SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As part of a new Science Residency Program to embed independent scientific expertise directly in California state government, the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) announced that Andrew D. Jones, PhD, began his residency as the first Science Advisor to the California Natural Resources Secretary. The placement, which began January 5, 2026, is in partnership with CCST, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
CCST’s new Science Residency Program supports evidence-based policymaking on California’s most pressing challenges, including climate resilience, biodiversity, adaptation to wildfire risks, water management, and ecosystem health.
“We are thrilled to launch the CCST Science Residency Program with this first appointment at the California Natural Resources Agency,” said Julianne McCall, PhD, CEO of the California Council on Science and Technology. “Embedding trusted scientific expertise directly in support of executive leadership ensures that the best available evidence is part of crafting solutions for California’s most complex environmental and natural resource priorities. Dr. Jones brings exceptional depth, interdisciplinary perspective, and a deep commitment to bridging science and policy that will strengthen decision-making across CNRA.”
Dr. Jones is a research scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) where he leads the Earth Systems and Society Program Domain, focusing on human-Earth system interactions and climate resilience at decision-relevant scales. His work brings together quantitative modeling and collaborative engagement with resource managers, urban planners, and stakeholders across sectors to inform actionable science for policy and planning. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the interdisciplinary Energy and Resources Group program at UC Berkeley.
“I am honored to serve as the inaugural Science Advisor to Secretary Crowfoot and to partner with CCST and the Natural Resources Agency,” said Dr. Andrew Jones. “California’s environmental challenges are urgent and multifaceted. I look forward to supporting CNRA’s mission by helping integrate rigorous scientific insight into cross-agency collaboration and policymaking that advances resilience, equitable outcomes, and sustainable resource stewardship.”
In this role, Dr. Jones will advise Secretary Wade Crowfoot and the CNRA leadership team on science and technology issues affecting natural resource policy, connect scientific and policy communities, and support cross-sector collaborations to strengthen California’s response to complex, evolving issues.
“At this important moment, science must guide how we tackle climate change and other pressing environmental challenges,” said California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “Appointing Dr. Jones as the first CNRA Science Advisor is a watershed moment. Our partnerships with California’s world-class academic and research institutions build on the strong work of state scientists and point the way forward. Dr. Jones’ renowned expertise and leadership will strengthen how we use science to protect Californians and build a bright future for our state.”
This Science Advisor placement, the first of CCST’s Science Residency Program, is facilitated by CCST with support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, reflecting a shared commitment to fostering effective pathways between research, evidence, and public policy.
“Partnerships like this, launched in this case thanks to CCST and the Natural Resources Agency, can accelerate progress and enable evidence-based decision-making on urgent issues,” said Genevieve Biggs, Program Director, Wildfire Resilience Initiative and Special Projects at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, “and offer a model for how scientific expertise and public institutions can together make a tangible, positive difference.”
About CCST
The California Council on Science and Technology is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that engages leading experts in science and technology to advise state policymakers — ensuring that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation. Established via a unanimous vote of the Legislature in 1988, CCST has been making California’s policies stronger with science and technology for nearly 40 years.
About CNRA
We are on a mission to help all Californians and nature thrive together. Home to over 25,000 employees, our Agency protects, manages, and restores the state’s environment and its vast natural, cultural, and historical resources. We advance this work with science as our foundation and inclusion and collaboration as our guiding principles.
About the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation advances scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and the special character of the San Francisco Bay Area. Visit moore.org and follow @MooreFound.
Contact Info
Keleigh Friedrich
[email protected]
+1 916-402-4031
- Moore Foundation logo
- CNRA logo