Senior Fellow
Sarah R. Carter
she/her
Science Policy,
Bioeconomy,
Biotechnology,
Synthetic Biology,
Biosecurity

Dr. Sarah R. Carter is a Senior Fellow for the Bioeconomy at the Federation of American Scientists. In recent years, she has been an independent consultant focused on societal and policy issues related to the bioeconomy, including government oversight, industry practices, responsible innovation, and biosecurity. Previously, she worked in the Policy Center of the J. Craig Venter Institute and at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). She is a former AAAS S&T Policy Fellow and a former Mirzayan S&T Fellow of the National Academies. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of California, San Francisco, and her bachelor’s degree from Duke University.

publications
Emerging Technology
Report
Understanding the U.S. Bioeconomy: Agency Perspectives

To understand the range of governmental priorities for the bioeconomy, we spoke with key agencies represented on the National Bioeconomy Board to collect their perspectives.

07.16.24 | 15 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
Issue Brief
The U.S. Bioeconomy needs biomass, but what is it and how do we use it?

In the quest for sustainable energy and materials, biomass emerges as a key player, bridging the gap between the energy sector and the burgeoning U.S. and regional bioeconomies.

04.17.24 | 7 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
Blog
The U.S. Bioeconomy is Not Yet Sustainable. Here’s What Needs to Change.

While the U.S. government grapples with the definition of the bioeconomy and what sectors it does and does not contain, another definitional issue needs to be addressed: What does sustainability mean in a bioeconomy?

02.12.24 | 7 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Bio x AI: Policy Recommendations for a New Frontier

The landscape of biosecurity risks related to AI is complex and rapidly changing, and understanding the range of issues requires diverse perspectives and expertise. Here are five promising ideas that match the diversity of challenges that AI poses in the life sciences.

12.12.23 | 32 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
Blog
“The US needs to lean into an old strength”: Maintaining Progress and Growing US Biomanufacturing

We sat down with MicroByre CEO Dr. Sarah Richardson to talk about biomanufacturing, corn sugar’s pitfalls, and more.

08.28.23 | 12 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
Blog
Governance of AI in Bio: Harnessing the Benefits While Reducing the Risks

To develop an overarching framework that includes addressing bio-related risks, Congress, federal agencies, and non-governmental AI stakeholders must work together.

08.08.23 | 4 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
day one project
Policy Memo
Coordinating the U.S. Government Approach to the Bioeconomy

To achieve a durable and strategic interagency approach to the bioeconomy, OSTP should establish a Bioeconomy Initiative Coordination Office to coordinate strategic U.S. government investments in the bioeconomy.

07.24.23 | 9 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
Blog
Gathering Industry Perspectives on how the U.S. Government can Support the Bioeconomy

The past year has been an exciting time for the bioeconomy as U.S. government agencies work to update their approaches and improve coordination to better support bio-based products and processes.

03.23.23 | 4 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
Blog
Laying the Groundwork for the Bioeconomy

Over the past year, there have been significant policy advances related to the US bioeconomy—the part of the economy driven by the life sciences and biotech, and enabled by engineering, computing, and information science.1 The bioeconomy includes a wide range of products and processes, from mRNA vaccines and drought-resistant crops to microbial fertilizers and bioindustrial fermentation. […]

02.03.23 | 4 min read
read more