Overview of the U.S.
National Academies
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
Advisors to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
Brief History
US NATIONAL ACADEMIES
National Academy of
Sciences: Early History
African Science
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• The National Academy of Sciences was
created at the time of the Civil War.
• The Act of Incorporation, signed by
President Lincoln on March 3, 1863,
established service to the nation as its
dominant purpose.
National Academy of Sciences Act
of Incorporation: 1863
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Academy
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• Two important clauses:
“…shall, whenever called upon by any
department of the Government, investigate,
examine, experiment, and report upon any
subject of science or art…”
and
“…but the Academy shall receive no
compensation whatever for any services to the
Government of the United States.”
Consequences of Limited
Government Capacity
• Conflicts among political leaders and
‘captains of industry’ over the role of
government in 3 areas:
– Regulations
– Standards
– Sponsoring/organizing science
African Science
Academy
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Consequences of Limited
Government Capacity [cont.]
African Science
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• Corruption in the wake of the ‘spoils system’ led the
scientific and professional community to push for reforms.
This led to:
– Creation of a professionalized, though limited bureaucracy
that was non-political, technically competent and accountable
to elected officials.
– The establishment of professional associations that helped to
establish a framework for professional standards and
accreditation, scientific values and generation of ‘outside’
advice.
• American Medical Association (1847)
• American Bar Association (1878)
• National Academy of Sciences (1863); later the NRC (1916)
African Science
Academy
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INSIDE-OUTSIDE ADVICE
What Constitutes ‘Inside’
Advice?
African Science
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• Executive Office professional staff
attached to the White House.
• Scientific and technical staff employed
within the bureaucracy.
• Contracted expertise. Advice to
government under stipulated conditions
for a price
What’s Outside Advice?
•
•
•
•
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National Academy of Sciences.
Scientific and professional associations.
Non-governmentally supported research
Specially constituted investigatory or advisory
commissions.
• Government funded university research,
conducted under open-ended grants (since
WWII, the vast majority of research and
development in the U.S. is contracted out).
Pros and Cons of Outside
Expertise
African Science
Academy
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• Pros:
– Independent, high standards, highly credible
– Not vulnerable to political interference
• Cons:
–
–
–
–
–
Needs resources
Further away from decision makers
May not understand time constraints
Agenda setting biases – why this question?
Competition from non-science based organizations
(e.g. ideological think tanks)
Pros and Cons of Inside
Expertise
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
• Pros:
– Close to decision makers
– Understand timing issues, constraints
– Greater ability to interact and advise in real time
• Cons:
– External credibility
– Vulnerable to political interference
– Political agenda settings
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE US NAS
Our Mission
African Science
Academy
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• To recognize excellence in science
and technology
• To be a trusted adviser to
government
– On policy issues with significant technical
and scientific components
– On matters of science and technology
policy
The National Academies:
Advisers to the Nation
• National Academy of Sciences (1863)
• National Research Council (1916)
• National Academy of Engineering
(1964)
• Institute of Medicine (1970)
African Science
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The Imprimatur of the
National Academy of Sciences
African Science
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• All programs of the National
Academies are conducted in a manner
consistent with National Academies’
policies
Unique Strengths
•
•
•
•
•
•
African Science
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Stature of academies’ membership
Ability to get the very best to serve
“Pro Bono” nature of committee service
Interdisciplinary nature of studies
Quality assurance and control procedures
Reputation for independence and objectivity
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
ABOUT THE US ACADEMIES
NAS, NAE, and IOM Membership 2011
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
• NAS:
2,600 members
• NAE
2,300 members
• IOM
1700 members
• NRC
1400 employees
National Research Council
Program Organization
African Science
Academy
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NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL PROGRAM ORGANIZATION
National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Engineering
Institute of Medicine
Ralph J. Cicerone, President
Wm. A. Wulf, President
Harvey V. Fineberg, President
National Research Council Governing Board
Office of Communications
Barbara Kline Pope, Executive Director
Ralph J. Cicerone, Chair
Wm. A Wulf, Vice Chair
E. William Colglazier, Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer
Archie L. Turner, Chief Financial Officer
James F. Hinchman, General Counsel
Dev Mani, Associate Executive Officer
Ronald D. Taylor, Associate Executive Officer
Report Review Committee
Robert A. Frosch, Co-Chair
Floyd E. Bloom, Co-Chair
Porter Coggeshall, Executive Director
Office of News
and Public Information
Office of Congressional
and Government Affairs
William J. Skane, Executive Director
James E. Jensen, Executive Director
Institute of Medicine Programs 1
Policy and Global Affairs Division
Transportation Research Board
Harvey V. Fineberg, Chair
Susanne A. Stoiber, Executive Officer
M.R.C. Greenwood, Chair
Richard E. Bissell, Executive Director
C. Michael Walton, Chair
Robert E. Skinner, Executive Director
Division of Behavioral
and Social Sciences and Education
Richard C. Atkinson, Chair
Michael J. Feuer, Executive Director
Division on Earth and Life Studies
Peter H. Raven, Chair
Warren R. Muir, Executive Director
Division on Engineering
and Physical Sciences
Wm. A. Wulf, Chair
Peter D. Blair, Executive Director
Methods of Operation
• CONSENSUS STUDIES
Balance and Composition of Committees
Report Review
• CONVENING ACTIVITES
Workshops
Roundtables
• OPERATIONAL PROGRAMS
Fellowships
Research/Surveys
Education and Training
Data Banks
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Positioning and Partnering
African Science
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NAS/NAE/IOM
Number of Committees and
Committee Members
African Science
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NUMBER OF NRC/IOM COMMITTEES AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS *
FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1, 2004 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2008
7000
6497
6320
6001
6000
5908
5946
5000
4000
3000
# Committees:
# Committee Members:
2000
1000
631
0
FY '04
624
FY '05
586
574
FY '06
FY '07
589
FY '08
*Excludes Liaison Representatives, PGA's associateship and fellowship panels, and TRB's technical activities.
