In this issue:
PRESIDENT RENEWS PLEDGE TO PRIORITIZE EDUCATION AND INNOVATION
Restating a commitment he made when first taking office, President Obama used his State of the Union address this week to emphasize the importance of education and innovation to America’s economic recovery.
“Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven’t seen since the height of the Space Race. And in a few weeks, I will be sending a budget to Congress that helps us meet that goal. We’ll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology - an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people.”
However, the call for investments in science and education was tempered with recognition that federal budget deficits remain at historic highs. The President offered several suggestions for budget-offsets – including a major tax reform effort and cuts for fossil fuel subsidies - to help pay for investments in science and education. Even so, the President was careful to link innovation, education, and jobs throughout his speech: “Maintaining our leadership in research and technology is crucial to America’s success. But if we want to win the future – if we want innovation to produce jobs in America and not overseas – then we also have to win the race to educate our kids.”
ASME President Robert T. Simmons applauded the President’s approach and reiterated ASME’s call for Congress to honor the recently passed America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, as well as provide for a permanent extension of the research and development tax credit. ASME is a long-time supporter of the America COMPETES Act, working with Congress to support two bipartisan authorizations of the act, which lays out strong mandates for investments in science research and education. “These investments will catalyze the growth and innovation critical to American competitiveness abroad, while helping to create high-paying jobs here in the U.S,” Simmons concluded.
The full text of the President’s State of the Union address is available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/01/25/remarks-president-state-union-address
Paul Fakes covers research and development (R&D) public policy related issues for ASME. He can be reached at fakesp@asme.org.
Melissa Carl handles public-policy related science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education issues for ASME. She can be reached at: carlm@asme.org
COMMERCE DEPARTMENT HOSTS ROUNDTABLE ON FEDERAL ROLE IN STANDARD
SETTING
Recently the U.S. Department of Commerce hosted a public roundtable with thought leaders from industry and academia on the federal government’s role in setting, developing, using and adopting standards for critical national needs. Achieving national priorities – which include a smart grid for electricity distribution, electronic health records, cybersecurity, cloud computing and interoperable emergency communications –depends upon the existence of sound technical standards. The standards being developed through public-private partnerships for these new technology sectors are helping to drive innovation, economic growth and job creation.
Together with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the department hosted the panel discussion led by Phil Weiser, senior advisor on technology and innovation at the White House National Economic Council. U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra and NIST Director and Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology Patrick Gallagher also participated. Chief Technology Officers from Cisco, Motorola and Silver Spring Networks were among the industry representatives.
“Technical standards are not the stuff of everyday conversation, but they are crucial to smart development and economic growth,” Chopra and Gallagher wrote in a post on the White House Blog earlier this month. “Whether the goal is reducing healthcare costs, building a clean-energy economy or defending our nation, standards are essential to ensuring efficiency, economy and interoperability.” The entire posting may be viewed at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/01/07/setting-standards-we-want-hear-you
In March 2010, the National Science and Technology Council Committee on Technology chartered a Subcommittee devoted to Standards, which is administered by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The purpose of the subcommittee was to bring together federal agencies that use standards, and create case studies for the purpose of gathering data on how standards can help new products. Then in December of 2010, NIST, on behalf of the subcommittee, published a Federal Register notice seeking input on effective federal participation in standards and conformity assessment activities related to technology.
To review this federal register notice, please visit: http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/01/21/2011-1005/effectiveness-of-federal-agency-participation-in-standardization-in-select-technology-sectors-for
Additional information about the roundtable can be found at: http://www.nist.gov/el/standards_roundtable.cfm
Robert Rains covers public policy related NIST issues. He can be reached at Rainsr@asme.org.
DEPARTMENTS OF ENERGY AND COMMERCE ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP TO FURTHER
COOPERATION ON RENEWABLE ENERGY MODELING AND FORECASTING
The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Commerce (Commerce) have announced a new agreement to further collaboration between the agencies on renewable energy modeling and weather forecasting, which will help enable the nation's renewable energy resources to be used more effectively by business and entrepreneurs. The Memorandum of Understanding signed by Acting Under Secretary of Energy Cathy Zoi and Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., will encourage the two agencies to work together to develop and disseminate weather and climate information needed for renewable energy technologies that are dependent on short-term weather and longer-term climate trends. Better information on weather patterns and improved modeling of the variability of the wind, sun, water, ocean currents and other sources of renewable energy will ultimately increase the country's ability to efficiently and reliably integrate renewable energy into the electrical grid.
"This collaboration will bring together scientists and experts across the federal government to support our efforts to integrate renewable energy into our power system," said Zoi. "By providing us with a deeper understanding of how weather impacts the generation of renewable energy, this partnership will help to more effectively deploy these important resources across America."
