THE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

Presents

A Technology and Innovation Seminar

“Emerging Trends in S&T Diplomacy: Innovation, Competitiveness and Intellectual Security in a Globalizing World”


Andrew W. Reynolds

Deputy S&T Adviser to the Secretary of State U.S. Department of State

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 5:00 - 6:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW, Room 602
Washington, DC 20052

Refreshments will be served


Please RSVP to cistp@gwu.edu

More information about the speaker and seminar will be available on the CISTP website at www.gwu.edu/~cistp.

Read more!

The George Washington University Center for International Science and Technology Policy

Presents

A Technology and Innovation Seminar

"Assisting developing countries effectively:

The role of user-driven innovation"

Karin von Hippel, Ph.D.

Co-Director, Post-Conflict Reconstruction Project,

Center for Strategic and International Studies

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

5:00 - 6:30pm

Elliott School of International Affairs

1957 E Street NW, Room 602

Washington, DC 20052

Refreshments will be served

Please RSVP to cistp@gwu.edu

http://www.gwu.edu/~cistp/

http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_experts/task,view/type,34/id,306/

Abstract

The talk will be about the promotion of user-driven innovation approaches to enhance aid effectiveness. It exposes two user-driven innovation strategies and how they should be integrated into the working practices of development and humanitarian practitioners.

Read more!

THE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY

Presents

A Technology and Innovation Seminar

"The Geopolitics of Energy"

Dr. James Conca
New Mexico State University
Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center

Wednesday, October 8, 2008
5:00 - 6:30pm
Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street NW, Room 602
Washington, DC 20052

Refreshments will be served
Please RSVP to cistp@gwu.edu

For additional information on this or any other CISTP event, visit http://www.gwu.edu/~cistp

Read more!

Must we chose between innovation and sustainability?

For all of you who are itching to get back into the classroom come September so you can get your hands on some good S&T debate, you might want to point your cursor over to the Harvard Business School Online. Specifically, there is an Open Thread posted by Umair Haque, Director of the Havas Media Lab.

His post poses to readers the idea that innovation and sustainability are at odds. His hypothesis is thus:
Innovation feeds society's need for consumption, and sustainability is supposed to break us of our consumption habits. The comments posed by readers are quite interesting and insightful.
One post, by a reader names Sean states,
"Innovation is a significant change to a process that adds new value.
Sustainability is the effort to minimize a process's external costs that would otherwise be imposed on society."

A similar but different question could be raised as well. As students and practitioners of policy, how can we make sure that innovation and sustainability are not at odds, but rather working together? Or, if you believe the two are nemeses of each other, what policies are appropriate to make sure they can at least coexist without minimizing the positive effects of both?

Please leave your comments below.
Read more!

Spotlight on: Labmeeting.com

In an age when it feels as though if it isn't online then it doesn't exist, there are an increasing number of programs/solutions/tools to help people connect/manage or simply get their work done. This same mentality is being used in the laboratory via www.labmeeting.com

Check out this post on techcrunch which gives an overview of the motivation for and history of the site.

Though I have not used the site extensively, I've seen a few things:
- In order to join you must have a .edu email address and have a PI or Advisor listed as the person you are working for. This allows teams working in a specific group/lab to link together and share news, reports, articles, papers, protocols, etc.
- You can search for relevant published papers by keyword and add them to your collection. You can also receive updates when papers are made available that match your search criteria. For example, the keywords 'water purification' will land you (in preview mode) papers as diverse as "Sequential and simultaneous determination of bromate and chlorite (DBPs) by flow techniques: kinetic differentiation." AND " Feasibility of water purification technology in rural areas of developing countries." , among others.
- Within the lab you can receive/create events, notes, and notebook entries. This could be very useful for a PI trying to communicate within a large lab group, and also very helpful for teams working from more than one physical location.
- You can also view other members of labmeeting, along with their affiliation and areas of research. This could very well provide an interesting setting for researchers who have questions, are seeking expertise, or simply want to connect with other scientists working on similar issues. In a way, this aspect of the site could act as a social networking tool for laboratories.

As I am not working in a lab, I can not attest to whether or not it is actually being utilized, though the members' page looks is quite extensive. It looks like the site is used only by US institutions. If used internationally, I imagine it could help countries, both developed and developing, tap into new resources. One topic some of us at GW have come across is the idea of the 'new invisible college'. Could labmeeting be used as a tool to bring science to resource poor areas and help them plug into the scientific network?

