To subscribe, send email to majordomo@itri.loyola.edu with text in BODY:
subscribe itrinewsbw
end

To cancel, do same with "unsubscribe itrinewsbw."

Archive containing HTML versions since August 1998 is at http://itri2.org/ITRInews/

 R. D. Shelton, Editor:  rds@itri2.org
*== *== *== *==*== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *==*== *== *== *== *== *== *== *==*==
In This Issue of ITRInews
New Science Committee Chair
Japan's R&D Drops Despite Government Efforts
U.S. Federal R&D Soars in the FY 2001 Budget: The Final Numbers
U.S. Overall R&D Forecast to Reach $270 Billion in 2001
New Foundations for Growth: The U.S. Innovation System Today and Tomorrow
CIS-China Technology Cooperation
U.S.-China Science Cooperation
Public Support for Science

ITRI Alumni News
Kensall D. Wise
Jon B. DeVault

Featured Organizations in International S&T:
American Institute of Physics
IEEE-USA Public Policy Forum
ASME International
AAAS Science and Technology in Congress
 

*== *== *== *==*== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *==*== *== *==*==
 

New Science Committee Chair Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) has been elected Chairman of the House of Representatives Science Committee.  Boehlert will have jurisdiction over R&D conducted by NASA, NSF, EPA, the Department of Energy, and other federal agencies. He will also have jurisdiction over math and science education initiatives in public schools from kindergarten to graduate school.  Mr. Boehlert is a moderate Republican who can be expected to restore the Science Committee to its traditional bi-partisan style. During the late 90s, he often voted with the Democrats on environmental issues, particularly those that affected his upstate NY district.  He replaces James Sensenbrenner who has moved to chair the House Judiciary Committee. http://www.house.gov/science/

Japan's R&D Drops Despite Government Efforts.  Due to the extremely tight economic situation, total R&D expenditures and their ratio to GDP have slightly decreased, although they had increased from 1995 until 1999. Total R&D expenditures (including human literature and social science) were Yen 16.01 trillion [$142 billion], 0.8% decrease from the previous year. Their ratio to GDP was 3.24%, still higher than the U.S. R&D expenditures by the industrial sector have decreased to Yen 12.45 trillion, 1.15% decrease from the previous year. On the other hand, the Government's R&D expenditures have increased to Yen 3.50 trillion, 0.15% increase from the previous year. It was the third consecutive increase, which reflects the Japanese Government's policy described in the S&T Basic Plan.

This data is from an NSF posting of the Science and Technology Agency (STA) survey results on R&D in Japan.  The amounts of R&D expenditure are based on the actual results during one year retroactive from the previous account closing date closest to April 1, 2000.  The survey was sent to about 12,300 companies, about 1,300 research institutions, and about 2,900 universities and colleges. On  December 28, 2000, the exchange rate was Yen 112/$.  http://www.twics.com/~nsftokyo/rm01-01.html
 

U.S. Federal R&D Soars in the FY 2001 Budget: The Final Numbers  The outgoing 106th Congress and President Clinton have agreed to provide record increases for R&D programs throughout the federal government, and have provided substantial increases to nearly all categories of R&D spending and most R&D funding agencies. Total federal R&D reached $90.9 billion, an increase of 9.1 percent over FY 2000.  This budget analysis is provided by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the full text of Congressional Action on R&D in the FY 2001 Budget is now available at the AAAS website: http://www.aaas.org/spp/dspp/rd/ca01main.htm One interesting factoid in the report is the latest estimate of R&D/GDP, particularly in comparison to Japan.  Because growth in total R&D is once again expected to exceed growth in the U.S. economy as a whole as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), NSF estimates that total U.S. R&D will reach 2.72 percent of GDP in 2000, up from 2.65 percent in 1999 and the highest share since 1967.  AAAS has a nice graph of this indicator from 1953 to 2000 posted at http://www.aaas.org/spp/dspp/rd/trendusg.pdf

US Overall R&D Forecast to Exceed $270 Billion in 2001 In their annual forecast of national R&D spending, Battelle Laboratory and R&D Magazine are predicting that industry investments in R&D will increase by 6.5 percent in 2001 to a total of $190 billion, while federal spending will grow by 1.3 percent to $72 billion.  Universities and other non-profit organizations will contribute an estimated $15 billion in R&D funding,  an increase of 6.2 percent.  The report also confirms that the total federal share of national R&D investments has continued its steady decline from approximately 50 percent in 1979 to 26.9 percent in 2000.  The complete forecast is published annually in the January issue of R&D Magazine, which is free to qualified applicants. Subscribers can access it online at http://www.rdmag.com/home.htm

New Foundations for Growth: The U.S. Innovation System Today and Tomorrow," by Steven Popper and Caroline Wagner, RAND Science and Technology Policy Institute, January 2001.  This report was commissioned by the President's National Science and Technology Policy Council and released on Jan. 11. The report recommends a set of technology policies that might be considered by the new Administration. http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1338.0/.

