The average American may not be noticing, but to a certain elite of the scientific community, a big event is about to be enacted. Science's College of Cardinals, the National Academy of Sciences, is in the final stages of picking the successor to current president Philip Handler. The winner likely will be White House science adviser Frank Press. Press and Lewis M. Branscomb, chief scientist at IBM and chairman of the National Science Board, are about the only two names anyone in Washington, D.C., has raised as likely possibilities. Among academy observers, the sentiment is evenly divided. Those for Branscomb like his bold articulateness on public policy issues. Press backers think their favorite would lend more dignity, common sense, and Washington savvy to the office. A call to Branscomb settled the speculation in favor of Press. Branscomb tells C&EN that he has no reason to believe that he is being considered. ...