CRA is hiring! We’re looking for a new Policy Analyst on our Government Affairs staff. If you’re interested in helping the computing research community make its case in Washington, or know someone who is, please see the ad below!
POLICY ANALYST
The Computing Research Association, the national voice of the computing research community, seeks a Policy Analyst for its Government Affairs staff. This person will work closely with the Director of Government Affairs tracking and managing their own portfolio of policy issues, providing research support, planning events, handling some administrative duties, and helping communicate with CRA’s membership.
The ideal candidate will have a Bachelors degree in information technology, public policy or a related field; some experience in a policy-oriented environment; some experience planning workshops or briefings; excellent verbal and written skills; web-skills; and a demonstrated interest in federal research policy and computing. Interested candidates should submit a resume with cover letter describing their qualifications and salary requirements via email to analyst@cra.org
About CRA –
The Computing Research Association (CRA) is an association of more than 200 North American academic departments of computer science, computer engineering, and related fields; laboratories and centers in industry, government, and academia engaging in basic computing research; and affiliated professional societies.
CRA’s mission is to enhance innovation by joining with industry, government and academia to strengthen research and advanced education in computing. CRA executes this mission by leading the computing research community, informing policymakers and the public, and facilitating the development of strong, diverse talent in the field.
After seven years as CRA’s Policy Analyst, Melissa Norr will be leaving CRA to begin a new career in library science. Melissa — who worked closely with Peter Harsha, CRA’s Director of Government Affairs, helping shape CRA’s policy mission — will be pursuing her passion for books with a position with the DC Public Library while she finishes a Masters in Library Science at Clarion University.
In her seven years at CRA, Melissa was instrumental in helping CRA and the computing community increase its influence on Capitol Hill and in the Administration. In particular, Melissa led CRA’s robotics and CS education policy efforts, in addition to being the organizing force behind CRA’s successful congressional visits’ days and Congressional Fall Fly-in events.
While she will be sorely missed by her friends and colleagues at CRA and in the science advocacy community, we wish all the best for her as she embarks on her new career in the library.
The folks behind the 2013 Golden Goose Awards have put together a really nice video highlighting this year’s winners. You may recall that the Golden Goose Awards were the brainchild of Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) who had grown frustrated with the occasional targeting by his colleagues in Congress of so-called “silly-sounding science” — shrimp on treadmills, towel-folding robots, things that are easy to mock unless you understand the science behind the “silliness,” which many critics didn’t. So the Golden Goose Awards seek to highlight research that might have sounded silly at the outset, but have returned enormous payoff, often in unexpected ways. This year’s video is well-produced and well worth watching!
Every year, AAAS administers the Science & Technology Policy Fellowship program, which brings over 200 scientists and engineers to DC each year to work for the federal government. The goal of the Fellowship is to educate scientists on how the government works and to explore the intersection where policy and science meet.
AAAS has recently launched a Big Data & Analytics track in the Fellowship program to focus on the analytical skills necessary for using big data to tackle the most pressing policy issues of the day such as infrastructure, security, and health care. They would love to see more representation from the computer science community!
Applicants must have a doctorate in a scientific, medical, or engineering discipline. The deadline to apply for the 2014-2015 Fellowship program is November 1. Visit AAAS S&T Policy Fellowship for details on the program and how to apply.
It has just been announced that Dr. John Eng will receive the next Golden Goose Award. Dr. Eng’s research on the Gila Monster’s poisonous venom at the Department of Veterans Affairs led to a drug that protects millions of diabetics from such complications as blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage.
In 1992, Dr. Eng discovered a compound that he named “Exendin-4.” According to the press release, the compound stimulates insulin-producing cells in the pancreas to produce more insulin when glucose levels are high. The compound keeps the body’s blood sugar levels at a steady, normal level while minimizing, compared to an insulin shot, the risk of levels going too low. In 2005 the FDA approved the drug called “Byetta,” developed as a result of his federally-funded research.
The Golden Goose Award “was created in 2012 to celebrate researchers whose seemingly odd or obscure federally funded research turned out to have a significant, positive impact on society.” Dr. Eng will receive the award at the second annual Golden Goose Awards ceremony in Washington, DC.
Each organization spoke about the need for such STEM initiatives as well as current initiatives each organization sponsors. For example, in 2011 the AAU launched a five-year initiative in collaboration with member institutions to improve undergraduate teaching and learning in STEM fields. This initiative received a $4.7 million grant to be distributed across the university sites over the next three years. Among the participating institutions are the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The goal is to create a strong network between these institutions to share best practices and “promote sustainable change in undergraduate STEM teaching and learning.”
