IEEE-USA Eye on Washington No. 11, 2009

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Vol. 2009, No. 11 ( June 2009)
125 Years of Innovation and Ingenuity

CAPITOL HILL

The American Clean Energy & Security Act: the Future of Clean Energy Technology

IEEE-USA Government Fellow Helps to Write Other Energy Legislation

U.S. House Gives Vote of Confidence to Entrepreneurs

THE WHITE HOUSE

Obama Unveils Cyber Video, Web Page

FEDERAL AGENCY ACTIVITY

Energy Intensive Sectors, IT Industry to Receive Recovery Act Funds

REPORTS, DOCUMENTS OF NOTE & INFO RESOURCES

Start-Up Taps Obama's E-Gov Energy

U.S. STATES

State Highway Improvement Projects Would Use Hi-Tech

AWARDS & GRANTS

2009 Collegiate Inventors Competition is Now Accepting Applications

LATEST IEEE-USA & IEEE ACTIVITIES

IEEE-USA Establishes New Award for Leadership in Entrepreneurial Spirit

Got an Idea For an IEEE-USA E-Book?

IEEE-USA Stimulus Webpage

CAPITOL HILL

The Future of Clean Energy Technology

21 MAY: The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the American Clean Energy & Security Act of 2009 (ACES, 648 pp.), a comprehensive approach to U.S. energy policy aimed at creating a clean energy economy. The bill reduces carbon emissions from American cars, power plants and factories by 83 percent over the next 40 years, and increases funding and infrastructure for clean energy innovation and its rapid commercialization.

Innovation

ACES allocates one percent of allowances between 2012 and 2050 to fund eight new Clean Energy Innovation Centers around the country to conduct R&D and accelerate the commercialization of federally-funded clean energy technologies. Creating or building upon existing clean energy regional clusters, the knowledge centers would strengthen the links between public and private research communities, industry, and private sector funds. The Department of Energy (DOE) will choose the centers based on applications from regionally-based consortiums composed of at least two large research universities and at least one additional entity that could be a private corporation or research laboratory, a state institution focused on clean energy development, or a nongovernmental entity specializing in the development and commercialization of clean energy technologies.

The bill embraces the concept of Energy Discovery-Innovation Institutes (e-DIIs) which the Brookings Institute introduced in February. The e-DIIs seek to engage several actors in the clean energy innovation process, rather than narrowly focusing on investment flows into specific research labs and projects. Innovative activity is likely to yield successful outcomes more rapidly if we tap into the resources of the various components of the innovation ecosystem (scientists, engineers, universities, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, private industry, etc). Too often innovation is viewed through a linear model that starts with basic research and ends with products. Accelerating the movement of innovations in the marketplace calls for a more transactional approach early on that includes market factors. This process disciplines scientists to ask themselves early on in the process where and how they should focus their discovery research.

The Clean Energy Innovation Centers are consistent with the President Obama's plan to increase investment in clean energy development to $15 billion annually, and his FY2010 budget request to establish eight new "Energy Innovation Hubs" through DOE.

Cap & Trade

However, ACES's cap-and-trade provisions fall short of the White House's expectations. Obama believes that the best way to create the incentive structure for climate change is to price carbon emissions through a cap-and-trade system in which tradable permits to emit carbon are auctioned off. ACES enables auctioning only 15 percent of the emission permits until 2026. The rest of the permits would be given at no charge according to a specified power sector allocation in the bill. Permit holders can sell them if they do not need them and the number of available permits will gradually fall over time. This is the most serious objection to the bill because it means that most polluters would not pay for their greenhouse gases emissions in the first years of the program's operation.

Cap-and-trade acts like an implicit tax on carbon. Economists, including the White House budget director Peter Orszag, argue that auctioning off the permits is the most efficient way to allocate the rights, allowing for government revenues to be directed to energy R&D and to compensate lower-income households for the resulting higher energy prices. Without the auctions, there will be no such revenue.

Read IEEE-USA's National Energy Policy Recommendations here.

IEEE-USA Government Fellow Helps to Write Other Energy Legislation

Ken Lutz, one of IEEE-USA's 2009 Government Fellows, is currently serving a one-year fellowship on the staff of Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). Dr. Lutz helped to write one of (the STORAGE Act of 2009) Wyden's recently introduced package of energy bills aimed at reducing America's consumption of fossil fuels.

