Project Records, 1989-1993

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Summary

Most of the records pertain to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) of which Thomas E. Lovejoy was a member between 1991 and 1992. During this period, Lovejoy was the Smithsonian's Assistant Secretary for External Affairs. The PCAST was established by President George W. Bush on January 19, 1990, by Executive Order. The Council comprised of twelve scientists and engineers, who were charged with providing high-level advice directly to the President on a wide range of important issues about science and technology. PCAST was chaired by D. Allan Bromley, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the Science and Technology Policy. Interspersed among the records are confidential notes and correspondence to and from the Chairman of PCAST concerning meetings; organizing panels; requests for information for executive briefs for the President; PCAST briefing sessions with the President; copies of reports from the PCAST members on such issues as food; population; environment and development; biodiversity; economics and environment; national educational goals; drafts of "Report of the PCAST Panel on Mega Projects and the Sciences" -- large and costly science initiatives; reports on "Research Intensive Universities and the Nation"; memoranda and correspondence concerning PCAST strategic planning sessions; Bromley's reports to and testimony before the Subcommittee on Science, Research and Technology of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, and his report to the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Defense, Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate; copies of the President's State of the Union Address, White House press releases on the President's remarks on various functions of PCAST; and reports on "Science, Technology and Economic Growth". There is also correspondence between PCAST Chairman and Directors of other United States government and international organizations, such as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environmental Program, Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, and Director of Canadian National Advisory Board of Science and Technology (NBST). Other documents pertaining to PCAST include minutes of a PCAST/NBST Joint Session; memoranda, reports and notes on PCAST Panel on "High Performance Computing and Communication", Materials, Science and Engineering, Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering and Technology Committees for Physical, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences, Technology and Industry, and Education and Human Resources. Another set of documents pertain to Space Biospheres Ventures (SBV), an organization of scientists interested in the study of Biospheres -- the science of biogeochemical cycles, ecological systems, biolevolution and their interplay which involves biology, chemistry and physical properties. Biospherics, a term scientists use to define the study of global ecological studies, either on earth or within artificial closed ecological systems, also incorporates the applied science of developing fully independent biospheric systems capable of existing permanently in remote locations on earth, in space and other planets. Hence Biosphere 2 is a large closed system for experimental purposes. Edward P. Bass was the Chairman of the SBV Board; Thomas E. Lovejoy chaired the SBV's Scientific Advisory Committee. The Committee evaluated scientific effort at Biosphere 2 and recommended improvements. These records are also interspersed with confidential correspondence, reports, minutes, notes, transcribed telephone conversations and minutes of meetings between Lovejoy and Committee members, and research proposals. Most of these Biosphere 2 records consist of correspondence between Lovejoy and the Scientific Advisory Committee members, between Lovejoy and the Edward Bass, and other members of the SBV organization. There is additional correspondence between Lovejoy and other scientists at various research institutions and centers. Also included are Biosphere 2 reports on various projects such as biochemical cycles; systems ecology; wilderness systems; marine and agriculture systems; soil sciences; biospheric medicine; molecular genetics; engineering; informatics; data management; water management; computer science; health and medical sciences; and resumes and curricula vitae. The correspondence pertaining to the Smithsonian is between Lovejoy as the Assistant Secretary for External Affairs and the Directors of various bureaus. The correspondence concerns such matters as research and exhibition grants to collaborative scientific research ventures between the Smithsonian and other countries.

Subject

  • Bromley, D. Allan (David Allan) 1926-2005
  • Bush, George 1924-
  • Lovejoy, Thomas E
  • Bass, Edward P
  • Mulroney, Brian 1939-
  • Biosphere 2 (Project)
  • Canada National Advisory Board on Science and Technology
  • Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology
  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
  • President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (U.S.)
  • United Nations Environment Programme
  • United States Congress Senate Committee on Appropriations
  • World Meteorological Organization
  • President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (U.S.) Committee for Physical, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences
  • President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (U.S.) Committee for Technology and Industry
  • President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (U.S.) Committee on Education and Human Resources
  • Space Biospheres Ventures
  • United States Congress House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Science, Research, and Technology
  • United States Congress Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense

Notes

  • Folder List in accession file.
  • For a description of the record series of which these materials form a part, refer to the "Forms part of" above.

Organization

By subject

Repository Loc.

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520

Date

  • 1989
  • 1989-1993

Restrictions & Rights

Restricted indefinitely. Most of the documents are marked "Confidential", "Restricted" or "Sensitive: Close Hold". Researchers may have access to the records after they obtain authorized written permission from the Office of Counselor to the Secretary for Biodiversity and Environmental Affairs, Transferring office; Contact reference staff for details

Topic

  • Messages
  • High performance computing
  • Presidents
  • Presidents--Messages

Place

United States

Form/Genre

  • Books
  • Collection descriptions
  • Brochures
  • Clippings
  • Manuscripts

Local number

SIA Acc. 96-090

Physical description

3 cu. ft. (3 record storage boxes)

Full Record

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