The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) is the principal means within the Executive Branch to coordinate science and technology (S&T) policy across the diverse entities that make up the Federal research and development enterprise. The NSTC convenes Federal S&T leaders and establishes clear national goals for science and technology policy and investment. The Council prepares research and development strategies that are coordinated across Federal agencies aimed at accomplishing multiple national goals.
The work of the NSTC is organized under six primary committees: S&T Enterprise, Environment, Homeland and National Security, Science, STEM Education, and Technology. It also includes two special committees: The Select Committee on AI and the Joint Committee on Research Environments. Each of these committees oversees subcommittees and working groups focused on different aspects of science and technology and working to coordinate across the federal government.
This Cabinet-level Council is chaired by the President, the membership of the NSTC is made up of the Vice President, Cabinet Secretaries and Agency Heads with significant science and technology responsibilities, and other White House officials. In practice, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) oversees the NSTC’s ongoing activities. The NSTC was established by Executive Order on November 23, 1993.
To view NSTC documents and reports, click here.
For additional information concerning the work of the National Science and Technology Council please send an e-mail to: nstc@ostp.eop.gov.
NSTC Organization and Membership
The work of the NSTC is organized under six primary committees: S&T Enterprise, Environment, Homeland and National Security, Science, STEM Education, and Technology. It also includes two special committees: The Joint Committee on Research Environments and the Select Committee on AI. Each of these committees oversees subcommittees and working groups focused on different aspects of science and technology and working to coordinate across the federal government.
Committee on S&T Enterprise
Co-Chairs: Kelvin Droegemeier, Director of OSTP, Walt Copan, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director of the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), and Paul Dabbar, Under Secretary for Science at the Department of Energy (DOE).
The Committee on S&T Enterprise was formed in response to the charge of the OMB-OSTP FY 2019 R&D Budget Priorities memo to increase efficiency across Federal R&D efforts. Current focus areas include expanding technology transfer, strengthening contributions of Federal scientific collections to priority areas of national interest like infectious diseases, biosecurity, and food security, and coordinating policies and strategy around R&D infrastructure investments to support our national innovation base.
Subcommittees and Interagency Working Groups
- Lab-to-Market Subcommittee
- R&D Infrastructure (RDI) Subcommittee
- IWG on Scientific Collection (IWGSC)
- Networking IT R&D (NITRD) Subcommittee*
- International S&T* Coordination (ISTC) Subcommittee
- Partnerships Fast Track Action Committee
Committee on Environment
Co-Chairs: Deerin Babb-Brott, OSTP, Neil Jacobs, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Assistant Administrator for Water, David Ross (EPA), and Tim Petty, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the Department of Interior (DOI).
The Committee on Environment coordinates interagency work related to polar research, earth observations, ocean sciences, and other areas. Current focus areas include improving ocean mapping, coordinating R&D on harmful algal blooms and hypoxia, developing a national aquaculture strategy, and coordinating research operations and activities for civil earth observations.
Subcommittees and Interagency Working Groups
- Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee* (IARPC)
- Aquaculture Subcommittee*
- U.S. Group on Earth Observations (USGEO) Subcommittee
- Subcommittee on Global Change Research (SGCR)
- Earth System Predictability Fast Track Action Committee
- Subcommittee on Ocean Science S&T (SOST)
- Harmful Algal Blooms & Hypoxia IWG*
- Ocean Acidification IWG*
- Ocean Observations IWG*
- Ocean and Coastal Mapping IWG*
Committee on Homeland and National Security
Co-Chairs: Aaron Miles, OSTP, Jih-Fen Lei, Director of Defense Research and Engineering for Research and Technology at the Department of Defense, and Bill Bryan, Undersecretary for Science and Technology at the Department of Homeland Security.
The Committee on Homeland and National Security coordinates interagency work related to biological and nuclear R&D defense, critical infrastructure security and resilience, cybersecurity, and other areas. Current focus areas include supporting implementation of the Critical Minerals strategy in response to EO 13817 on critical mineral supply chains, coordinating priorities/processes related to Earth-impacting NEOs, divestment and utilization of astronomical sensors/systems, and safety of space operations, and R&D to support U.S. resilience against natural and technology hazards.