U.S. House Gives Vote of Confidence to Entrepreneurs

The full House of Representatives passed H.R. 2352, the Job Creation through Entrepreneurship Act of 2009, a bill to provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with new and expanded assistance. H.R. 2352 promises to assist small business owners or aspiring entrepreneurs to get access to finance, training and education.

The bill passed with bipartisan support as part of a larger measure, H.R. 1807, the Educating Entrepreneurs through Today's Technology Act of 2009. If passed by the Senate, it will mark the first major overhaul of the Small Business Administration's (SBA) entrepreneurial development programs in a decade. The legislation expands some of the most successful SBA programs, such as Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Centers and the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). It also creates new online learning programs and establishes grant programs to assist small firms in securing capital and credit. Further, it will allow third-party vendors, to distribute and conduct distance learning throughout the United States.

H.R. 1807 also creates, for the first time, a nationwide network of Veterans Business Centers to provide specialized entrepreneurial training and counseling to veterans. It also establishes within the SBA an Associate Administrator for Native American Affairs and the Office of Native American Affairs, which will develop and increase Native American entrepreneurship, business training, and access to capital and federal small business contracts.

Supporters in Congress claim that for every dollar we spend on a successful entrepreneurship program, we see a $2.87 return to the Treasury. Last year alone, these development programs created an estimated 73,000 jobs. (Related note: IEEE-USA Establishes New Award for Leadership in Entrepreneurial Spirit)

THE WHITE HOUSE

Obama Unveils Cyber Video &Web Page

30 MAY: In conjunction with President Obama's release of a report on his administration's cybersecurity review, the White House unveiled this video, which stars technology experts and government officials engaged in the issue. Among those featured include Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, New York Chief Cybersecurity Officer William Pelgrin, Symantec Chairman John Thompson, Center for Democracy and Technology President Leslie Harris and Jeannette Wing of the National Science Foundation. The White House Web page also provides a long list of papers from a variety of groups that informed the review team's deliberations. Read the Cyberspace Policy Review. (76 pp.) Hear President Obama's remarks.

FEDERAL AGENCY ACTIVITY

Energy Intensive Sectors, IT Industry to Receive Recovery Act Funds

1 JUN: U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced plans to provide $256 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support energy efficiency improvements in major industrial sectors across the American economy. The funding is targeted at reducing the energy consumption of America's manufacturing and information technology (IT) industries, while creating jobs and stimulating economic growth. These programs will help create manufacturing jobs, as well as jobs for technicians and experts who will be needed in the long-term to maintain and operate the new equipment.

REPORTS, DOCUMENTS OF NOTE & INFO RESOURCES

Government Accountability Office Reports

Information Technology: FDA Needs to Establish Key Plans and Processes for Guiding Systems Modernization Efforts (June2) GAO-09-523 (Highlights)

National Science Foundation (A list of all recent NSF engineering discoveries)

Discovery: Coping With Unusual Atomic Collisions Makes an Atomic Clock More Accurate - To accurately measure tiny intervals of time, you need a clock that ticks very fast and very precisely. For the ultimate in accuracy, scientists reach for atoms, or more precisely, an exactly known frequency of light emitted by a chosen atom. The 'ticks' are the crests of a light wave, which rises and falls as many as a thousand trillion times per second. In an effort to improve the already remarkable precision of atomic clocks, researchers have uncovered a novel effect that can shift an atomic frequency by about one part in ten thousand trillion--and they have also figured out how to overcome it.

Discovery: In Industrial Manufacturing, Efficiency Falls as Technology Advances - A comprehensive study of old and new manufacturing processes, from machining metal to making carbon nanofibers, shows that the more advanced technologies are less efficient in their use of energy and materials per kilogram of output.

The National Academies Podcasts The National Academies provides podcasts on subjects in all areas of science, engineering, medicine, and technology.

Sounds of Science: Findings from National Academies reports - This informative and entertaining weekly series of audio podcasts puts a spotlight on the high-impact work of the National Academies. Focusing on a wide range of critical issues in science, engineering, and medicine, these short 10-minute episodes are a quick and easy way to tune in to all the key findings and important recommendations made by the Academies.

