Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, WHITE HOUSE NEWS—Science and technology policy office issues ‘gold standard science’ guidance for federal agency heads, (Jun 24, 2025)
Organizations Mentioned:Princeton University
By WK Editorial Staff
“In an age of rapid technological progress and heightened public scrutiny,” said Director Michael Kratsios, “federal science, and its use in federal decision making, must be beyond reproach.”
The White House yesterday published an article entitled “OSTP Issues Agency Guidance for Gold Standard Science,” in which it observed that, “as called for in President Trump’s recent Executive Order, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios issued guidance to federal agencies on incorporating Gold Standard Science tenets into their research activities.”
The EO. The Executive Order (EO) underlying the guidance, according to the White House, “directs federal research agencies to establish and strengthen practices related to reproducibility, transparency, falsifiability, interdisciplinary research, and merit-based peer review, as well as communicating uncertainties, recognizing negative or null results, and disclosing conflicts on interests. Within 60 days, agencies are required to report back publicly on relevant initiatives, including how Gold Standard Science is reflected in the agency’s culture, funding opportunities, award selection and reporting, and other research activities.”
“[F]ederal science.” In his memo, Kratsios said that “the need for Gold Standard Science stems from the crucial role of scientific integrity in tackling complex challenges to address critical areas, such as energy innovation and national security. In an age of rapid technological progress and heightened public scrutiny, federal science, and its use in federal decision making, must be beyond reproach.”
Director’s background. According to his Wikipedia entry, Kratsios, who was an intern for U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham while in college, “is the only science advisor to the president not holding a PhD, and with no specialty in a fundamental science or field of engineering. Kratsios graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in politics and a certificate in Hellenic studies in 2008.”
News: WhiteHouseNews AgencyNews AINews