CCST about (web)

Citation

California Council on Science and Technology (CCST). “About CCST.” Web page, date not stated. https://ccst.us/about/. Read 2026-11-09.

Bottom line

CCST is a nonpartisan nonprofit that gives science and technology advice to the Governor, the Legislature and other state entities on request.
The Legislature chartered it in 1988 by Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 162. A network of universities and federal laboratories gives it financial and mission support.

Background

This is the About page of the CCST website. It has a mission and vision, a list of partner institutions, a list of programs and a dated history from 1988 to 2023. CCST says its model is the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The page lists four parts of the organisation: the Board of Directors, the staff, the Science and Technology (S&T) Policy Fellows and the Distinguished Experts.

Key claims

“The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization that exists to make California’s policies stronger with science and technology.” (About CCST)
“CCST was established in 1988 by a unanimous vote of the California Legislature to provide objective advice from California’s scientists and research institutions.” (About CCST)
“We respond to the Governor, the Legislature, and other state entities who request independent assessment of public policy issues affecting the State of California relating to science and technology.” (About CCST)
“Following this model, CCST operates in partnership with, as well as receives financial and mission support from, a network of public and private higher-education institutions and Federally funded research institutions” (Our Partners)
“The CCST S&T Policy Fellows program places science and technology PhDs in the California State Legislature and executive branch offices for a year-long fellowship.” (Who We Are)
“CCST’s publications are produced in compliance with a rigorous study and peer review process prior to publication.” (CCST in Action)
“Susan Hackwood, Founding Dean of Engineering at UC Riverside, was appointed Executive Director of CCST by the University of California Board of Regents, appointment effective July 1st.” (Our History, May 19, 1995)

Evidence and method

An organisation’s self-description. The partner list is a row of logos. The logos name these partners:

Academic partners: University of California, California State University, California Community Colleges, Caltech, Stanford University and the University of Southern California.
Federal laboratory partners: NASA Ames Research Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Berkeley Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and SLAC.

The page names some people and dates:

Andrew McIlroy chairs the Board of Directors.
CCST named Amber Mace its Executive Director in May 2019.
The first class of S&T Policy Fellows began in November 2009. From the 2020 class, the program grew from 10 to 15 Fellows and added placements in State Agencies and Offices of the Governor.
ACR 162 went on file with the Secretary of State on September 15, 1988. The Senate adopted it 38-0.

The page gives no budget and no amount of partner support. It says that “the generous support of many philanthropic individuals and foundations” also funds CCST operations.

Limits

The page does not mention computing, CalCompute or the Report. It does not say how partners join or what each one gives. Its history stops at November 2023. Chen CCST AI Science Residency launch (web) describes the CCST AI Science Residency. This page does not.