The Progressive Policy Institute recently released their report, authored by Everett Ehrlich, on the progressive policy agenda for the broadband market. The report touched on three main sections: what progressives should want from the internet, the current state of competition in the broadband sector, and what the progressive agenda should look like.
In the first section, Ehrlich discusses how the “activists” in the progressive community believe that the broadband providers have “undue market influence,” which will stifle innovation and hurt consumers in the long run. In their opinion, since the internet can lead to social and political empowerment if harnessed correctly, regulation is a must. For progressives, the threat of market power “would not only produce economic losses, but would undermine the Internet’s existence as a source of empowerment of the individual and countervailing power for underrepresented groups in society.” Read more →
On Friday the House passed HR 5, the Student Success Act, by a vote of 221-207. The bill would rewrite many of the provisions of the current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and include provisions helpful to computer science education and educators. These provisions were put in place because of an amendment filed by Representative Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Representative Jared Polis (D-CO).
One new program under the bill would be called, “Teacher Preparation and Effectiveness” and would give grants to states, who could then make sub-grants to local education agencies (LEAs) to invest in teachers. Read more →
The Microsoft Research Faculty Summit kicked off this morning. The Faculty Summit is an annual gathering of more than 400 academic researchers from 200 institutions and 29 countries who will join Microsoft Research to assess and explore today’s computing opportunities. Tony Hey, Vice President of Research Connections at Microsoft, opened up the summit with a few words about the future of computing. “The Summit is about the future of computing, and the future is about people,” he told the audience. Read more →
Computer science education (and the computing community as a whole) achieved an important milestone yesterday with the introduction of the Computer Science Education Act (CSEA) in the House. CSEA would add computer science to the core academic subjects taught in K – 12 and specify that federal funding can be spent on computer science education. The Computing in the Core (CinC) coalition, of which CRA is a member, has been working on this legislation for several years.
The lead co-sponsors for CSEA are Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO). Nine other members from both parties also sponsored the bill at the time of its introduction.
While the bipartisan introduction was in and of itself an important accomplishment, it is just the first step. The CinC coalition is requesting support for the legislation in the form of emails to personal offices. All the details are available here along with sample text for contacting your Representative.
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CRA is Hiring: Be part of CRA’s Policy Staff!
/In: CRA, People /by Peter HarshaCRA is hiring! We’re looking for a new Policy Analyst on our Government Affairs staff. If you’re interested in helping the computing research community make its case in Washington, or know someone who is, please see the ad below!
CRA Bids Farewell to Melissa Norr
/In: General /by Shar SteedIn her seven years at CRA, Melissa was instrumental in helping CRA and the computing community increase its influence on Capitol Hill and in the Administration. In particular, Melissa led CRA’s robotics and CS education policy efforts, in addition to being the organizing force behind CRA’s successful congressional visits’ days and Congressional Fall Fly-in events.
While she will be sorely missed by her friends and colleagues at CRA and in the science advocacy community, we wish all the best for her as she embarks on her new career in the library.
Golden Goose Award Video
/In: General, Policy, R&D in the Press /by Peter HarshaThe folks behind the 2013 Golden Goose Awards have put together a really nice video highlighting this year’s winners. You may recall that the Golden Goose Awards were the brainchild of Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) who had grown frustrated with the occasional targeting by his colleagues in Congress of so-called “silly-sounding science” — shrimp on treadmills, towel-folding robots, things that are easy to mock unless you understand the science behind the “silliness,” which many critics didn’t. So the Golden Goose Awards seek to highlight research that might have sounded silly at the outset, but have returned enormous payoff, often in unexpected ways. This year’s video is well-produced and well worth watching!
Golden Goose Awards 2013 from DOCUinc on Vimeo.
Big Data Fellowship Opportunity
/In: People, Policy, Research /by MelissaNorrAAAS has recently launched a Big Data & Analytics track in the Fellowship program to focus on the analytical skills necessary for using big data to tackle the most pressing policy issues of the day such as infrastructure, security, and health care. They would love to see more representation from the computer science community!
Applicants must have a doctorate in a scientific, medical, or engineering discipline. The deadline to apply for the 2014-2015 Fellowship program is November 1. Visit AAAS S&T Policy Fellowship for details on the program and how to apply.