If you have friends and colleagues in labs, please tell them about this tool. I'd be interested in hearing about what they think. Read more!

Scientists Without Borders

Scientists Without Borders is an idea I had for the past year or so and now its been brought to reality thanks to The New York Academy of Sciences and UN Millennium Project. The mission of SWB is to match needs with resources focusing on capacity-building in developing countries, in areas of public health, environment, energy, and natural resources among others, using science and technology as the primary tools.

I feel this is a great opportunity to showcase what resources SISTP and/or CISTP have to offer and also to get involved in meaningful work beyond the traditional academic role. I have been in contact with SWB's Executive Director, Dr. Evelyn Strauss and would welcome ideas and suggestions from our group that I can bring up with her the next time. Read more!

The WikiLaboratory

Just as you may use wikipedia.com to do a general search for some quick historical info, to figure out which actor played in that movie you are trying to remember, or to win a bet with a friend using some obscure trivia, you might also be interested in the wiki laboratory.

http://www.wikilaboratory.com/ is a website, in their own words, "based off of the well-known Wikipedia template where users contribute, edit, and direct content on the website. The goal of this website is to develop a community of researchers in every discipline. We would like WikiLaboratory to become a place where scientists can come to get information, discuss topics, and collaborate."

Not only can you conduct a search for "rinderpest virus chromotographic strip test", which I actually had to do the other day, you can use their jobs section to find or post jobs from science writing to senior scientist in a research lab. There is a nice list of scientific databases, as well.

Although there is no page for "science and technology policy" yet, given time I think that can change. Read more!

World Science Festival '08

I came across the World Science Festival (http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/) just recently and is a must watch, listen and learn if you are in NYC. It is from May 28-June 1 and I will try to make a trip up there to attend at least some of the talks! Although it is a Science Festival, it draws upon the most eclectic group of thinkers be it doctors or actors, engineers or dancers, economists or ethicists, psychologists or philosophers or architects and even magicians!! Some of the well-known names (http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/speakers/) include- Brian Greene, Francis Collins, Antonio Damasio, Alan Alda, Lucy Hawking, Walter Isaacson, Ray Kurzweil, Vilayanur Ramachandran, Charlie Rose & Oliver Sacks!

Check out for more - http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/2008-festival/

A perfect idea for a weekend road-trip to NYC and learn some science along the way!



Read more!

Science Communications?

Some of you met Christoph D. at the last journal club; he's a visiting scholar with the Austrian Office of Science and Technology. He asks:

I'm currently doing some work-related research about science communication in the US and I was wondering whether you'd be able to give me some pointers into the right direction...

The two main blocker questions that I'm dealing with atm are:

#1 How do both public and private research institutions in the United States handle their science communication and public relations?

#2 What possibilities are there to efficiently evaluate and monitor media reporting that deals with scientific topics? E.g. to gather feedback on which media outlets mention an IMP press release.

I'm having kind of a hard time coming up with satisfying results and I'd appreciate any input you might have.

Any SISTP-ers been doing any Science Communications work? Leave your comments below! Read more!

Cafe Scientifique - Arlington

WHAT: Biological Interaction of African Apes, Monkeys and Plants in Rainforest

WHEN: Tuesday, May 6th — 6:30-8:00PM

WHERE: The Front Page Restaurant, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA,
Located near Ballston Metro on the ground floor of the NSF building. Parking is available under the NSF building or at Ballston Common Mall.

WHO: Dr. Joanna Lambert, Program Director, Physical Anthropology National Science Foundation

HOW: Short presentation, followed by Q&A (Come early to purchase a drink or a meal if you so desire)

No science background required! Free and open to the public
Register online here!

ABOUT THE TOPIC: The monkeys and apes of the Old World are our closest living relatives and also play ecological roles that are critical for forest maintenance and health. As scientists, we are only now beginning to appreciate the significance of primates as members of ecological communities; tragically, this understanding cannot keep pace with the rate of their decline. The monkey and ape species of Africa, in particular, are undergoing precipitous declines as a consequence of the voracious commercial bushmeat trade. In this discussion, you will learn just how important monkeys and apes are to the plants upon which they rely, and the implications of their decline and loss upon the humans that live in and around these same forests.

