The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has penned a letter to incoming US president Donald Trump urging him to appoint an Assistant to the President for Science and Technology to advise on how to best use S&T to address major challenges. The letter — signed by the heads of 29 scientific organizations —notes that more than half of economic growth over the past 50 years is directly linked to advancements in S&T and innovation. It requests a meeting with Trump or leaders of his transition team to provide input on future innovation infrastructure and appointments to top S&T posts....