Obama Science Agenda
Saturday, August 30, 2008
- 3:01 PM
IEEE-USA and I have been involved in an organization called Science Debate 2008. The purpose is to ask the Presidential candidates to debate science issues. We were not successful in having a face-to-face debate but we then asked the candidates to answer a set of 14 questions related to science and technology. Senator Obama has responded and we expect Senator McCain to do the same. The questions are given below. You can read Senator Obama's response at
http://sharp.sefora.org/people/presidential-candidates/barack-obama-presidential-candidate/
If you have trouble reaching the URL send me an e-mail at president@ieeeusa.org
Innovation. Science and technology have been responsible for half of the growth of the American economy since WWII. But several recent reports question America’s continued leadership in these vital areas. What policies will you support to ensure that America remains the world leader in innovation?
Climate Change. The Earth’s climate is changing and there is concern about the potentially adverse effects of these changes on life on the planet. What is your position on the following measures that have been proposed to address global climate change—a cap-and-trade system, a carbon tax, increased fuel-economy standards and research? Are there other policies you would support?
Energy. Many policymakers and scientists say energy security and sustainability are major problems facing the United States this century. What policies would you support to meet demand for energy while ensuring an economically and environmentally sustainable future?
Education. A comparison of 15-year-olds in 30 wealthy nations found that average science scores among U.S. students ranked 17th, while average U.S. math scores ranked 24th. What role do you think the federal government should play in preparing K-12 students for the science and technology driven 21st Century?
National Security. Science and technology are at the core of national security like never before. What is your view of how science and technology can best be used to ensure national security and where should we put our focus?
Pandemics and Biosecurity. Some estimates suggest that if H5N1 Avian Flu becomes a pandemic it could kill more than 300 million people. In an era of constant and rapid international travel, what steps should the United States take to protect our population from global pandemics or deliberate biological attacks?
Genetics research. The field of genetics has the potential to improve human health and nutrition, but many people are concerned about the effects of genetic modification both in humans and in agriculture. What is the right policy balance between the benefits of genetic advances and their potential risks?
Stem cells. Stem cell research advocates say it may successfully lead to treatments for many chronic diseases and injuries, saving lives, but opponents argue that using embryos as a source for stem cells destroys human life. What is your position on government regulation and funding of stem cell research?
Ocean Health. Scientists estimate that some 75 percent of the world’s fisheries are in serious decline and habitats around the world like coral reefs are seriously threatened. What steps, if any, should the United States take during your presidency to protect ocean health?
Water. Thirty-nine states expect some level of water shortage over the next decade, and scientific studies suggest that a majority of our water resources are at risk. What policies would you support to meet demand for water resources?
Space. The study of earth from space can yield important information about climate change; focus on the cosmos can advance our understanding of the universe; and manned space travel can help us inspire new generations of youth to go into science. Can we afford all of them? How would you prioritize space in your administration?
Scientific Integrity. Many government scientists report political interference in their job. Is it acceptable for elected officials to hold back or alter scientific reports if they conflict with their own views, and how will you balance scientific information with politics and personal beliefs in your decision-making?
Research. For many years, Congress has recognized the importance of science and engineering research to realizing our national goals. Given that the next Congress will likely face spending constraints, what priority would you give to investment in basic research in upcoming budgets?
Health. Americans are increasingly concerned with the cost, quality and availability of health care. How do you see science, research and technology contributing to improved health and quality of life?
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National Science and Technology Summit (2)
Friday, August 29, 2008
- 9:04 AM
I described the NSTS previously. In this post I will publish a few of my notes.
One interesting talk was by John Kelly III, Senior Vice President of R&D for IBM. He talked primarily about innovation. His description of innovation was "Combining technology and insight to create new value". It resides at the intersection of innovation and insight-leading to creation of social and economic value. It is open, collaborative, multi discipline, and global.
The nature of innovation in India in China is very different that in G-7 countries. He gave an example. When he challenged his engineers to come up with an innovation that would be a new addition to the IBM portfolio, his Indian engineers came up with the idea of Voice-based web pages. He attributed this to the fact that in India cell phones are $10-$20 and are ubiquitous. IBM is heavily into wireless technology in India so this fits their corporate strategy. He thought that this innovation would not have been discovered in the U.S. because cell phone usage isn't as wide spread.
He noted that the U.S. has a number of national issues that require innovation. His list was: energy, health care, climate, war on terror, housing, finance, and competition from other countries. He noted statistics that indicate students in the U.S. are not keeping up with the world in math and science. He also noted that our investments and a % of Gross Domestic Product are going down.
