On March 10, 2025, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that it had eliminated the office of its chief scientist and shut down two other departments, including one related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) and the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy.
The agency’s now-former chief scientist and senior climate adviser, Dr. Kate Calvin, was appointed in 2022 to lead the agency’s climate change efforts and has called climate change “one of the biggest challenges facing our nation and our planet.” Dr. Calvin had advised NASA leadership on the agency’s science programs and science-related strategic planning as they relate to climate change.
Earlier this year, Dr. Calvin (and other federal scientists and officials) were prevented from attending a United Nations (UN) climate meeting where she was slated to co-chair a discussion on an upcoming climate report.