Frank Press, who served as chief science advisor to US President Jimmy Carter and later as president of the National Academy of Sciences, has died, according to the New York Times. He was 95.
Press, a trained geophysicist and earthquake expert, was the chair of the geology and geophysics department at MIT when Carter tapped him to be his science advisor, the Washington Post says. It adds that Carter was drawn to Press' involvement in a range of issues, including the environment, arms control, and foreign relations. While science advisor, Press advocated for government funding of basic research, sought to determine the economic effects of federal scientific regulations, and provided scientific rationales for federal energy policies.
Following Carter's defeat, Press returned briefly to MIT before heading back to Washington to lead the National Academy of Sciences, the Post says. There, it adds that he drew attention to the shortage of engineers in the US and supported the international exchange of researchers.
Press received the National Medal of Science in 1994 for his "contributions to the understanding of the deepest interior of the earth and the mitigation of natural disasters, and his service in academia, as a government official, and at the National Academy of Sciences."