National Academy of Sciences

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a private, non-profit organization of distinguished scholars.

NAS was established by Congress and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 with the mission of providing independent, objective advice to the nation on matters related to science and technology.

NAS members are elected to membership by their peers for their contributions to research. Its members are active participants in the international scientific community and committed to furthering science in America. A total of approximately 500 members of the NAS have won Nobel Prizes, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, founded in 1914, is today one of the most prestigious international journals publishing original research results.

A pair of independent scientific bodies -- the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National Academy of Medicine (NAM, previously the Institute of Medicine) -- were founded under the NAS charter in 1964 and 1970, respectively. In the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, these three academies also work together to conduct research and provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation. They also encourage education and research, honor outstanding achievements in science and engineering, and increase public understanding in these fields. Its service to the government has become so crucial that Congress and the White House have passed legislation and issued executive orders reaffirming its role.