Fourteenth Plenary Session September 1998

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Fourteenth Plenary Session September 1998
PRESIDENT’S COMMITTEE OF ADVISORS
ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

FOURTEENTH PLENARY SESSION
SEPTEMBER 17, 1998

MINUTES

SENATE RUSSELL OFFICE BUILDING
DELAWARE AND CONSTITUTION AVENUES, SE
WASHINGTON, DC 20510

PLENARY SESSION – 2:00 PM – 5:45 PM

Attendance:

PCAST Members: John A. Young (Co-Chair); Neal Lane (Co-Chair);Francisco J. Ayala; John Deutch; Murray Gell-Mann; David Hamburg;John P. Holdren; Diana MacArthur; Shirley M. Malcom; Mario J. Molina; SallyK Ride; Charles Sanders, Charles M. Vest; Virginia V. Weldon; Lillian Shiao-YenWu.

Staff: Arthur Bienenstock; Rosina Bierbaum; Kerri-Ann Jones; DuncanMoore;
Joan P. Porter

Public Attendance: Approximately 50 members of the public, includingthe press, were present.

Welcome

John Young, PCAST Co-Chair, opened the meeting at 2:10 PM September17.

Perspective from the House of Representatives

Representative Vernon J. Ehlers (R-MI) discussed the forthcoming reporton the Nation’s Science Policy Report. It is due to be released nearthe end of September.

Representative George E. Brown, Jr. (D-CA) next presented his viewson S&T budget considerations and planning for the future.

PCAST members discussed current legislative proposals, the future S&T,and growth of the enterprise.

Perspective from the Senate

Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) offered remarks about legislation he introducedwith Senator Rockefeller, S-2217, the Federal Research Investment Act. After brief questions and comments from PCAST members, Senator John D.Rockefeller, IV, (D-WVA) provided comments on the legislation and viewson the strength of the S&T enterprise. PCAST discussion followed.

State and Local Perspective on S&T – Making Partnerships Work

Gary Bachula, Acting Under Secretary, Technology Administration, U.S.Department of Commerce addressed the PCAST on ways to improve State/FederalPartnerships. He spoke about the U.S. Innovation Partnership. Copies of overheads are part of the written record of the meeting.

Former Governor Richard Thornburgh, Co-Chair State and Science and TechnologyInstitute (SSTI), spoke about State Federal partnerships and a survey ofStates' R&D expenditures SSTI is about the release. Copies ofthe draft report are part of the written record in this meeting.

A panel of practitioners next presented examples of State Federal partnershipsand critiqued them with a view to developing successful State/Federal relationships.

Panel Members included Delbert J. Schuh, II, President, Indiana BusinessModernization and Technology Corporation; Dr. Carolyn Sales, President,Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology; Edward O’Connor,Jr., Executive Director, Spaceport Florida Authority.

Copies of panelists’ overheads are part of the written record of themeeting

Report on the National Academy of Science (NAS) Study of S&T inthe Department of State: “Science Technology, and Health Issues andU.S. Foreign Policy-

Dr. Robert Frosch, NAS Study Chairman (Senior Research Fellow, JohnF. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University) discussed the InterimReport of the NAS study groups and the findings and recommendation to datereleased earlier in September. The study group will continue its work toproduce in final report.
Dr. Frosch was accompanied by Dr. Glenn Schweitzer, Director, Officefor Central Europe and Eurasia, Office of International Affairs, NAS. PCAST members discussed briefly the findings and their implication forinternational S&T.

PCAST Study of International Cooperation in Energy R&D

Dr. John Holdren, PCAST member and study Panel Chair discussed the PCASTInternational Cooperation in Energy R&D study that has just begun. President Clinton asked Dr. Lane to work with the National Science andTechnology Council agencies, industry, universities other organizations,and with PCAST to review the international energy R&D portfolio. Dr. Lane, in turn, called on PCAST and Dr. Holdren to conduct the studythat Dr. Holdren outlined in his discussion.

Dr. holdren's overheads are part of the written record of the meeting.

Public Comment

The following persons provided public comment:

Robert I. Stern, Consultant in Technology Management, Washington, DC

David Z. Beckler, Fairfax, VA

Adjournment

Neal Lane, adjourned the meeting at 5:43 PM

Minutes submitted by:

Joan P. Porter
Executive Secretary
Presidential Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology

Approved:

Neal Lane
Co-Chair, President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology

John A. Young
Co-Chair, President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology

President'sCommittee of Advisors
on Scienceand Technology
(PCAST)
1600 Pennsylvania Ave,N.W
Washington, DC 20502
202.456.6100
Information@ostp.eop.gov

Calendar

Agenda January 26, 1998

Agenda March 5/6, 1998

Agenda June 9, 1998

Twelvth Plenary Session March 1998

Agenda September 17, 1998

Thirteenth Plenary Session

Fourteenth Plenary Session September 1998

Agenda November 19, 1998

Fifteenth Plenary Session November 1998

Plenary Session Monday, February 22, 1999

Sixteenth Session February 22, 1999