Edward E. David, Jr., science adviser to former President Richard Nixon from 1970 to 1973, will speak on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus on Sept.12.
Sponsored by CU-Boulder's Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, the talk is part of a year-long series titled "Policy, Politics and Science in the White House: Conversations with Presidential Science Advisers."
David held the White House post for three years before Nixon abolished it due to political disagreements between the administration and other scientific advisers over the Antiballistic Missile program and Supersonic Transport, although the position was reinstated in 1976. The public talk, which is free and open to the public, will start at 7 p.m. in Old Main Chapel located on the CU-Boulder campus. For directions, see the Web site at: .
The event will include an interview with David conducted by the center's director, Roger Pielke, Jr., focusing on topics such as how the role of science in the Nixon administration compares with its role in the current Bush administration. It also will include a question-and-answer session with the audience.
David has described science as an "antidote" to politics. "Science is the technique for establishing reality," he said. "In all these arguments about pollution, energy, drugs and product safety, some group has to stand up for reality. That is what science is all about."
David received his doctorate in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and served as president of the Exxon Research and Engineering Co. from 1977 to 1986. He also was executive director of Bell Telephone Laboratories from 1950 to 1970.
David is a past president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and was the U.S. representative to the NATO Science Committee for 16 years. He currently is president of Edward E. David Inc., a company that advises industry, government and academia on technology, research and innovation.
Future series speakers include Neal Lane, science adviser to President Bill Clinton, on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Eaton Humanities Building, room 1B50; Donald Hornig, science adviser to President Lyndon Johnson, on Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. in Old Main Chapel; and George Keyworth, science adviser to President Ronald Reagan on Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. in Hale Science, room 270.
Additional information about the series, as well as Web casts, transcripts, audiotapes, photographs from past talks and a library of background materials are available at: .
The Center for Science and Technology Policy Research is part of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences. CIRES is a joint program of CU-Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For more information visit: .