ABOUT THE CONCEPT: Cafe Scientifique flourished first in the U.K. (see http://www.cafescientifique.org) as a way for the public and scientists to mingle and discuss science issues in an informal setting. At least 35 cafés now exist in the U.S.

ABOUT THIS CAFE: The Ballston Science and Technology Alliance, a nonprofit organization, is the sponsor of Café Scientifique Arlington. Since April 2006, the goal of Café Scientifique has been to make science more accessible and accountable by featuring speakers whose expertise spans the sciences and who can talk in plain English. Café is generally held each month on the first Tuesday, at the Front Page in Arlington.

COMING NEXT MONTH: Dr. Martin Lowery, Executive Vice President, External Affairs, speaking on "Keeping the Lights On and Holding costs as low as possible"
Tuesday, June 3.

For more information contact Kaye Breen, kbreen@arlingtonva.us or visit www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/bsta Read more!

Stephen Hawking's Lecture

Today, I attended one of those memorable once-in-a-lifetime events- Prof. Stephen Hawking's lecture titled "Why We Should Go Into Space" to commemorate NASA's 50th birthday! It was organized by NASA and co-sponsored by Lockheed Martin and our very own Space Policy Institute (http://www.gwu.edu/~spi/) at the Media & Public Affairs building on GW campus. Dr. John Logsdon opened the proceedings followed by Dr.Steven Knapp, President, GWU.

After introductory remarks, Prof. Stephen Hawking came on stage and gave his lecture. It was interspersed by his daughter, Lucy Hawking's speech on "The Importance of Science Education". Together, they wrote a children's book titled "George's Secret Key to the Universe", to explain physics, time, planets and black-holes, in other words- the universe, to not only educate and entertain children, but also to raise their curiosity and interest in the sciences.

Dr.Hawking contrasted the funding for NASA back in 1960s to present day and concluded the 'huge' increase needed to fund manned or 'personned' mission to the Moon, Mars and Titan (Saturn's moon) would only be a half-a-percent increase in the global GDP- worth our future survival! He compared space exploration to Columbus's expedition and suggested the skepticism in both cases was similar and somewhat unfounded, considering the potential benefits.

The reason for aliens not getting in touch with us, he postulated, was due to three possibilities - a) low probability of life in general or b) low probability of intelligent life (intelligence does not necessarily provide a survival advantage, ex: bacteria & viruses) or c) high probability of primitive life (not intelligent enough).

Earth's distance from the sun has made it ripe for life, but since the rate of human development has been steadily increasing over the past 10,000 years, Prof. Hawking concludes that now is the time to go where no one has gone before!

Following the talk was a reception and I found myself standing close to Prof. Hawking and it was a humbling experience- a frail man with a beautiful mind!
Read more!

Biomedical S&T Policy and Ethics

This part of the blog will focus on Programs, Courses, Organizations, Funding & Job Databases, and Events pertinent to Biomedical S&T Policy and Ethics. Please check back for regular updates.

Programs & Courses:
To be updated...


Organizations:
Below is a selected list of research centers and professional organizations/societies/groups, one could get more information from and/or become a member of, with potential internship and employment opportunities.

Alden March Bioethics Institute (AMBI) @ Albany Medical College
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH)
Aspen Institute
Berman Institute of Bioethics @ Johns Hopkins
Brookings Institute
Center for Genetic research, Ethics & Law (CGREAL) @ Case Western Reserve
Center for Bioethics @ Columbia
Center for Bioethics @ UPenn
Center for Biomedical Ethics & Society @ Vanderbilt
Center for Ethics @ Harvard
Center for Genetics and Society
Center for Science, Technology & Economic Development (CSTED) @ SRI
Center for Scientific Review (CSR) @ NIH
Center for Society & Genetics @ UCLA
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes
Department of Bioethics @ NIH
Department of Science & Technology Studies (STS) @ Cornell
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)
Fogarty International Center @ NIH
Ford School of Public Policy @ UMichigan
Foundation For the Future
Fulbright Visiting Scholars Program
Genetics & Public Policy Center
Global Health Council
Hastings Center
International Council for Science (ICSU)
Institute for Bioethics, Health Policy and Law @ ULouisville
Institute for Genome Science & Policy @ Duke
Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research (IHHCPAR) @ Rutgers
Institute of International Education (IIE)
Institute on Biotechnology & the Human Future (IBHF) @ Illinois Institute of Technology
Joint Steering Committee for Public Policy (JSC)
Kaiser Family Foundation
Kennedy Institute of Ethics @ Georgetown
Medical Humanities and Bioethics Program @ Northwestern
National Academies of Sciences (NAS)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Office of Science Policy Analysis (OSPA)
Potomac Institute for Policy Studies
Research!America
Science Service
Science, Technology and Society (STS) @ UTexas-Austin
Sense About Science
Social & Human Sciences @ UNESCO
Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
Student Pugwash USA (SPUSA)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Washington Science Policy Alliance (WSPA)
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
World Health Organization (WHO)