Chinese S&T Cooperation with Russia and with the U.S. Compared  The Chinese Ministry of S&T has confirmed that China's long-term policy in international scientific cooperation will emphasize full-scale collaboration with all members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).  China and Russia have established a Sino-Russian working committee for technology innovation, to accelerate the development of new technology.  To speed up the application of high-tech innovations, the two sides have also set up a center in Yantai, in Shandong Province.  China started technological cooperation with the former Soviet Union in the 1950s.  The ministry has renewed traditional cooperative programs, such as regular exchanges of technological documents with Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and other states.

U.S.-China Science Cooperation  should include environmental protection, energy, seismology and meteorology, sources from the Chinese Ministry of S&T said.  Sino-U.S. scientific cooperation promises a bright new century as long as the two sides make a concerted effort, said Wang Shaoqi, director of the ministry's Department for International Cooperation.  Sino-U.S. collaboration began in January 1979 under the S&T Cooperation Agreement, signed by the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.  The two sides have successfully collaborated in basic science research over the past 20 years, covering atmosphere, oceans, health, medicine and agriculture.    From the NSF/Tokyo e-letter. kshinoha@nsf.gov

Public Support for Science might help in seeking proper funding for R&D in at least two countries.  According to a survey taken in December, the French have a great deal more confidence in scientists than politicians, with 77% of those surveyed looking to scientists to improve society in the coming century and 22% expecting politicians to do so. 86% are confident that AIDS, cancer and other incurable scourges will be defeated by scientific research. (Agence France Presse, December 31, reported by the FAST newsletter from the French Embassy in Washington) ITRInews23 in August reported on similar public support from a survey of Americans sponsored by NSF and the Beyer Corporation, and in 1996 I wrote Congressional Lobbying for Engineers: The Potential for Grassroots Support based on an earlier NSF survey.

*== *== *== *==*== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *==
ITRI ALUMNI NEWS
ITRI recruits distinguished scientists and engineers for its panels.  Some more examples:

Ken Wise is J. Reid and Polly Anderson Professor of Manufacturing Technology, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Director of the Center for Integrated Microsystems, and Associate Dean for Research of the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan.    In his spare time, he writes technical papers: some 185 in refereed journals, 183 conference papers, and 21 patents.  He edited a special issue of the IEEE Proceedings on Integrated Sensors, Microactuators, and Microsystems (MEMS) in 1998.  He received the 1996 Columbus Prize and the 1997 Aristotle Award and was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 1998.  http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~wise/

Dr. Kensall D. Wise was chair of our 1993 study on MEMS in Japan.http://itri.loyola.edu/mems/toc.htm

Jon B. DeVault is President of Aldila Materials Technology Corporation. He is an expert on technical and business aspects of the graphite materials and polymer matrix composites industries. In the mid 1990s, Mr. DeVault spent three years at DARPA where he was responsible for reducing the cost of polymer matrix composite structures. Earlier in his career, he was President, Composite Products Group, Hercules Aerospace Company, the largest supplier of graphite materials to the DoD, and a major manufacturer of composite structures. In 1996 Mr. DeVault received the SACMA Material Leadership Award. Mr. DeVault has served on several NRC committees including Use of Composite Materials in Marine Structures and the Status and Viability of Composite Materials for Aircraft Structures.

Mr. DeVault was a panelist on our 1994 study on Advanced Manufacturing for Polymer Composites. http://itri.loyola.edu/polymers/

*== *== *== *==*== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *==
FEATURED ORGANIZATIONS THIS MONTH

With a new Congress and Administration in town, this issue focuses on websites that help keep track of what they are doing in S&T.  I've listed sites that publish e-letters or post S&T issues on the Web.

Americans should send their opinions to Capitol Hill, and these sites make it a lot easier.   This is called lobbying, actually, but it's not a dirty word in Washington.  I learned from my year as a congressional fellow and two years as an NSF science policy analyst that anyone can influence policy in a democracy that is responsive to constituents.  Scientists and engineers are amateurs in this process, however, compared to more experienced lobbies, such as those in the medical and environmental fields.  While the Hill now is fairly supportive of R&D, it remains a marginal issue that is driven more by politics than facts.  You only have to look at the enormous expenditures on questionable big science projects like the International Space Station and National Ignition Facility to realize the need for better scientific advice.  Many expensive weapons systems like the Osprey are not actually wanted by DOD, but survive because key components are built in some influential congressman's district. Health care research is being ramped up so rapidly that probably much is wasted, while the physical sciences in the U.S are declining relative to our international competitors, as measured by objective indicators.

Sending a letter to your congressman can make a real difference.  If you are really serious, get to know the staffers who handle S&T issues and offer to help them with research.  Or apply for one of the congressional fellowships listed at the sites below and become one yourself.

