When Doors Are Closed at the NRC

Abstract

Andrew Lawler's article of 9 May conveys the impression that the National Research Council (NRC) holds all of its study committee meetings behind closed doors. In fact, the information-gathering meetings that I organize on behalf of NRC committees are open to whomever wishes to attend. Meetings are closed for only two reasons: to discuss committee members' personal financial information in order to determine whether they must be disqualified from service because of financial conflicts of interest, and to allow the committee to decide on its final conclusions and recommendations. These closed deliberations require about 20% of the total meeting time of the committees. It would be extremely damaging to the committee's work if deliberations about recommendations were made public before the committee has achieved a consensus on those recommendations. The article reports that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is made up “primarily of elderly, white, and male scientists and engineers.” While the NAS, the honorary body of scientists under which the NRC operates, has a long way to go in increasing its diversity, important efforts are being made by NRC staff to increase the diversity of study committees. NRC management strongly encourages study directors to appoint women and minority scientists to committees.