AAAS says group must ensure 'safe environment' at event

The American Association for the Advancement of Science has disinvited former White House science adviser Eric Lander from speaking at its annual meeting after reports surfaced that he had mistreated staff. Lander resigned Monday from his position.

Politico first reported that an internal investigation concluded that Lander bullied and mistreated staff in violation of White House policy. The biologist and mathematician was appointed director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in 2021 by President Joe Biden.

Lander was to speak at the AAAS annual meeting, which will be held virtually Feb. 17-20. However, AAAS CEO Sudip Parikh and the group's board leadership issued a statement Monday saying Lander was disinvited for reportedly "not conducting himself befitting a scientist or scientific leader—much less a cabinet-level leader in the administration."

"Unfortunately, toxic behavioral issues still make their way into the STEM community where they stifle participation and innovation," AAAS said. "OSTP should be a model for a respectful and positive workplace for the scientific community - not one that further exacerbates these issues.

"AAAS takes its role as a representative voice of the scientific enterprise seriously," the group added. "We hold ourselves and anyone affiliated with our organization to the highest standards of professional ethics and conduct. This extends to our Annual Meeting where we promote a respectful and safe environment, and equal opportunities for all participants that are free from harassment and discrimination. For that reason, we have decided to no longer feature Dr. Lander as a speaker at our meeting next week."

AAAS has been criticized in the past for not taking a harder line on harassment in the scientific community. In response to that criticism, the organization adopted a policy in 2018 allowing it to revoke lifetime fellowships of individuals proven to have behaved inappropriately or to have breached ethical guidelines.