For science policy and econ of science friends, if you don't read Jim Olds's substack, I can't recommend it highly enough. He ran bio for NSF among other things, and is a lovely writer. Here, on the problem of assuming allies or enemies in policy:
Author @Afinetheorem (post dated 2026-07-16) strongly recommends Jim Olds's…
Brief
The post by @Afinetheorem (2026-07-16) urges science policy and economics-of-science peers to read Jim Olds's Substack, praising Olds as a gifted writer and noting his experience running NSF’s bio directorate. The specific essay highlighted critiques the habit of presumptively labeling stakeholders as allies or adversaries in policy debates and the problems that practice creates.
Why it matters
Author @Afinetheorem (post dated 2026-07-16) strongly recommends Jim Olds's Substack to science policy and econ-of-science audiences.
Key details
- Jim Olds previously ran the biology directorate (bio) at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).
- The recommended piece addresses the policy-risk of categorizing people or groups as automatic allies or enemies when making science policy decisions.