CCST Newsroom

Work at CCST California’s most pressing public policy issues require solutions that engage the State’s extraordinary research and innovation enterprise.  CCST is a nonpartisan nonprofit created via the California Legislature in 1988 to provide objective advice from California’s leading scientists and research institutions on policy issues involving science and technology (S&T). Despite California’s rich intellectual […]

Responding to Wildfires amid Compounding Disasters Held Tues. June 8th   A CCST Expert Briefing on how compounding disasters, like COVID-19 and extreme heat, affect wildfire response in California. Moderated by CCST Executive Director Amber Mace. Expert Panelists: Michael Méndez Assistant Professor, UC Irvine Urban Planning and Public Policy Nicole Meyer-Morse Deputy Director FEMA Consolidated Resource […]

  Mitigating Extreme Heat in a Changing Climate A CCST Expert Briefing Held Tue. May 18th View the One Pager (PDF) The California Council on Science and Technology hosted a panel discussion with experts on how extreme heat impacts Californians and ways to equitably mitigate this increasingly common climate-related disaster. Presented in partnership with the […]

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: [email protected] SACRAMENTO, Calif.—A new impact report released by the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) showcases how NASA field centers and Department of Energy national laboratories in California are leveraging their world class technology and expertise to address climate change, sea level rise, wildfire, COVID-19, drought, and other […]

  A new proposal written by experts from the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) and Stanford University provides recommendations to reduce disaster costs through better tracking of wildfire-smoke health impacts. According to the proposal, the United States currently does not have a systematic method to track the health impacts and associated costs of […]

  SACRAMENTO, Calif.—A new report released by the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) highlights some of the ways in which CCST’s Partner Institutions have rapidly pivoted their resources, expertise, and research efforts toward responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. CCST’s Partner Institutions include eleven of California’s world-class educational and research institutions. The report can […]

Download the Full Report (PDF)   California Responds To The Pandemic       In late 2019, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quickly began to spread across the globe and by March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Since then, academic and research institutions across California and the world have leveraged […]

  SACRAMENTO, Calif.—As part of a major expansion, the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is proud to announce the appointment of five new members to the Board of Directors. Distinguished leaders in science, engineering, policy, and philanthropy, these new members bring a diverse set of experiences and expertise to drive CCST’s initiative on […]

Jane Park is a 2021 CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellow placed with the Assembly Committee on Utilities & Energy. From Northern California, Jane studied multigenerational impacts of crude oil exposure on development in natural fish populations. She earned her PhD in Integrative Genetics and Genomics from UC Davis and a BA in Biological Sciences […]

  A message from Executive Director Amber Mace delivered to the CCST community: As an organization dedicated to the application of evidence to policy, we denounce the distortions of science and fact perpetuated around COVID-19, which have injected new hatred into longstanding prejudices and scapegoating. We condemn the racist and misogynistic violence perpetrated against members […]

Grant S. Hisao is a 2021 CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellow placed with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Grant earned his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying biological molecules associated with infectious diseases. He conducted postdoctoral research in Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Grant holds a […]

A Virtual CCST Expert Briefing Technological Pathways for Carbon Sequestration in California Held Friday, March 12th 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM (PST) Watch the briefing now and download the one pager (PDF):   Watch our CCST Expert Briefing with experts on technologies to capture and store carbon to meet California’s carbon neutrality goals: Moderator: David Stout […]

  SACRAMENTO, Calif. | CONTACT: Jeffery Song The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is seeking PhD scientists and engineers for a year of public service and government leadership training in the California State Legislature and California state agencies.  Applications are Due March 1st. CCST is recruiting and accepting applications for the 2022 Class of CCST Science & […]

    On February 18th, as part of CCST’s disaster resilience initiative, “Toward a Resilient California,” CCST brought together a group of experts and thought leaders from government, academia, and healthcare for a panel discussion and facilitated workshop about pandemic-related challenges the State is facing, “Exploring California’s COVID-19 Policy Challenges.” The event opened with a […]

Rylie Ellison is a 2021 CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellow placed on the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality. Originally hailing from Washington State, in her graduate research Rylie developed treatment methods for dairy manure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make it a better fertilizer. She earned her PhD in Agricultural & Environmental Chemistry […]

Jeffery Song is the CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows Program Manager. In this role, he provides end-to-end administration of all aspects of the Fellowship program, from recruitment and selection to training and coordinating placements. Jeffery worked most recently as a Transportation Policy Postdoctoral Researcher at University of California – Davis. Prior to that, he […]

2021 CCST Leadership Awardees. Science in Public Service Award: Given to a public servant with a clear track record of championing science and technology issues and who values efforts to connect science to policy. 2021 recipients: Senator Robert Hertzberg, Assemblymember Chris Holden, and Former CEC Vice Chair Janea Scott. SACRAMENTO, Calif. | February 2, 2021 […]

  SACRAMENTO, Calif. | CONTACT: Jeffery Song The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is seeking PhD scientists and engineers for a year of public service and government leadership training in the California State Legislature and California state agencies.  Applications are Due March 1st. CCST is recruiting and accepting applications for the 2022 Class of CCST Science & […]

  Download our 2020 Annual Report (PDF).   Message from the CCST Board Chair   As I look back on a year marked by a global pandemic, powerful social justice movements, turbulent elections, megafires, and a continuing climate crisis, I’m struck by how much CCST adapted – and delivered – in this environment. With the […]

  SACRAMENTO, CA—We are excited to introduce the 2021 Class of CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows. Now celebrating its 12th year, the program places PhD level scientists and engineers in Legislative and Executive Branch offices, training them for careers in public policy while helping to equip California’s decision makers with science-savvy staff. Applications are currently being […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. | CONTACT: Jeffery Song Start your application today. CCST is seeking PhD scientists and engineers for a year of public service and government leadership training in the California State Legislature and California state agencies.  Applications are Due March 1st. The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is recruiting and accepting applications for the 2022 Class of CCST […]