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.
On Tuesday, June 18th, IBM Research hosted a presentation and panel discussion on the Hill with House Representatives on cognitive computing. According to IBM Research, cognitive computing systems include “systems that learn and interact naturally with people to extend what either man or machine could do on their own.” Essentially, these systems help human experts make better decisions by allowing them to better sift through big data. Cognitive computing systems, or supercomputers, are not programmed to perform functions; rather, “they use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to sense, predict and, in some ways, think.” These systems can draw their own insight from big data. The goal is not necessarily to be the expert, but rather to better aid the human expert by penetrating big data they otherwise cannot.
IBM Research Vice President David McQueeney demonstrated the power of supercomputing through a weather cleanup example. Trees have very predictable growth patterns, and supercomputers can easily sift through tree data in a given location. If a powerful storm such as Hurricane Sandy were to damage an area, for instance, cognitive computing systems could help cities predict which areas will need crews to rebuild power lines based on the tree data. These systems could save millions of dollars for cities. Currently, IBM’s own supercomputer IBM Watson can sift through 1.5 million patient records and give doctors treatment options in seconds (see the power of the IBM Watson below).
Tomorrow, May 21, CRA will host the briefing, “IT for People, Homes and Cities” from 11:15 am to 12:45 pm in Room 2325 of the Rayburn Office Building. The briefing is sponsored by Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN) and Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL).
From smart phones to smart homes to smart cities, IT is increasingly integrated into our physical environment, with data from a variety of sources allowing us to make and execute decisions more intelligently and efficiently. Recent advances in machine learning, sensor networks, big data, visualization, signal processing, and other areas are leading the way to the next generation of new products, experiences and insights.
At the briefing, the speakers will discuss the IT innovation ecosystem, the role of computing research in industry, academia, and government, and the potential societal value and economic impact of emerging research discoveries.
The speakers include: Peter Lee, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Corporation and Head of Microsoft Research USA; Steven E. Koonin, Director, Center for Urban Science and Progress, New York University; and Shwetak N. Patel, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington.
CCC ChairEd Lazowska responded to a recent report on STEM jobs and the workforce with an opinion piece in the Seattle Times. The report, Guestworkers in the High Skill US Labor Market by the Economic Policy Institute, was cited in articles in the Washington Post, Seattle Times, and other news outlets calling into question the push for more students to major in STEM fields in college. Ed points out the problem with lumping all STEM workers and graduates in the same group and why computer science, specifically, needs to be separated when looking at jobs.
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.
IBM Hosts “Cognitive Computing” Panel to Discuss Power of Supercomputers
/In: Policy, R&D in the Press, Research, Security /by Peter HarshaOn Tuesday, June 18th, IBM Research hosted a presentation and panel discussion on the Hill with House Representatives on cognitive computing. According to IBM Research, cognitive computing systems include “systems that learn and interact naturally with people to extend what either man or machine could do on their own.” Essentially, these systems help human experts make better decisions by allowing them to better sift through big data. Cognitive computing systems, or supercomputers, are not programmed to perform functions; rather, “they use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to sense, predict and, in some ways, think.” These systems can draw their own insight from big data. The goal is not necessarily to be the expert, but rather to better aid the human expert by penetrating big data they otherwise cannot.
IBM Research Vice President David McQueeney demonstrated the power of supercomputing through a weather cleanup example. Trees have very predictable growth patterns, and supercomputers can easily sift through tree data in a given location. If a powerful storm such as Hurricane Sandy were to damage an area, for instance, cognitive computing systems could help cities predict which areas will need crews to rebuild power lines based on the tree data. These systems could save millions of dollars for cities. Currently, IBM’s own supercomputer IBM Watson can sift through 1.5 million patient records and give doctors treatment options in seconds (see the power of the IBM Watson below).
Read more →
Briefing Tomorrow: IT for People, Homes and Cities
/In: Events, Policy /by Shar SteedTomorrow, May 21, CRA will host the briefing, “IT for People, Homes and Cities” from 11:15 am to 12:45 pm in Room 2325 of the Rayburn Office Building. The briefing is sponsored by Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN) and Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL).
From smart phones to smart homes to smart cities, IT is increasingly integrated into our physical environment, with data from a variety of sources allowing us to make and execute decisions more intelligently and efficiently. Recent advances in machine learning, sensor networks, big data, visualization, signal processing, and other areas are leading the way to the next generation of new products, experiences and insights.
At the briefing, the speakers will discuss the IT innovation ecosystem, the role of computing research in industry, academia, and government, and the potential societal value and economic impact of emerging research discoveries.
The speakers include: Peter Lee, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Corporation and Head of Microsoft Research USA; Steven E. Koonin, Director, Center for Urban Science and Progress, New York University; and Shwetak N. Patel, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington.
Lazowska Opinion Column in Seattle Times
/In: Computing Education, People /by MelissaNorrCCC Chair Ed Lazowska responded to a recent report on STEM jobs and the workforce with an opinion piece in the Seattle Times. The report, Guestworkers in the High Skill US Labor Market by the Economic Policy Institute, was cited in articles in the Washington Post, Seattle Times, and other news outlets calling into question the push for more students to major in STEM fields in college. Ed points out the problem with lumping all STEM workers and graduates in the same group and why computer science, specifically, needs to be separated when looking at jobs.
Read the entire piece here.