawn from institutions such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, California Institute of Technology, and international laureates associated with awards like the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the Kavli Prize. The election process uses disciplinary sections and peer nomination mechanisms similar to procedures in organizations like the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Royal Society of Canada. Honorary and foreign associates include scholars connected to the Max Planck Society, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society. Notable past members held positions at institutions such as the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Institution for Science, and the Salk Institute.
Activities and Programs
The Academy organizes consensus studies, symposia, and workshops engaging partners like the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the World Bank. Programs include the Guggenheim Fellowship-adjacent exchanges, liaison with the National Academies' Keck Futures Initiative, and outreach through initiatives reminiscent of the Science Olympiad and collaborations with the American Chemical Society and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Education and workforce efforts intersect with legislation and programs such as the No Child Left Behind Act and the America COMPETES Act through reports and expert panels.
Research and Reports
The Academy produces consensus reports and proceedings on topics ranging from climate change and public health to engineering and space policy, often informing decisions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Landmark reports have addressed issues linked to the Apollo program, the Human Genome Project, and responses to outbreaks such as HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. Study panels include experts from institutions like Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, Princeton University, Columbia University, and laboratories such as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Awards and Honors
The Academy recognizes achievement through prizes and honors, and many members are also recipients of major international awards such as the Nobel Prize, the National Medal of Science, the Pulitzer Prize for scientific writing, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It administers or partners with awards akin to the Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation fellowships and coordinates with foundations such as the MacArthur Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in recognizing scientific contributions. Institutional honors spotlight scientists affiliated with laboratories like the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and universities including University of Chicago and University of Pennsylvania.
Public Policy and Advocacy
Through consensus reports and testimony, the Academy advises policymakers in settings including the United States Congress, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and international fora such as the United Nations General Assembly and the G7 summit. Its advisory role has influenced legislation and programs tied to the National Institutes of Health, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Department of Energy and has engaged with global agreements such as the Paris Agreement and initiatives coordinated by the World Health Assembly. The Academy also partners with nonprofit organizations like the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation in public forums.
Category:Scientific organizations based in the United States