S. James Gates Jr.: Science and Evidence-Based Policymaking

John S. Toll Professor of Physics University of Maryland Sylvester James Gates, Jr. is the John S. Toll Professor of Physics, Director of the Center for String and Particle Theory, and Affiliate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Maryland. He received two bachelor’s degrees and a Ph.D. degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has devoted 40 years to education and research. Gates has participated in various forms of media, policy, and public engagement, including science festivals, opinion-editorials, and policy briefings. He serves on the U.S. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, National Commission on Forensic Science, and on the Maryland State Board of Education. President Obama awarded Gates the National Medal of Science, the highest award given to scientists in the U.S., at a White House ceremony in 2013.