The partnership will help renewable energy system designers, operators, and electric power system administrators in improving the cost effectiveness and reliability of weather-dependent renewable energy technologies. The collaboration includes a working group from DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that will identify areas for continued focus and research and help lay out next steps for improving the efficiency of renewable resources and better integrating renewable energy sources onto the electrical grid.
The working group will produce an Action Plan in the coming months that will address:
- Improving renewable resource characterization models and methodologies for optimizing system reliability and performance;
- Advancing meteorological and oceanic forecasting technologies, models and methodologies;
- Defining national weather and oceanic monitoring systems needed to support renewable energy;
- Predicting climate effects on renewable energy resources; and,
- Coordinating both public and private sector contributions to addressing renewable resource needs.
To view the full text of the Memorandum of Understanding, go to: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/images/28812.pdf
Robert Rains covers public policy related energy issues. He can be reached at Rainsr@asme.org.
U.S. STUDENTS’ NATIONAL SCIENCE SCORES DISAPPOINT
Last week, the results from the 2009 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) in science were released, and showed that less than half of U.S. students demonstrate solid academic performance and competency over challenging subject matter in science. Specifically, only thirty-four percent of the nation’s fourth-graders, thirty percent of eight-graders, and twenty-one percent of twelve-graders performed at or above the proficient level in science. Administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the 2009 science assessment was given to 156,500 fourth-graders, 151,100 eighth-graders, and 11,100 twelfth-graders. The last time a similar assessment was conducted was 2005.
The knowledge and skills that should have been assessed are contained within the NAEP “science framework,” which “was recently updated to incorporate new advances in science, research on science learning, and components from international science assessments.” Because of the changes to the assessment, the 2009 results cannot be compared to earlier assessments; however, they will serve as the basis for comparison with future science assessments and “provide a current snapshot of what the nation’s fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-graders know and can do in science.”
Also highlighted in the 2009 results are the differences in students’ performance based on demographic characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender, family income, and school location), which revealed major achievement gaps among racial and ethnic groups. For example, African American and Hispanic students trailed their Caucasian and Asian American peers by 20 to 30 points on a 300-point scale. There was also a gender gap evident at all three grade levels, widest among older students.
Of the 47 states/jurisdictions that participated at the state level, about half of U.S. states posted scores higher than the national average, while 10-15 states posted lower than average rankings.
For more information about the 2009 NAEP science assessment, please visit: http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/media/pdf/PressReleaseNAGBScience2009.pdf
Melissa Carl handles public-policy related science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education issues for ASME. She can be reached at: carlm@asme.org
NSB SEEKS FEEDBACK ON NSF’S MERIT REVIEW CRITERIA
The National Science Board (NSB) is undertaking a thorough review of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) two merit review criteria (Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts). The NSB Task Force on Merit Review has been charged to consider all options when developing its final recommendations, from keeping the criteria just as they are to completely rewriting them, or anything in between. The Task Force is now gathering input from a wide variety of stakeholder groups, and will be developing its report and recommendations during 2011.
All proposals submitted to NSF are evaluated using the Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts review criteria. The application of these criteria in the proposal review process has a critical role in shaping NSF’s increasingly complex and interdisciplinary award portfolio. The current review criteria have now been in effect for over a decade, so it is timely to evaluate the utility of the current criteria in enabling NSF to accomplish its mission.
NSB is requesting comments and suggestions for improvements as the Task Force undertakes this important review. To ensure that all interested parties have an opportunity to provide input, NSF has established a web site through which thoughts and ideas on several issues of interest to the Task Force may be submitted, which can be found at: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/meritreviewform.cfm.
Paul Fakes handles public policy-related research and development (R&D)
issues for ASME. He can be reached at: fakesp@asme.org
USPTO SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2011 NATIONAL MEDAL OF TECHNOLOGY
AND INNOVATION
Nominations for the 2011 National Medal of Technology and Innovation are now being accepted by the Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The National Medal of Technology and Innovation (formerly known as the National Medal of Technology) is the highest honor for technological achievement bestowed by the President of the United States on America's leading innovators.
The purpose of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation is to recognize those who have made lasting contributions to America's competitiveness, standard of living, and quality of life through technological innovation, and to recognize those who have made substantial contributions to strengthening the Nation's technological workforce.
The Medal is awarded annually to individuals, teams (up to four individuals), companies or divisions of companies for their outstanding contributions to America’s economic, environmental and social well-being. By highlighting the national importance of technological innovation, the Medal also seeks to inspire future generations of Americans to prepare for and pursue technical careers to keep America at the forefront of global technology and economic leadership.
All completed nominations must be submitted to the USPTO by 5 PM (ET), March 31, 2011. Nomination forms and guidelines can be downloaded at http://www.uspto.gov/about/nmti/guidelines.jsp
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