Scientists and Engineers for America

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Scientists and Engineers for America
Smart Leadership for a Change
Smart Leadership for a Change

Type of Organization 527 Political Advocacy Group
Headquarters Washington, D.C.
Location U.S.A.
Membership 7,100[1]
Executive Director Michael T. Brown
Date Formed September 27, 2006
Official Website www.sefora.org

Scientists and Engineers for America (SEA) is an organization focused on promoting sound science in American government, and supporting candidates who understand science and its applications. SEA was formed on September 27, 2006, and describes itself as non-partisan.[1]


SEA is organized as a 527 group, and represents a reorganization of Scientists and Engineers for Change, an organization founded in 2004 to support the election of John Kerry. Its current executive director is lawyer and political consultant Mike Brown. [2]

Contents

[edit] Political positions

[edit] Bill of Rights for Scientists and Engineers

A bill of rights which outlines the principles of the organisation states:[3]

“
  1. Federal policy shall be made using the best available science and analysis both from within the government and from the rest of society.
  2. The federal government shall never intentionally publish false or misleading scientific information nor post such material on federal websites.
  3. Scientists conducting research or analysis with federal funding shall be free to discuss and publish the results of unclassified research after a reasonable period of review without fear of intimidation or adverse personnel action.
  4. Federal employees reporting what they believe to be manipulation of federal research and analysis for political or ideological reasons should be free to bring this information to the attention of the public and shall be protected from intimidation, retribution or adverse personnel action by effective enforcement of Whistle Blower laws.
  5. No scientists should fear reprisals or intimidation because of the results of their research.
  6. Appointments to federal scientific advisory committees shall be based on the candidate’s scientific qualifications, not political affiliation or ideology.
  7. The federal government shall not support any science education program that includes instruction in concepts that are derived from ideology and not science.
  8. While scientists may elect to withhold methods or studies that might be misused there shall be no federal prohibition on publication of basic research results. Decisions made about blocking the release of information about specific applied research and technologies for reasons of national security shall be the result of a transparent process. Classification decisions shall be made by trained professionals using a clear set of published criteria and there shall be a clear process for challenging decisions and a process for remedying mistakes and abuses of the classification system.
 ”

[edit] Mission statement

The organisation's mission statement states:[4]

“ We envision a future where wise science and technology policy can help every American live in a safe and clean environment, enjoy quality health and education, and benefit from a strong system of national defense. SEA is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to electing leaders who share this vision. ”

[edit] Board of Advisors

Among others, the SEA Board of Advisors includes noted Nobel Laureates such as:[1]

[edit] Criticism

Soon after its foundation, the organization was accused of partisanship by several conservative media outlets. Wesley J. Smith, senior fellow of the Discovery Institute, wrote in The Weekly Standard:

“ When critics bemoan the politicization of science, they usually point a bitter finger at the Bush administration. Their condemnation should actually be aimed in the opposite direction. Increasingly, it is the scientists themselves--or better stated the leaders of the science sector--who are devolving science from the apolitical pursuit of knowledge into a distinctly ideological enterprise.[5] ”

An editorial in The Wall Street Journal criticised the organization for seeming to stifle scientific dissent:

“ That is one reason why it is always dismaying when scientists -- of all people -- suggest that on some subjects there must be no questioning because debate is closed. And on one level, at least, this would seem to be the implicit message of the newly formed 527 political organization called Scientists and Engineers for America, or SEA.[6] ”

In a rebuttal posted on the SEA website, executive director Michael Brown stated:

“ Nothing could be further from the truth. As one who is familiar with SEA and its mission, I must confess that I had to read the editorial three or four times before I had any idea what it was talking about. In fact, it was not until I re-read the Weekly Standard article that I understood the “debate” we were allegedly closing. This is the debate about whether scientists and engineers should engage in public policy and actively address the misuse and politicization of science or whether they should remain silent when their voices are censured, their findings are misused, and scientific integrity itself is attacked. This is a debate that is open, ongoing---and that we join with enthusiasm.[7] ”

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Who We Are, SEA Website, December 14, 2006
  2. ^ Science 2006, Seed Magazine, October 6, 2006
  3. ^ Bill of Rights for Scientists and Engineers, SEA Website, September 27, 2006
  4. ^ SEA Mission Statement, SEA Website, September 27, 2006
  5. ^ A new political action committee enters the fray, The Weekly Standard, October 5, 2006
  6. ^ Under the Microscope, The Wall Street Journal, October 6, 2006
  7. ^ Look who's talking, SEA Website, October 6, 2006

[edit] External links

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