The Army Science Board (ASB) has served as the Army’s senior scientific advisory board.
When it was chartered as a Federal Advisory Committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act in 1977, the ASB replaced the Army Scientific Advisory Panel (ASAP).
Both the ASAP and the ASB grew out of the need for Army-specific guidance on scientific research and development (R&D) and the Army’s desire to maintain its strong technical advantage over other nations.

From the founding of the Army through the early 1900s, the Army did not have an effective R&D program — production and procurement were emphasized and the R&D during this era was limited to product improvement.
Prior to World War II, the Army’s R&D was controlled through the G-4 as a function of the supply arms and services.
In October 1943, Secretary of War Henry Stimson indicated that he wanted scientific help in the war effort, resulting in the R&D branch’s reorganization and its elevation to division level in May 1944.
This elevation eliminated obstacles related to recruiting and retaining enough qualified scientific people, and provided them the clout to effectively perform their duties.

Following World War II, despite General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s warnings that using scientific and technological resources solely for procurement purposes limited the usefulness of those resources and indications that separating R&D from procurement and production would benefit the military, concerns remained that the senior Army leadership lacked the vision to effectively guide the direction of R&D programs.
However, funding and personnel limitations continued to direct R&D toward the necessary areas of procurement and production.
A few years later, Dr. Donald Loughridge, the Army’s Senior Scientific Advisor, was concerned that the Army lacked an effective basic research program, resulting in its inability to attract desirable entry-level scientists to its laboratories.
By April 1950, Secretary of the Army Gordon Gray was also concerned with the Army’s R&D program and its ability to support warfighters in future wars.
He did not believe that the United States could fight a war based solely upon soldiers, especially with the fall of China to communism.

Shortly thereafter, Gray’s replacement, Secretary of the Army Frank Pace, evaluated the existing Army R&D program, which was then engaged in supporting the Korean War.
In January 1951, the evaluators recommended that a research advisory board be established to assist the Secretary of the Army in R&D matters.
Based on this report, General Joseph Collins, Army Chief of Staff, recommended establishing an Army Scientific Advisory Committee as this research advisory board.
By March, Pace approved establishing this board in principle and in November he took the first steps to obtain this scientific advice.
Without formally establishing a committee, the Secretary appointed 10 outstanding scientists and industrialists as his scientific advisers.
These pioneer advisers were: 
Dr. Detlev Bronk, National Academy of Sciences President, 1950 to 1962, and Johns Hopkins University President, 1949 to 1953.
He was credited with formulating the modern theory of biophysics.

Mr. Crawford Greenewalt, DuPont President, 1948 to 1962.
He was instrumental in transforming the theoretical work into a production system capable of manufacturing sufficient plutonium for the Manhattan Project.

Mr. Robert Haslam, consultant and as Chief of Division 3, Rocket Ordnance Research, National Defense Research Committee.

Mr. Kaufman Keller, Chrysle board of directors member of W.R. Grace & Co.; retired Standard Oil Co. Vice President.
Previously, he was a professor of chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dr. Frederick Hovde, Purdue University President, 1946 to 1971.
During World War II, he w r Chairman of the Board, 1950 to 1956; Chrysler President, 1935 to 1950.

Dr. James R. Killian Jr., MIT President, 1948 to 1959; MIT Corp. Chairman, 1959 to 1971.
Following his service on this board, he became the presidential science advisor to Preside
The Army Science Board (ASB) has served as the Army’s senior scientific advisory board. When it was chartered as a Federal Advisory Committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act in 1977, the ASB replaced the Army Scientific Advisory Panel (ASAP). Both the ASAP and the ASB grew out of the need for Army-specific guidance on scientific research and development (R&D) and the Army’s desire to maintain its strong technical advantage over other nations. 
From the founding of the Army through the early 1900s, the Army did not have an effective R&D program — production and procurement were emphasized and the R&D during this era was limited to product improvement. Prior to World War II, the Army’s R&D was controlled through the G-4 as a function of the supply arms and services. In October 1943, Secretary of War Henry Stimson indicated that he wanted scientific help in the war effort, resulting in the R&D branch’s reorganization and its elevation to division level in May 1944. This elevation eliminated obstacles related to recruiting and retaining enough qualified scientific people, and provided them the clout to effectively perform their duties.
Following World War II, despite General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s warnings that using scientific and technological resources solely for procurement purposes limited the usefulness of those resources and indications that separating R&D from procurement and production would benefit the military, concerns remained that the senior Army leadership lacked the vision to effectively guide the direction of R&D programs. However, funding and personnel limitations continued to direct R&D toward the necessary areas of procurement and production. A few years later, Dr. Donald Loughridge, the Army’s Senior Scientific Advisor, was concerned that the Army lacked an effective basic research program, resulting in its inability to attract desirable entry-level scientists to its laboratories. By April 1950, Secretary of the Army Gordon Gray was also concerned with the Army’s R&D program and its ability to support warfighters in future wars. He did not believe that the United States could fight a war based solely upon soldiers, especially with the fall of China to communism. 
Shortly thereafter, Gray’s replacement, Secretary of the Army Frank Pace, evaluated the existing Army R&D program, which was then engaged in supporting the Korean War. In January 1951, the evaluators recommended that a research advisory board be established to assist the Secretary of the Army in R&D matters. Based on this report, General Joseph Collins, Army Chief of Staff, recommended establishing an Army Scientific Advisory Committee as this research advisory board. By March, Pace approved establishing this board in principle and in November he took the first steps to obtain this scientific advice. Without formally establishing a committee, the Secretary appointed 10 outstanding scientists and industrialists as his scientific advisers. These pioneer advisers were: 
Dr. Detlev Bronk, National Academy of Sciences President, 1950 to 1962, and Johns Hopkins University President, 1949 to 1953. He was credited with formulating the modern theory of biophysics.
Mr. Crawford Greenewalt, DuPont President, 1948 to 1962. He was instrumental in transforming the theoretical work into a production system capable of manufacturing sufficient plutonium for the Manhattan Project.
Mr. Robert Haslam, consultant and as Chief of Division 3, Rocket Ordnance Research, National Defense Research Committee.
Mr. Kaufman Keller, Chrysle board of directors member of W.R. Grace & Co.; retired Standard Oil Co. Vice President. Previously, he was a professor of chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Dr. Frederick Hovde, Purdue University President, 1946 to 1971. During World War II, he w r Chairman of the Board, 1950 to 1956; Chrysler President, 1935 to 1950.
Dr. James R. Killian Jr., MIT President, 1948 to 1959; MIT Corp. Chairman, 1959 to 1971. Following his service on this board, he became the presidential science advisor to Preside
Army Science Board