Engineering Innovation - The weekly Engineering Innovation podcast from the National Academy of Engineering highlights exciting developments in engineering and provides technical context to stories in the news. The 40-second episodes demonstrate how engineers are making an impact -- in energy, health, the environment, sports, and more.

Start-Up Taps Obama's E-Gov Energy

The Seattle-based start-up that helped fuel President Obama's Web-based transition team donor disclosure effort has changed its name, hired a Washington, D.C. public relations firm and on Tuesday launched a social network that aggregates public data from around the world in a single destination. Socrata, formerly known as Blist, follows the administration's zeal for open government by offering a Web site intended to increase agencies' transparency; promote civic participation and community collaboration; and improve policymaking. Building on more than a year of beta test feedback from more than 40,000 public and private sector customers, Socrata.com initially is providing free access to more than 200 public datasets. Socrata offers a wide range of feeds on everything from government agencies a list of those bilked by Bernie Madoff; a list of aircraft that collided with wildlife; a list of the numbers of jobs created by stimulus dollars in each congressional district; and the number of layoffs at hi-tech firms in the upper northwest.

U.S. STATES

Stateline.org If you like to keep up with what's going on in state politics, StateLine.org provides a good overview of the activities in all 50 state legislatures.

Stateline.org's annual report on state trends and policy, "State of the States 2009" is now available. The report is full of helpful graphics and maps, in addition to reports on the most significant developments in the 50 states.

State Highway Improvement Projects Would Use Hi-Tech

According to NCSL, states plan to use their federal stimulus money to pay for highway improvement projects that involve widening roads, fixing bridges or repaving highways. This is not news. However, nearly half the states plan to use some of their new funds to pay for high-tech gadgets that will reduce congestion, help the environment and create jobs quickly.
At least 22 states have told the federal government they want to make their roads "smarter" by installing traffic cameras, creating express toll lanes, improving traffic signals and alerting drivers about accidents or delays ahead. Such projects are "quick, they can move forward very fast, they create jobs and they're effective in the short and long term," said Jaime Rall, an NCSL analyst. States are under the gun to tell the federal government how they plan to use $26.7 billion in federal stimulus money for transportation. They have until June 29 to commit half of that money to specific projects, so states are focusing on projects that can get started quickly.

AWARDS & GRANTS

National Science Foundation

2009 Collegiate Inventors Competition is Now Accepting Applications - The deadline to enter the Collegiate Inventors Competition is less than a month away! This prestigious program shines a spotlight on deserving researchers and innovators early in their careers in an effort to provide support and inspiration to those who have tremendous potential to make the world healthier, the economy stronger, and the planet safer. Go to www.invent.org/collegiate for more information and to download the application.

Grand Prize $25,000

Top Undergraduate Prize $15,000

Top Graduate Prize $15,000

Up to 12 Finalists will be selected to advance to the final judging round. Each will 1) receive an all-expense trip to the final judging round and awards ceremony 2) meet and present their work to a distinguished panel of judges and 3) receive a $2000 cash prize per team. Advisors to the Grand Prize, Top Undergraduate and Top Graduate Prize winners will also be awarded a cash prize. The presenting sponsors of this year's Competition are the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Abbott Fund.

You can find an informational brochure on the 2009 CIC at: http://www.invent.org/collegiate/pdfs/09_CIC_ebrochure.pdf . You can view video from last year's Award's ceremony at http://www.invent.org/collegiate/video/index.htm.

Not sure whether your project is actually an "invention," e mail or call Joyce Ward, Director of Program Support and Intellectual Property, if you have questions about any of the requirements. She is there to help. Please email collegiate@invent.org or call Joyce at 800.968.4332, ext. 6951 for guidance on the advisor requirement, invention summary, the patent search or any other parts of the application. Don't miss this incredible opportunity. All applications must be postmarked by June 16, 2009.

AAAS GrantsNet Express - A weekly American Association for the Advancement of Science listing of science funding opportunities from private foundations and organizations, and new U.S. government grant announcements in the sciences. AAAS will send GrantsNet by e-mail to AAAS member subscribers.

Grants.gov - The President's 2002 Fiscal Year Management Agenda established grants.gov as a central storehouse for information on over 1,000 grant programs. The site provides access to approximately $400 billion in annual awards. Most agencies, such as the DOE's Office of Science, use only grants.gov to list all funding opportunities. Other funding opportunities of interest include the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and NASA.

