Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine (OISM) conducts scientific research in an effort to increase the quality, quantity, and length of human life. OISM’s laboratory research includes protein biochemistry, diagnostic and preventative medicine, nutrition, and aging. It also performs work intended to improve basic education and emergency preparedness. ¹

Several staff members of the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine are involved with the Petition Project, which opposes the hypothesis of “human-caused global warming.” ²

Activities

Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine conducts research on peptides and proteins relating to biochemistry, especially as it affects diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. OISM also conducts research that seeks to improve medical diagnosis techniques, pre-college education curricula in the sciences, and civilian emergency preparedness, which includes nuclear-war survival skills. ³

The Petition Project

The Petition Project (also called the Global Warming Petition Project or the Oregon Petition) was organized by Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine cofounder Arthur Robinson, together with his son Noah Robinson, Frederick Seitz, Sallie Baliunas, and Willie Soon. The petition was circulated in 1997 and re-circulated in 2007 and has collected over 31,000 signatures from U.S. scientists. The Petition Project rejects the notion that humans have caused global warming and claims to be the largest directory of scientists who support this view. ⁴

The stated purpose of the Petition Project is to demonstrate that a large number of American scientists reject the idea that there is settled science proving that global warming is caused by humans. The Petition Project claims that former Vice President Al Gore and his supporters, along with scientists associated with the United Nations, under-report the number of skeptics who do not accept the hypothesis of human-caused global warming. The Petition Project further claims that due to lack of scientific validity, government actions based on the hypothesis of human-caused global warming are unnecessary and may actually damage human prosperity and the environment. ⁵

The Petition Project is not funded by the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, energy industries, or other special interests. It is funded by private, individual donations, largely from readers of the Access to Energy newsletter ⁶ published by OISM cofounder Arthur Robinson. ⁷

Funding

Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While OISM does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from DonorsTrust ($440,000 in 2019), ⁸ the Mercer Family Foundation ($200,000 in 2016), ⁹ and the Kinsman Foundation ($24,000 in 2017). ¹⁰

Board of Directors

Arthur Robinson is a cofounder and the president of OISM. ¹¹ Robinson is a senior fellow for environment policy at Heartland Institute, where he formerly sat on the board, and a co-organizer of the Petition Project, which rejects global warming alarmism. ¹²

Noah Robinson is the treasurer of the board of OISM, a co-director of the Petition Project, and sits on the board of the Heartland Institute. ¹³

Jane Orient is the secretary of the board of OISM, the executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, and the president of Doctors for Disaster Preparedness. Orient is a policy advisor to the Heartland Institute and the managing editor of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. ¹⁴

Other members of the board include Zachary Robinson and Bruce Tippery. ¹⁵

1. “Home.” Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine. Accessed March 6, 2023. https://oism.org/.
2. “Home.” Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine. Accessed March 6, 2023. https://oism.org/.
3. “Home.” Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine. Accessed March 6, 2023. https://oism.org/.
4. “Arthur B. Robinson.” The Heartland Institute. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://heartland.org/about-us/who-we-are/arthur-b-robinson/.
5. “Purpose of Petition.” Petition Project. Accessed March 6, 2023. http://www.petitionproject.org/purpose_of_petition.php.
6. “Home.” Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine. Accessed March 6, 2023. https://oism.org/
7. “About.” Access to Energy. Accessed March 6, 2023. http://www.accesstoenergy.com/about/.
8. DonorsTrust, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule I, Part II.
9. Mercer Family Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2016, Part XV, Line 3.
10. Kinsman Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV, Line 3.
11. “Arthur B. Robinson.” Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://oism.org/s32p21.htm.
12. “Arthur B. Robinson.” The Heartland Institute. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://heartland.org/about-us/who-we-are/arthur-b-robinson/.
13. “Noah E. Robinson.” The Heartland Institute. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://heartland.org/about-us/who-we-are/noah-e-robinson/.
14. “Jane M. Orient, M.D.” The Heartland Institute. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://heartland.org/about-us/who-we-are/jane-m-orient/.
15. Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020.