Subcommittees and Interagency Working Groups
- Biodefense R&D (BDRD) Subcommittee
- Nuclear Defense R&D Subcommittee (NDRD)
- Special Cybersecurity Operations Research and Engineering (SCORE) Subcommittee
- Subcommittee on Resilience S&T (SRST)
- Critical Minerals Subcommittee
- Economic Security Implications on Quantum (ESIX) Subcommittee
- Space Weather, Security, and Hazards Subcommittee (SWSH)
- Space Weather, Operations, Research, and Mitigation (SWORM) IWG
Committee on Science
Co-Chairs: Kelvin Droegemeier, OSTP, Director, NSF, and Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health.
The Committee on Science coordinates interagency work related to biological sciences, quantum information science, and physical sciences. Current focus areas include; coordinating high energy physics and fusion energy science research; cultivating a better understanding of low-dose radiation biology; ensuring that the results of federally funded research are accessible to the public, industry, and scientific community in a useful form; and advancing quantum information science.
Subcommittees and Interagency Working Groups
- Subcommittee on Open Science (SOS)
- Physical Sciences Subcommittee* (PSSC)
- Biological Sciences Subcommittee (BSSC)
- Quantum Information Science (QIS) Subcommittee*
Committee on STEM Education
Co-Chairs: Kelvin Droegemeier, OSTP, Director, NSF, and Jim Bridenstine, Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) coordinates interagency investments in STEM education and develops the strategic plan that sets national goals for STEM education efforts across the Federal Government. Current focus areas include expanding public-private partnerships, work-based learning, and the skilled technical workforce, and increase equity in STEM for underrepresented and underserved groups.
Subcommittees and Interagency Working Groups
- Federal Coordination in STEM Education (FC-STEM) Subcommittee*
- Strategic Partnerships IWG
- Computational Literacy IWG
- Convergence IWG
- Inclusion in STEM IWG*
- Transparency and Accountability IWG
Committee on Technology
Co-Chairs: Michael Kratsios, U.S. Chief Technology Officer, Walt Copan, NIST, and Paul Dabbar, DOE.
The Committee on Technology coordinates interagency work related to advanced manufacturing and materials, artificial intelligence (AI), and nanotechnology. Current focus areas include, managing Federal AI research, advancing U.S. leadership in nanotechnology, and expanding the advanced manufacturing domestic supply chain.
Subcommittees and Interagency Working Groups
- Subcommittee on Advanced Manufacturing*(SAM)
- Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee*
- Machine Learning and AI (MLAI) Subcommittee
- Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) Subcommittee
Special Committees
Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence
Co-Chairs: Michael Kratsios, U.S. CTO, Director, NSF, and Peter Highnam, Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
The Select Committee on AI, created in June 2018, advises The White House on interagency AI R&D priorities and improving the coordination of Federal AI efforts to ensure continued U.S. leadership in this field. Members focus on policies to prioritize and promote AI R&D, leverage Federal data and computing resources for the AI community, and train the AI-ready workforce.
Joint Committee on Research Environment
Co-Chairs: Kelvin Droegemeier, OSTP, Director, NSF, Paul Dabbar, DOE, Walt Copan, NIST, and Francis Collins, NIH.
Launched in May 2019, the Joint Committee on Research Environments (JCORE) brings together the NSTC Committee on Science and the Committee on S&T Enterprise to coordinate interagency work related to improving the safety, integrity, and productivity of research settings.
Subcommittees
- Coordinating Administrative Requirements for Research (CARR) Subcommittee
- Rigor and Integrity in Research Subcommittee
- Research Security Subcommittee
- Safe and Inclusive Research Environments Subcommittee
NSTC Membership
As designated by the President, the Director of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy serves as chair of the NSTC and provides leadership across the council and the interagency. NSTC Cabinet and Agency membership includes:
- Department of Agriculture
- DARPA
- Department of Commerce, NIST
- Department of Commerce, NOAA
- Department of Commerce, U.S. Patent and Trade Office
- Department of Defense
- Department of Education
- Department of Health and Human Services, NIH
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of the Interior
- Department of Labor
- Department of State
- Department of Transportation
- Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- National Security Agency
- National Science Foundation
- NASA
- Director of National Intelligence, Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity
- Office of Management and Budget
- Smithsonian Institute
*asterisk indicates congressional mandate.
