When Men Were Men and Science Advisors Trusted

When the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, America's military, technological and scientific confidence was shaken. President Eisenhower held an Oval Office meeting of scientists and convened the President's Science Advisory Committee. For the next four years scientists enjoyed a level of political access and influence unequaled before or since.

Sputnik opened new doors for the scientists. After finishing his service as secretary of defense in 1961, Thomas Gates said, "All of a sudden scientists became very important. . . . The world completely changed, in terms of military affairs. And foreign policy changed with it."

But when Kennedy replaced Eisenhower and the number of PSAC advisors grew, their power waned. After crossing Richard Nixon on a proposed anti-ballistic missile system, PSAC was disbanded. Ford established the Office of
Science and Technology Policy in 1976, its chairman serving as the presidential science adviser ever since -- but the position, if not quite ceremonial, almost "muted."

It is certainly true, as Rabi said at the Sputnik-inspired meeting on
15 October 1957, that most "policy matters that come to the President have a strong scientific component." Therefore, scientific advice is more than merely useful; it is needed. But presidents are generally unfamiliar with science, unfamiliar with scientists, and ignorant of the culture of science. They have typically relegated their science advisers to the back room of another building down the street.

Eisenhower died on 28 March 1969. A few months before his death,
Killian visited him at Walter Reed Hospital. The former president was surrounded by the instruments relevant to cardiac care, and his heartbeats were visible on an oscilloscope screen. During the conversation, he asked about "my scientists" and he mentioned several of them by name. Then he said, "You know, Jim, this bunch of scientists was one of the few groups that I encountered in Washington who seemed to be there to help the country and not to help themselves."

Eisenhower, scientists, and Sputnik [Physics Today]