NASA eliminates chief scientist role, other offices
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NASA has cut its office of the chief scientist and its Office of Science, Policy, and Strategy, among other entities, the agency said in an internal email that Axios has viewed.
Why it matters: Eliminating these offices comes ahead of potentially deep cuts to the agency's science programs.
- Katherine Calvin, a climate scientist, had the role of chief scientist. Questions have arisen about the fate of NASA science programs, particularly its Earth science work studying human-caused climate change.
- Calvin has also held the dual title of NASA's senior climate adviser.
Zoom in: In the email, Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro said the cuts were part of a "phased" reduction in force, or RIF.
- The reduction came in response to instructions from President Trump's executive orders and in conjunction with the Office of Personnel Management and Office of Management and Budget.
- Another office cut is the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility branch of the agency's Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity.
- Around 20 people were affected by the cuts.
NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner told Axios: "To optimize our workforce, and in compliance with an Executive Order, NASA is beginning its phased approach to a reduction in force, known as a RIF."
- The spokesperson confirmed the offices that would be closed and their workforce let go.
The intrigue: The NASA office of the chief scientist is responsible for providing "independent assessment and advice to the Administrator on matters related to NASA science," and leads the development of the agency's science strategy.
- The chief scientist also plays a top role in setting the agency's scientific integrity policies.
- The office of science, policy and strategy is home to NASA's chief technologist and chief economist, and was created in 2021 to provide evidence-based strategic advice to agency leadership.
What they're saying: "Change of this magnitude is never easy, but our strength comes to our shared commitment to our mission and to each other," Petro wrote in the email.
- In a post on X that he subsequently deleted, Harvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics external relations lead Grant Tremblay sharply criticized the moves.
- "NASA is small, but it is arguably the most legendary and globally beloved agency in American history. Its gutting has begun, & the cuts to come are so massive that we won't recognize it in a year," wrote Tremblay, who said he was speaking in a personal capacity.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the deletion of Grant Tremblay's X post.
