OTA archives up
The Federation of American Scientists opened the Office of Technology Assessment Archive, which allows access to more than 720 documents and reports. Many of these documents were not available to the public previously. OTA served as an independent branch of the U.S. Congress that provided nonpartisan science and technology advice from 1972 until it was defunded and forced to close in 1995. Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ) is heading an effort to have the office reinstated. He said if it were in place today there would be better legislation for school safety, chemical exposure, grain dust explosions and the R&D tax credit, to name a just a few important issues. The OTA Archive will track efforts to bring the office back and will highlight items not previously available to the public in a "Document of the Day" feature. It also links to current news articles that mention OTA reports or former OTA staff members.

Visit the Office of Technology Assessment Archive


Eight recommendations for better science tomorrow
The U.S. House of Representatives Diversity and Innovation Caucus (D&I) released a set of eight policy recommendations to increase participation of under-represented groups in STEM fields. Policy recommendations include improving retention and training of high-school teachers in STEM at high-need schools, ensuring access to hands-on laboratory experience for students in high-need schools, addressing obstacles to women and minorities in the STEM pipeline, and examining existing legislation. The recommendations are derived from feedback from women, minorities, STEM and education groups who attended a spring 2008 meeting.  The Caucus has acted to generate policies for increasing the participation of under-represented groups in STEM fields, to communicate the importance of promoting STEM diversity, and to engage those affected to assess policy areas of greatest need.

8-Point Policy Agenda Toward a More Diverse STEM Workforce

Hearing on international collaboration
U.S. scientists at non-governmental agencies and universities who want to collaborate internationally met with their colleagues at conferences, but are unable to forge the next step. James Calvin, the interim vice president for research at Texas A&M University, cited three different summits, which excited conversation and debate between Chinese and U.S. scientists, but didn't advance the situation. The problem: funding. Calvin suggested a granting agency funded jointly by the Chinese and U.S governments to promote scholarly collaboration. This suggestion brings up two issues: 1) coordination of funding when a research team has two different governments to ask of and answer to; 2) legal limitations of funding foreign collaborators. "Although we do agree with the view that U.S. taxpayer funds should be used primarily to support American science, there are instances, such as in international science development activities, where we believe this limitation can impede the ability of the programs to achieve their goals," said Alan Leshner, chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. A hearing on July 15 with the U.S. House of Representatives' Subcommittee of Research and Science Education discussed these issues.

Science Knows No Borders. But Funders Do.

Suzanne currently volunteers her time to edit the Washington Wire and writes a blog called Thus Spake Zuska at ScienceBlogs.com.

"I offer the web's most excellent and informative rants on the intransigent refusal of engineering and science to open their doors to anyone but white males. I verbally bludgeon morons, celebrate the fabulousness of techie women, and encourage every female to release her Inner Pissed-Off Woman."

Read more about Suzanne, her experiences with AWIS and her blogging life.

Suzanne can be reached at
bobtownsuz@yahoo.com