Volunteers are drawn from
different sectors
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Number of Reports and Other
Documents Produced
African Science
Academy
Development
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320
Other Types
Letter Reports
Mtg Summaries
Study Reports
280
Number of Reports
240
222
18
200
33
207
17
209
214
30
43
281
261
33
203
33
30
22
41
46
120
52
28
132
40
98
97
1996
1997
30
113
111
213
44
28
39
212
23
29
46
40
138
116
44
40
34
80
228
32
39
31
45
257
43
47
35
39
51
39
45
33
160
233
242
199
19
13
145
142
127
20
19
31
42
35
48
23
132
191
115
118
2005
2006
132
104
0
1994
1995
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
Year Completing Review
2003
2004
2007
2008
African Science
Academy
Development
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AUTONOMY
Why is Autonomy Critical?
African Science
Academy
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• Scientists & technical experts cannot operate
according to professional standards without
autonomy
• In bureaucracies, it protects the authority of
expertise over that of incumbency (the political
prerogative of the office holder).
• Where experts have autonomy, decisionmaking is based on science, driven by facts
and therefore more likely to be in the public
interest
Committee Members
Serve as Individuals
African Science
Academy
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• Committee members carefully chosen with
respect to background, knowledge, and
experience and with regard to bias and
conflict of interest
• Members serve as individuals, not as
representatives of organizations or interest
groups
• Members are expected to contribute their
expertise and good judgment in the conduct of
the study
Impartiality and Objectivity
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
• NRC Committees are expected to be fair and
evenhanded in the conduct of their studies.
– All parties at interest should get due process
– All responsible arguments and alternatives should
be considered
– Standards should be applied consistently to
evaluating arguments and alternatives
– Evidence should not be used selectively
– Expect judgments and opinions should be identified
as such
Quality Management
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
• While NRC committees are responsible
for the substance of their reports, the
report must meet quality standards set by
the Academy
• All reports subject to independent review,
which is considered an integral part of the
project
The Role of the Staff
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
• In most successful projects, a close
partnership is formed between the
committee and its supporting staff
• Staff can help the committee in virtually
any way to complete the study in a
timely, cost-effective way
• Staff not there to impose their own ideas
on a committee
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
VALUES OF AN ACADEMY
What Are Values?
African Science
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• Values are traits or qualities that are
considered worthwhile by an organization
• Values already exist in every workplace (real
and preferred)
• Effective organizations identify and develop a
clear concise and shared meaning of
values/beliefs, priorities, and direction (Once
seen as the first step of strategic planning)
• Once defined, values impact every aspect of
an organization
Values of the NRC
African Science
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Independence
Balance
Technical Excellence
Impartiality and Objectivity
Why Values Are Important
African Science
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• Because values define what is important to the
institution
• Values provide the means (standards) to evaluate an
organization’s accomplishments
• Values can be an important source of motivation
• Guide ways one filters new information
• Guides the development of new policies
• Helps an organization identify priorities for growth/
action/ change
• Help organizations evaluate certain types of tradeoffs (e.g. time versus money)
Guide For Policy/Action
African Science
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• Innovation
• Behaviors Consistent with this value
– Willingness to think creatively
– Willingness to take on new challenges and try
new things
– Emphasis the sharing best/ cutting edge practices
• Behaviors not Consistent
– Creating “red tape” blocking new ideas
– “We have always done it this way”
– Showing fear of or reluctance to change
Examples Of Values
African Science
Academy
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• Professionalism and Commitment; Excellence;
Integrity; Relevance (GAAS Strategic Plan)
• To uphold truth, integrity, honesty, and
accountability; to nurture excellence,
innovativeness, and responsible
professionalism; to espouse the culture of
tolerance and be sensitive to matters of equity;
be at the forefront of providing scientific
leadership through meritocracy (KNAS
Strategic Plan)
Six values that NRC recently
determined are important to the
organization
• Independence – not part of the federal government;
•
•
•
•
•
African Science
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operate in a way to ensure that committees are free from
external pressure; without regard to politics or special
interests
Objectivity – processes in place for avoiding conflicts of
interest to ensure that we provide impartial, unbiased
advice
Integrity – meticulous study process to ensure the findings
are supported by evidence
Truth – base all findings, conclusions, and
recommendations on the best available data
Evidence – using science to seek solutions
Expertise – mobilize the best and brightest minds
An Example of How the US-NAS
Builds Values into its Operations
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
• Independence, Objectivity
– Careful screening process to ensure balanced
committees -- including bias and conflict of
interest disclosure
– All committee appointments made by President
of the NRC – no external appointments (e.g.
sponsors)
– Committees allowed to close doors to
deliberate
– Rigorous peer-review process
The Value Development Process
African Science
Academy
Development
Initiative
• What values are important to your Academies?
• Why they are important?
• What is the evidence that the organization
already possesses this value?
• Could new policies and procedures be
introduced that would reinforce this value?