Mary Louve
DemocraticQ1 As a member of Congress, you would vote on appropriations for federal science agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health. What priorities (if any) would guide your decisions on federal science funding?
I would be looking at the benefits to society. Will the funding allow for research that would prevent or cure diseases? Would it make healthcare more affordable? Would it be science research that would advance mental health care understanding? Is it something that would advance clean energy? These are some key areas I would be looking to see funding going when approving funds in the US Senate
Q2 Delaware’s electricity is delivered through PJM interconnection, the regional grid operator for the mid-atlantic. Across the PJM region, electricity demand is rising in part due to large-scale data center development. What evidence-based policies, if any, would you support addressing the effects of AI-driven data center growth on electricity costs and grid reliability for Delaware’s residents?
I would be supporting the national data center moratorium. Not only do we need further research into building AI data centers in a sustainable way but we need significant improvements in our power generation and grid systems before further taxing already over loaded systems. As an engineer, I tend to see things more from a scientific and functionality perspective.
Q4 The U.S. Senate confirms presidential appointments to agencies that shape national science policy, including the directors of the NIH, NSF, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. What qualifications, if any, would you prioritize when evaluating nominees to lead federal scientific agencies.
All of these are highly technical appointments. I would be looking for back experience with scientific integrity by way of published papers that were peer reviewed, experience leading research projects, and experience allocating government funding for advancement in their field. I would also, given my desires for government transparency, would be looking for someone willing to publish negative or contradictory findings and be digging into their background too look if they would be able to be pressured by the current administration.