Gene Skolnikoff

Eugene B. Skolnikoff is Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He earned SB and SM degrees in electrical engineering from MIT in 1950, BA and MA degrees in politics and economics from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and a PhD in political science from MIT in 1965, becoming the department's first doctoral graduate. Skolnikoff's early career included engineering roles as a project engineer for the U.S. Army and in the Army Security Agency. In 1958, he joined MIT President James Killian's staff and then served on the White House staff in the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Science and Technology under Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy, contributing to nuclear test ban negotiations, NASA's creation, and studies on education and basic science support. He later served as Senior Consultant to the White House Science Office under President Carter.

Skolnikoff joined the MIT Political Science faculty in 1963 to develop expertise in science and public policy. He headed the department from 1970 to 1974 and directed the Center for International Studies from 1972 to 1987. His research centers on science and public policy, especially the interplay of science and technology with international affairs, including global climate change, proliferation, technology and international relations, and international environmental policy. Notable publications include Science, Technology and American Foreign Policy, International Imperatives of Technology, The Elusive Transformation: Science, Technology, and the Evolution of International Politics, and articles such as "The Role of Science in Policy: The Climate Change Debate in the United States" (Environment, June 1999). A consultant to governments and international organizations, he held various professional society positions and advanced science and public policy fields at universities worldwide. Skolnikoff is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (elected 1971), chaired the German Marshall Fund Board of Trustees (1980-1986), and serves as a Local Affiliate at Harvard's Center for European Studies.

Professional Email: ebskol@mit.edu