Funding & Job Databases:
Below are links to websites that maintain a comprehensive funding (fellowships, assistantships, travel grants etc) and employment that could be part-time/full-time/summer jobs in government/industry/non-profit/academia both on domestic and international fronts.

AAAS Career Center
Bioethics.net
Ethics Web
Global Health Council
GrantsNet @ Science Careers
Kaiser Family Foundation
National Academies of Sciences (NAS)
Nature Jobs
Public Service Careers
Science Careers
Science & Development Network
Science & Engineering Jobs


Events:
To be updated... Read more!

SISTP Events Calendar

It's almost impossible to keep up with all of the S&T events of interest in DC (and elsewhere)...but we're trying. On the right hand side of this site, you'll see the SISTP calendar of events. We'll be keeping this as up to date as possible. Be sure to refer to the calendar frequently, as we are adding events almost daily.

Recent additions include SISTP's upcoming informal discussion with Usha Balakrishnan, the founder of CARTHA and the Technology Managers for Global Health network. She'll be joining us at the Center on April 23, 2008 from 3-5pm.

Also, the American Chemical Society's Science and the Congress Project, with the Society for Toxicology, and the Society for Risk Analysis are hosting a luncheon on Congress' role in Nanotechnology on April 18, 2008.

If you know of events you'd like to share or list-serves we should subscribe to, please let us know at sistp.gwu (at) gmail (dot) com

You can also add this calendar to your google calendar by searching for 'SISTP Events' in google's public calendars.
A big thank you to Jon Camfield for setting up this feature! (and this site in general!)
Read more!

Networking with the Bigshots

Throughout our professional careers, we will often be told that networking is key: the key to information we need, the key to a job we want, etc.

The Economist offers up some tips and tricks about how to go about this daunting task, especially when you find yourself at large international gatherings. For example, when schmoozing with the adviser to the bigshots at the hotel bar, "Don’t express your own opinions on hot topics until you have a rough idea of what your new friend thinks. Express amazement and gratitude at even the most trivial insight in the hope of getting something better. If stuck with a bore or a nonentity, grasp your phone and pretend to take a non-existent call."


The witty, and probably quite realistic, post can be found here: http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11014554&fsrc=RSS
Read more!

Internship Opportunity: Center for Technology and National Security Policy at National Defense University

"Summer 2008 Student Internship announcements are now on USAJobs and close on April 17th. Currently enrolled students who are looking for a paid internship at the Center for Technology and National Security Policy should apply for the "Research Assistant" positions listed and state a desire to work for CTNSP; graduate students should apply for the GS-5 level. The job description clearly states that it is a temporary position under the Student Temporary Employment Program.

The link to USAJobs can be found here:
http://www.ndu.edu/info/employment.cfm. " Read more!

Got something to share?

SISTP wants to hear from you! It is impossible for us to keep up with all of the publications, events, and groundbreaking ideas surrounding the world of S&T Policy.

Have you read a report that we should know about? Want to write or comment on it?
Is there an event we should attend?
Has a new journal started publication?
Know of a job or internship vacancy?
Want to highlight a project your organization is working on?
Is there a call for papers or abstracts to which we should submit?

Let us know! email: sistp.gwu (at) gmail (dot) com Read more!

A National Innovation Foundation?

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program are calling for a National Innovation Foundation. Want to find out more? Join Brookings, the Council on Competitiveness and the ITIF as they release a report calling for an NIF.

