Scientists Commend NASA's Progress on (political interference w/ science)

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Scientists Commend NASA's Progress on Communications
By ANDREW C. REVKIN
Published: March 14, 2006


A review of communications policies at NASA, set off by reports that political appointees had tried to muzzle some agency scientists, received a public vote of support yesterday from dozens of scientists and other staff members at the space agency.

More than 140 NASA scientists, engineers and other civil servants from research centers across the country put their names on a statement, distributed in an e-mail message last night, that applauded the agency's administrator, Michael D. Griffin, for following up on his Feb. 4 pledge of "scientific openness."

"His subsequent actions have reinforced his words," the statement said.

A dozen senior NASA scientists and public affairs officials are drafting the agency's first new policy on public communications since 1987.

The review began after political appointees altered news releases and Web presentations against the wishes of some NASA scientists and tried to restrict public comments by James E. Hansen, a top NASA climate scientist. Dr. Hansen has repeatedly said that global warming caused by humans poses an urgent threat, a position at odds with that of the Bush administration....


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/14/politics/14nasa.html