Award Recipient’s Research on Gila Monster Led to Diabetic Drug
/In: R&D in the Press /by Peter HarshaIt has just been announced that Dr. John Eng will receive the next Golden Goose Award. Dr. Eng’s research on the Gila Monster’s poisonous venom at the Department of Veterans Affairs led to a drug that protects millions of diabetics from such complications as blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage.
In 1992, Dr. Eng discovered a compound that he named “Exendin-4.” According to the press release, the compound stimulates insulin-producing cells in the pancreas to produce more insulin when glucose levels are high. The compound keeps the body’s blood sugar levels at a steady, normal level while minimizing, compared to an insulin shot, the risk of levels going too low. In 2005 the FDA approved the drug called “Byetta,” developed as a result of his federally-funded research.
The Golden Goose Award “was created in 2012 to celebrate researchers whose seemingly odd or obscure federally funded research turned out to have a significant, positive impact on society.” Dr. Eng will receive the award at the second annual Golden Goose Awards ceremony in Washington, DC.
Click here for the entire press release.
Briefing on Undergraduate STEM Intitatives
/In: Computing Education, Policy /by Peter HarshaThe House STEM Education Caucus hosted a briefing on various STEM programs occurring at the undergraduate level, in conjunction with the Association of American Universities (AAU), Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU), the Business Higher Education Forum, and the Research Corporation of Science Advancement.
Each organization spoke about the need for such STEM initiatives as well as current initiatives each organization sponsors. For example, in 2011 the AAU launched a five-year initiative in collaboration with member institutions to improve undergraduate teaching and learning in STEM fields. This initiative received a $4.7 million grant to be distributed across the university sites over the next three years. Among the participating institutions are the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The goal is to create a strong network between these institutions to share best practices and “promote sustainable change in undergraduate STEM teaching and learning.”
These programs come at a time where STEM education is seen as necessary for employment and for the advancement of education in this country.
Report on Progressive Agenda for Broadband Market Released
/In: Policy /by Peter HarshaThe Progressive Policy Institute recently released their report, authored by Everett Ehrlich, on the progressive policy agenda for the broadband market. The report touched on three main sections: what progressives should want from the internet, the current state of competition in the broadband sector, and what the progressive agenda should look like.
In the first section, Ehrlich discusses how the “activists” in the progressive community believe that the broadband providers have “undue market influence,” which will stifle innovation and hurt consumers in the long run. In their opinion, since the internet can lead to social and political empowerment if harnessed correctly, regulation is a must. For progressives, the threat of market power “would not only produce economic losses, but would undermine the Internet’s existence as a source of empowerment of the individual and countervailing power for underrepresented groups in society.” Read more →
House Passes Education Bill with Computer Science Amendment
/In: Computing Education, Policy /by Peter HarshaOn Friday the House passed HR 5, the Student Success Act, by a vote of 221-207. The bill would rewrite many of the provisions of the current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and include provisions helpful to computer science education and educators. These provisions were put in place because of an amendment filed by Representative Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Representative Jared Polis (D-CO).
One new program under the bill would be called, “Teacher Preparation and Effectiveness” and would give grants to states, who could then make sub-grants to local education agencies (LEAs) to invest in teachers. Read more →
Microsoft Research Faculty Summit, July 15th-16th 2013
/In: Computing Education, People, Policy, R&D in the Press, Research /by Peter HarshaThe Microsoft Research Faculty Summit kicked off this morning. The Faculty Summit is an annual gathering of more than 400 academic researchers from 200 institutions and 29 countries who will join Microsoft Research to assess and explore today’s computing opportunities. Tony Hey, Vice President of Research Connections at Microsoft, opened up the summit with a few words about the future of computing. “The Summit is about the future of computing, and the future is about people,” he told the audience. Read more →
Computer Science Education Act Introduced in House
/In: Computing Education, Policy /by MelissaNorrComputer science education (and the computing community as a whole) achieved an important milestone yesterday with the introduction of the Computer Science Education Act (CSEA) in the House. CSEA would add computer science to the core academic subjects taught in K – 12 and specify that federal funding can be spent on computer science education. The Computing in the Core (CinC) coalition, of which CRA is a member, has been working on this legislation for several years.
The lead co-sponsors for CSEA are Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO). Nine other members from both parties also sponsored the bill at the time of its introduction.
While the bipartisan introduction was in and of itself an important accomplishment, it is just the first step. The CinC coalition is requesting support for the legislation in the form of emails to personal offices. All the details are available here along with sample text for contacting your Representative.