CCST Newsroom

What did you study in grad school and why did you decide to go into policy? As part of my biostatistics PhD program at the University of Washington, I investigated ways to use nutritional information from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis—designed to research predictors of cardiovascular disease—to identify heart-healthy diet patterns. I considered ways to […]

Toward a Disaster Resilient California: Decarbonizing Transportation with Hydrogen   How can hydrogen help to decarbonize long haul trucking and transit? Watch our CCST Expert Briefing to learn how hydrogen fuel cells work, how they are being improved, and how hydrogen safety is being evaluated for use in transportation. Held September 8, 2022. Moderator: Gia Vacin […]

Stephen Cutie, PhD is a 2022 CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellow placed with the Office of Senator Richard Pan. He earned his PhD in Bioengineering from UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley studying the hormonal switches that regulate heart regeneration across evolution and development. From Miami, Florida, Stephen earned his BS in Biology from […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is seeking nominations for experts from across the public and private health sectors, as well as academia, who would be interested in participating in an interactive virtual workshop on overcoming the challenges to data sharing presented by stringent privacy standards. Participants will explore solutions for […]

Update: This call is now closed. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — CCST is seeking nominations of health and other economists and related experts who would be interested in participating in a working group to explore the economics of alternative venues and personnel, such as community based organizations (CBOs) for services delivery across different phases of the pandemic cycle, such […]

California Invests in CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellows Program, Placing PhD-level Scientists, Engineers, and Social Scientists in the Legislature, State Agencies, and Offices of the Governor. SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Approved by the Legislature and signed by Governor Newsom this week, the 2022 California State Budget allocates $10 million for the California Council on Science and Technology’s […]

  SACRAMENTO, Calif.—The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) hosted a workshop with leading public health experts on June 14th and 17th to identify opportunities to strengthen California’s public health system.  Participants were challenged with producing actionable, holistic, and equitable recommendations for policymakers. The workshop was part of the CCST Disaster Resilience Initiative COVID-19 […]

The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) and Blue Forest Conservation are seeking nominations of public health experts for a peer-reviewed report on the connections between forest health, wildfire smoke, and public health. CCST’s Costs of Wildfire in California study assessed the economic impacts of wildfire smoke to public and private health systems in the billions […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Dr. Ishwar K. Puri, Vice President of Research and Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at University of Southern California, has been appointed to the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) Board of Directors by University of California President Michael V. Drake, MD. “Today is a big day for CCST and for California,” […]

  The last few months have introduced a lot of new things into my life. I moved from the Midwest, where I had lived most of my life, to California with my partner and our menagerie of animals. I began working nine to five instead of the sporadic hours of an academic. Most notably I […]

Toward a Disaster Resilient California: Decarbonizing with Hydrogen: Challenges and Opportunities California has made significant strides in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, but there remain many challenges to achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. Many experts believe that hydrogen could be key to decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like cement and steel production, agriculture, and heavy-duty transportation. As […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) Deputy Director for Research and Chief Research Officer Dr. Carol Burns has been appointed to the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) Board of Directors by University of California President Michael V. Drake, MD. “Participation on the California Council on Science and Technology is an important public […]

  Toward a Disaster Resilient California: Managing Salinity in the California Delta in a Changing Climate   The Delta supplies freshwater to two thirds of all Californians, a $50 billion agricultural industry, and critical habitat for many protected species. Increasing drought and sea level rise is making it more challenging for water managers to meet […]

    UPDATE: This call is now closed. SACRAMENTO, Calif.—CCST is interested in working with a graduate student or postdoc to develop an accessible primer on policy and technological issues relevant to California’s clean energy future, to help inform interested stakeholders and direction for CCST’s future work. The aim of the primer would be to […]

We will remember 2021 as a year of crucial, often frustrating challenges. Science and technology helped us to cope. A historic rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters protected many from severe symptoms and death. Yet, growing numbers of Americans grew skeptical of guidance from medical science and weary of government mandates to protect public health. […]

Toward a Disaster Resilient California: The Role of Microgrids in Providing Reliable and Equitable Access to Electricity   Communities across California are designing and installing microgrids to improve their resilience during disasters and to meet their climate change and environmental justice goals. What are microgrids and how can they help ensure all Californian’s have access to […]

  Hannah Frye, PhD, is a 2022 CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellow placed with the California State Senate Business, Professions, & Economic Development Committee. From Missouri, Hannah studied the role of genetics and sex on memory mechanisms underlying opioid use disorder risk. She earned her PhD in Neuroscience from Washington University in St. Louis […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is seeking a diverse pool of candidates interested in participating in an upcoming interactive workshop focused on reimagining the public health system. The workshop will be held virtually during the mornings of June 14th and 17th (8am – 12pm Pacific Time). Interested participants may see the summary below, […]

Our annual CCST Science & Technology Weeks (S&T Week) are a celebration of science-informed policymaking in the great state of California — how scientific expertise can play an important role as we guide the future of California’s economy, society, and environment. So naturally, any #CCSTweek would have to give a big shoutout to our CCST […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—From extreme heat to wildfires, California faces a variety of complex, interacting scenarios in adapting to climate change. The type of science policy advice and resources required to plan and act on these disaster resilience scenarios was the focus of CCST events during the 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement […]

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2022 CCST Leadership Awards for Science in Public Service. The CCST Science in Public Service Award is given to public servants who have clear track records of championing science and technology issues, and who value efforts to connect science to policy. This year’s awardees […]