State of the Union


Got a “pre-brief” this afternoon from the White House. We’ll like it. It’ll be webcast live. We’ll have CRA’s reaction here, right after the speech. Update (1/31/06 9:20 pm) — Here’s the key passage: And to keep America competitive, one commitment is necessary above all: We must continue to lead the world in human talent […]

It’s about Competitiveness, Stupid…: Competitiveness, Innovation and the State of the Union


Ok, so that’s about the most played-out cliche in politics, but it’s hard to come up with another phrase that encapsulates how pervasive the competitiveness meme has become in science policy circles — and more encouragingly, in the words of administration and congressional policymakers — over the last year. Also, apologies for going sort of […]

PCAST to get NITRD Brief


The first meeting of the President’s Council of Advisors for Science and Technology (PCAST) since the committee absorbed the functions of the President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC) last October 1st will be held tomorrow in Washington, DC. The committee will hear for the first time in detail about the Networking and Information Technology R&D […]

Chronicle of Higher Ed to Run Colloquy About Women in Computer Science


Ok, we’re back from our extended holiday hiatus. We’ll be catching up throughout the next day or so, but I thought I’d first post a quick link to this interesting Chronicle of Higher Education Colloquy. It’s entitled “The Computer Science Clubhouse”: Only 17 percent of undergraduate computer-science degrees were awarded to women in 2004, according […]