Pentagon Reaffirms Policy on Scientific Integrity
“It is DoD policy to support a culture of scientific and engineering integrity,” according to a Department of Defense directive that was reissued last week.
This is in large part a matter of self-interest, since the Department depends upon the availability of competent and credible scientists and engineers.
“Science and engineering play a vital role in the DoD’s mission, providing one of several critical inputs to policy and systems acquisition decision making. The DoD recognizes the importance of scientific and engineering information, and science and engineering as methods for maintaining and enhancing its effectiveness and its credibility with the public. The DoD is dedicated to preserving the integrity of the scientific and engineering activities it conducts.”
Several practical consequences flow from this policy that are spelled out in the directive, including:
–Permitting publication of fundamental research results
–Making scientific and engineering information available on the Internet
–Making articulate and knowledgeable spokespersons available to the media upon request for interviews on science and engineering
The policy further states that:
–Federal scientists and engineers may speak to the media and to the public about scientific and technical matters based on their official work with appropriate coordination with the scientists’ or engineers’ organizations.
–DoD approval to speak to the media or the public shall not be unreasonably delayed or withheld.
–In no circumstance may DoD personnel ask or direct scientists or engineers to alter or suppress their professional findings, although they may suggest that factual errors be corrected.
The reaffirmation of such principles, which were originally adopted in 2012, does not guarantee their consistent application in practice. But it does provide a point of reference and a foothold for defending scientific integrity in the Department.
See Scientific and Engineering Integrity, DoD Instruction 3200.20, July 26, 2012, Incorporating Change 1, December 5, 2017.
Often negotiations between data center developers and local officials are conducted behind closed doors, protected by NDAs. How can we have an informed debate, when we don’t know what’s on the table?
As federal data policy nerds, the question we get asked all the time is “How much data has the current administration terminated?”
Google’s motto famously used to be “don’t be evil.” However, its latest feature has just made being evil a whole lot easier.
The public will judge the next era of American science by the innovation that touches their lives through the new cures, products, and opportunities created within their communities.