He ended with a number of questions, not all of which I was able to copy. Are we educating the next generation of innovators? Are we investing in critical R&D? Are we creating an environment for innovation to thrive? His talk covered material that was already known but he pointed out what IBM was doing to address these issues.
As noted before, I will make the report on the NSTS available when it is published.
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National Science and Technology Summit
Thursday, August 28, 2008
- 12:07 PM
When the America COMPETES Act was passed in 2007 one of the provisions was to hold a meeting to examine the health and direction of the United States' science, technology, engineering and math enterprises. The 2008 Summit was held August 18-19 at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. I attended along with Chris Brantley and Sherry Gillespie, our IEEE-USA Congressional Fellow.
The Summit was a one day affair with two tracks: (1) Science and Technology Investments in public and private research and development and (2) Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education. The Summit was educational and interesting. Senator Lamar
Alexander gave a talk at lunch promoting among other things his Manhattan Project for Clean Energy. Representatives Bart Gordon and Zach Wamp also spoke. Rep. Gordon noted that the Congress was planning to pass an Energy Bill this year. I suspect it will be the Gang of 10 compromise bill that was put together by 10 bipartisan senators a few weeks ago that wasn't very comprehensive. It appeared to be an attempt to get an energy bill out in advance of the election
I won't be able to go into much detail on the summit itself. Here are the titles of the sessions for Track 1:
- Federal Investment and Resource Allocation in Science and Technology
- Research Facilities, Tools, and Infrastructure
- Private Sector Incentives for Investment in Research
The titles of the sessions for Track 2 are:
- Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Education
- K-12 Education:Sparking Student Interest and Teacher Training Programs
- STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Education
I was able to introduce the IEEE and IEEE-USA programs addressing engineering education and received interest in learning more from some of the attendees. There will be a report. Date uncertain. I can forward the URL for the Summit itself that contained a number of white papers drafted to address the issues at the Summit and when the report becomes available, I can also forward that URL. Send a message the President@ieeeusa.org.
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Dem Science Support
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
- 12:14 PM
During the opening of the Democratic National Convention their platform was formally approved. It pledged to duoble federal funding of basic science research, lift the ban on funding embryonic stem cell research, and make the R&D tax credit permanent. In addition to proposing increased funding for the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and other federal agencies, the platform outlines plans to support women in math and science, invest in higher education by creating a $4K tax credit for incoming college students, combating climate change by instituting a carbon emission limiting cap-and-trade system, conserving wild lands, and preserving the nation's water resources.
This information comes from a blog by Toby Smith who is with the American Association of Universities. Kei Koizumi from the American Association for the Advancement of Science commented favorably on it.
In addition to the Democratic platform, others at the convention commented on the science and technology plans. Nancy Pelosi after her speech on Monday, spoke to a smaller gathering. She discussed several issues including green technology and elimination of dependence on foreign oil. She stressed that the solution lies in one thing-"The four words I want you to remember from our domestic agenda are 'science', 'science', 'science', science'".
I believe the Republican platform will also address science and technology and when it becomes available, I will report on it in this blog.
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Energy Policy
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
- 11:17 AM
On August 21, IEEE-USA held an Energy Forum to begin to address what the United States energy policy should be in the oncoming years. The forum was scheduled as a response to the request by Senator Lamar Alexander's staff for IEEE-USA to make recommendations that could be used to advance his initiative for the country to start a "New Manhattan Project for Clean Energy Independence." His speech on May 9th in Oak Ridge, TN, identified seven "Grand Challenges" for the next five years: Plug-in electric cars and trucks, carbon capture and storage, solar power, nuclear waste, advanced biofuels, green buildings, and fusion.
The Energy Forum, sponsored by the IEEE-USA Energy Policy Committee (EPC), chaired by Tom Gentile, focused on identifying near-term, mid-term, and far-term issues that must be worked on to promote these grand challenges. Since the Forum was only a one-day event, the resultant output couldn't make specific recommendations. The effort consisted of noting the challenges to be faced in the three timeframes. The EPC will meet in September with the aim of selecting those technologies that could be "low hanging fruit" to lead to recommendations to the next Congress and Administration.
It is important to recognize that the U.S. is very concerned about our energy future, and the Congress is committed to addressing those concerns. Not only has Senator Alexander made speeches along those lines, but Senator Bingaman has also been very active. In the House of Representatives, many have evidenced their concern. Those who read this blog can recieve copies of the Alexander and Bingaman speeches as well as the minutes of the Energy Forum by emailing me at president@ieeeusa.org
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