American Institute of Physics Their science policy homepage contains much that is useful to all S&T disciplines.  They publish FYI, a free e-letter which comes several times a week and  is the best source I have found for what is happening on the Hill in science policy. http://www.aip.org/gov/

IEEE-USA Public Policy Forum IEEE also has a sophisticated website on S&T legislative issues that includes a "Legislative Action Center," which makes it easy to contact your congressman..  Here's a quote from the site, "There is a lack of awareness in Congress of the extent to which today's technology has its roots in federally supported R&D. From semiconductor development--to the Internet --to multiple uses for lasers; all of the underlying enabling technologies were developed with federal support. Policy makers will continue to take this direct link for granted unless they are "educated" by their constituents. The few policy makers who do understand the important connection between federally-supported R&D and the economic health and well being of the country, remind us repeatedly that they seldom, if ever, do they hear from constituents who are engineers and scientists."  IEEE-USA also publishes an Eye on Washington free e-letter that also helps with the latest rumors and facts.http://www.ieeeusa.org/forum/

ASME International government relations program is directed at affecting the outcome of issues important to the practice of mechanical engineering in the public interest. They have a weekly posting of S&T news in Washington at http://www.asme.org/gric/update.html

AAAS Science and Technology in Congress (STC) is published by the Center for Science, Technology, and Congress at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). It is distributed 8 times per year. Issue updates are published periodically to supplement the newsletter.  AAAS is is best known for its tracking of the R&D component of the Federal budget as discussed above.  http://www.aaas.org/spp/dspp/cstc/cstc.htm

*== *== *== *==*== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *== *==
Copyright © 2001 ITRI, Inc. ITRI, Inc. or its sponsors do not accept responsibility for the accuracy of information. Comments to rds@itri2.org please.

HTML versions are at: http://itri2.org/ITRInews/
 
 

DATE	FEATURE ARTICLE	URL
Aug 98	Left Hand/Right Hand: NSF and NAS Both Assess US Math Research	http://itri.loyola.edu/NEWS/ITRInews1.htm
Sep 98	The Y1.998K Problem: Y2K Arrives 0.002K Early. Markets Crash, PMs Fired, Orioles 31 Games Behind	http://itri.loyola.edu/NEWS/ITRInews2.htm
Oct 98	Is S&T to Blame for the Asian Financial Crisis?	http://itri.loyola.edu/NEWS/ITRInews3.htm
Nov 98	NRC to State:  Ignoring S&T is Ignorant	http://itri.loyola.edu/NEWS/ITRInews4.htm
Dec 98/Jan 99	The Bottom Line: US Trade Deficit Skyrockets	http://itri.loyola.edu/NEWS/ITRInews5.htm
Feb 99	Who's the Bear, and Who's the Bull? Japan Doubles R&D; The US Cuts It	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews6.html
Mar 99	Who's On First? (US, But Not for Long)	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews7.html
Apr 99	GPRA Metastasizes Abroad	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews8.html
May/Jun 99	Teraflops Computers Meet Gates' Law	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews9.html
July 99	More Good News / Bad News from the Academy	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews10.html
Aug 99	Rep. George Brown Adjourns	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews11.html
Sep 99	200GB Disk: 40 Films on One CD	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews12.html
Oct 99	Is International S&T Assessment Needed?	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews13.html
Nov 99	Output in Papers: We're Number One?	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews14.html
Dec 99 / Jan 00	New Technology Czar(ina)	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews15.html
Feb 00	S&T: Ready for Prime Time?	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews16.html
Mar 00	Bottom Line II: Trade Deficit Skyrocket Explodes	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews17.html
Apr 00	Who's Getting U.S. Patents?	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews18.html
May 00	Think That Government is Investing More in Research? Think Again.	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews19.html
Jun 00	American Leadership of S&T: Reality or Myth?	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews20.html
Jul 00	Science and Engineering Indicators 2000 Released by NSF	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews21.html
Aug 00	Pale Green Manufacturing: US is 3rd out of 3	http://justice.loyola.edu/~rds/ITRInews22.html
Aug 00 (Extra)	Americans Like Being No. 1 and Want to Keep It That Way	http://itri2.org/ITRInews/ITRInews23.html
Sept 00	Industry Leads U.S. R&D	http://itri2.org/ITRInews/ITRInews24.html
Oct 00	Gingrich Praises Clinton	http://itri2.org/ITRInews/ITRInews25.html
Nov 00	Research Feasts: FY2001 Budgets	http://itri2.org/ITRInews/ITRInews26.html
Dec 00	S&T Policy of the Bush Administration	http://itri2.org/ITRInews/ITRInews27.html
Jan 01	Andreessen's Law for the Internet	http://itri2.org/ITRInews/ITRInews28.html
Feb 01	Sherwood Boehlert -- New Science Committee Chair	http://itri2.org/ITRInews/ITRInews29.html