LATEST IEEE-USA & IEEE ACTIVITIES

Public Policy Priority Issues (111th Congress, 1st Session, 2009)
Position Statements - The statements identify important technical or engineering career-related aspects of public policy issues deemed to be of concern to or affecting IEEE's U.S. members; and make specific public policy recommendations for the consideration of Congress, the Executive Branch, the Judiciary, representatives of State and Local Government, and other interested groups and individuals, including IEEE members.

IEEE-USA Establishes New Award for Leadership in Entrepreneurial Spirit

IEEE-USA has established the IEEE-USA Entrepreneur Achievement Award for Leadership in Entrepreneurial Spirit to honor individual IEEE members for furthering entrepreneurial growth and spirit in the United States. The award recognizes members whose perseverance and visionary efforts have created "a successful business that has commercialized technology products or services," and "advanced society through commerce and community improvement."

"U.S. high-tech entrepreneurs are at the forefront of creating quality jobs in the United States and advancing U.S. competitiveness," said IEEE-USA Entrepreneurial Activities Committee co-Chair Mauro Togneri. "We established this award because we think these entrepreneurs should be recognized for the key role they play in strengthening the U.S. economy."

Nominations are open to all IEEE members who demonstrate the entrepreneurial spirit, support IEEE's goals and improve the image of engineers or the engineering profession. The nomination deadline for 2009 awards is 31 July 2009.

IEEE-USA Stimulus Webpage -The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) (Public Law 111-8) appropriates significant federal funding for technology-related programs in areas identified by IEEE-USA as being of high priority for strengthening the nation's innovation infrastructure and ensuring its long-term economic competitiveness. To stimulate the economy, funds are being distributed as quickly as possible, using existing federal programs as funding outlets where possible. This webpage provides information and links on these funding opportunities as a resource for IEEE members and their companies. Additional information is available on-line at Recovery.Gov. Members should also look to funds distributed through their respective state governments.

Got an Idea For an IEEE-USA E-Book?

If you've got an idea for an e-book that will educate your fellow IEEE members on a particular topic of expertise, e-mail your e-book queries and ideas to IEEE-USA Publishing Manager Georgia Stelluto.

IEEE-USA Workshop, "STEM Measures for Innovation and Competitiveness" 22-23 October 2009 IEEE-USA is organizing a STEM workshop at George Washington University, Washington, D.C. We encourage experts in these areas to participate and submit papers for presentation. The science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) enterprise includes the research & development activities of the federal, academic and private sectors, both nationally and globally. STEM is accepted as the driving force for worldwide economic and social advancement. National policies and planning influencing the health and productivity of this enterprise should be derived from basic incorruptible, unbiased data and measures. The IEEE-USA STEM workshop will address these important questions and work toward viable solutions. We believe STEM policy should be based on arguments fully supported by concrete data and rigorous analysis.

Former IEEE-USA Government Fellows Available to Speak to Sections - Several former IEEE-USA Congressional Fellows including Tom Fagan, Marty Sokoloski, Emily Sopensky and George Hanover are available to speak to your section meetings or other IEEE meetings in the United States. The fellows provide recounts of their experiences as IEEE-USA's Congressional and State Department fellows. For example, George Hanover discussed the innovation and competitiveness issues that he worked on while serving as an IEEE-USA congressional fellow on the staff of the Environment, Technology and Standards Subcommittee of the House Science Committee. George also served on the personal staff of Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), a member of the House Science Committee. George discussed an engineer's perspective on the "government process" and the IEEE-USA's involvement in that process. If your section is interested in having one of the former government fellows speak to your group about the program, how the legislative process works in Washington, and how IEEE-USA is influencing it, please contact Erica Wissolik at e. wissolik @ ieee. org. For more information on the IEEE-USA Government Fellows Program, please visit: http://ieeeusa.org/policy/govfel/default.asp

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What's New @ IEEE-USA's Eye on Washington highlights important federal legislative and regulatory developments that affect U.S. engineers and their careers. In addition to this biweekly newsletter, subscribers receive legislative bulletins and action alerts on IEEE-USA priority issues, including: retirement security, employment benefits, research & development funding, computers and information policy, immigration reform, intellectual property protection and privacy of health/medical information.

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