Joining the conversation on ‘gold standard’ science

Societies seeking members help provide feedback to the administration

August 21, 2025

Illustration courtesy of Adobe Stock and ChatGPT.

The White House issued an executive order in May titled “Restoring Gold Standard Science,” aiming to rebuild trust in scientific integrity after claims of prior misinformation on COVID-19, whale populations, and climate change. The order emphasizes transparency, objectivity, and clear communication of scientific data. In response, the scientific community has engaged by offering dialogue. To that end, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA are seeking members to join a working group to put together feedback to share with the administration and to engage in the big picture conversation about “gold standard” science.

In May, the White House published an executive order (EO) titled “Restoring Gold Standard Science,” citing that the previous administration misled the nation through scientific findings at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding COVID-19, at the National Marine Fisheries Services regarding whale populations, and through the science behind climate change leading to global warming. The EO calls for restoring scientific integrity policies imposed by the first Trump Administration to ensure data transparency, acknowledgement of relevant scientific uncertainties, transparency about the assumptions and likelihood of scenarios used, objectivity in the approach to scientific findings, and clear communication of scientific data.

This summer, the scientific community responded by sending this letter to the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House to illustrate the importance of sound science and offer to engage in constructive dialogue to support “gold standard” science. To that end, ASA, CSSA, and SSSA are seeking members to join a working group to put together feedback to share with the administration and to engage in the big picture conversation about “gold standard” science. Please email Luther Smith if you’d like to serve on this working group.

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