Tech titans lead Trump’s science advisory panel, with one academic in tow

President Trump named 13 members to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), making the panel heavily tech‑industry dominated with 12 technology executives and a lone academic, John Martinis of UC Santa Barbara. The lineup features Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang, Lisa Su, and Michael Dell, among others, with two MIT‑educated leaders in nuclear-energy startups noted. Critics lament the absence of biologists and university researchers, arguing biotech balance is lacking, though Trump could add up to 11 more members under a 2025 order. PCAST advises the White House on science policy and reviews cross‑agency programs.