Patrick Looney to Discuss 'Science Policy and Politics'

Talk at Brookhaven Lab, September 13

August 15, 2005

J. Patrick Looney

UPTON, NY - J. Patrick Looney, Assistant Laboratory Director for Policy and Strategic Planning at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, will discuss "Science Policy and Politics," at a colloquium in the Laboratory's Berkner Hall on Tuesday, September 13, at 4 p.m. Sponsored by Brookhaven Science Associates, the company that manages Brookhaven Lab, the colloquium is free and open to the public. All visitors to the Laboratory age 16 and over must bring a photo ID.

While scientists often are dependent on federal government funding to support their research, many have a limited understanding of how budgetary decisions are made in Washington. Looney has a unique perspective on science, politics and science policy as the former Assistant Director of Physical Sciences and Engineering in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

In his talk, Looney will relate his experiences and lessons learned about the way the government operates, how decisions are made, and how offices within the White House and within the halls of Congress operate. As budgets are the currency of policy in Washington, it is informative to discuss budget formulation and the appropriations process, and to understand how elected officials view the value of science.

Looney earned a B.S. in physics from the University of Delaware in 1984, then went on to Penn State University, where he earned two more degrees in physics: an M.S. in 1986, and a Ph.D. in 1987. From 1987 to 2002, Looney held several research positions at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland, eventually becoming a program analyst, responsible for developing policy and program plans for all aspects of NIST research.

In March 2002, Looney became the Assistant Director, Physical Sciences and Engineering, in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he worked closely with other White House offices, including the Office of Management and Budget, to coordinate policy development and set budget priorities. In February 2005, Looney joined Brookhaven Lab, working part-time as the Assistant Laboratory Director for Policy and Strategic Planning. On July 1, he took on this position full-time. Looney is a Fellow of the AVS American Science & Technology Society.

Call 631 344-2345 for more information about the lecture. The Laboratory is located on William Floyd Parkway (County Road 46), one-and-a-half miles north of Exit 68 of the Long Island Expressway.

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