"On April 22, 2008, from 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. ITIF, MPP and the Council on Competitiveness will host a briefing. The event will preview two major new reports on federal economic policy: “Boosting Productivity, Innovation, and Growth Through a National Innovation Foundation,” by ITIF President Robert Atkinson and Howard Wial, a Brookings economist; and “Clusters for Competitiveness: A New Federal Role for Stimulating Regional Economies,” by venture capitalist Karen Mills; Liz Reynolds, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology doctoral student; and Andrew Reamer, a fellow at Brookings.

MPP Director Bruce Katz, along with Council president, Deborah Wince-Smith, will open the briefing with an overview of the innovation policy landscape. Atkinson, Wial, and Mills will follow by offering an overview of the two reports’ findings and policy recommendations. Following that Randall Kempner, vice president, regional innovation at the Council on Competitiveness, will moderate a discussion of the proposals with Ron Blackwell, chief economist, AFL-CIO; Emily DeRocco, president, National Center for the American Workforce, National Association of Manufacturers; Ernest Dianastasis, managing director, CAI, Inc.; and Ray Sheppach, executive director, National Governors Association. Time for questions and answers from attendees will round out the morning."

Please RSVP to Kathleen Kruczlnicki at 202.797.6319 or kkruczlnicki@brookings.edu.

What: Event to Release Report Calling for a National Innovation Foundation

When: Tuesday, April 22 – 8:30 – 10:00 am (buffet breakfast available at 8:00 a.m.)

Where: The National Press Club (529 14th Street, NW) in Washington, D.C. Read more!

Science and Technology Working for the Environment

CISTP students have been invited to attend a panel presentation on 'science and technology working for the environment' in recognition of Earth Day, April 22, 2008. The event is being hosted by the U.S. Department of State.
Each university invited to the event is limited to 20-25 attendees, so rsvp as soon as possible to ensure your participation.

Undersecretary Paula Dobriansky will begin with opening remarks and Assistant Secretary Claudia A. McMurray will introduce the panelists. The panelists include Fernando Echavarria on GIS and Urban Planning, Bill Gibbons-Fly on turtle exclusion devices, James Tucker on remote sensing and infectious diseases, and Robert Rudnitsky on Nanotechnology Applications. Nina Federoff will give brief remarks and there will be a Q&A with each panelist.

The event takes place Tuesday, April 22, 2008 from 10am to 11:30am at the Department of State. More information and registration details can be found here Read more!

Event: Natural Security: A New Perspective on International Security

The AAAS Center for Science, Technology and Security Policy is hosting this upcoming event on Natural Security.

Natural Security: A New Perspective on International Security
(http://cstsp.aaas.org/content.html?contentid=1579)

April 10, 2008
AAAS Auditorium
1200 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20005

Registration and Light Refreshments 4:00 PM
Presentations and Discussion 4:30-6:00 PM

Ellen Laipson, President and CEO Henry L. Stimson Center
Raphael D. Sagarin, Assistant Research Professor Duke University

In this globalized world, international security has become exceedingly complex, involving terrorism, sectarian wars, territorial struggles, space competition, natural disasters, and nuclear and biological weapons. Economic development, health and disease, and poverty are also elements that affect national and international security, complicating life for policymakers in search of a secure world. From observations of nature and studies in evolutionary biology, Dr. Sagarin has drawn some intriguing conclusions that he suggests may have applications to security in human society. Biological organisms have been developing and adapting novel solutions to myriad threats for their own security for over 3.5 billion years. Across that immense span, literally millions of natural features have emerged that keep organisms safe against a broad range of threats. But can we find answers to our own security challenges from the lessons of nature?

With an introduction to the broad range of security threats facing the world today, Ms. Laipson will set the stage for an outside-the-box discussion on how evolutionary biology can inform our current security debates. Dr. Sagarin will discuss this fascinating subject from the multiple perspectives presented in his recent book, Natural Security: A Darwinian Approach to a Dangerous World (co-editors, Raphael Sagarin and Terence Taylor; http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10738.php). Ms. Laipson and Dr. Sagarin will entertain questions from the audience following the talks. We also hope to have copies of the book available for sale. RSVP to kberger@aaas.org Read more!

Event: The 33rd Annual AAAS Forum on Science and Technology Policy

If ever attended the AAAS Annual Forum on S&T Policy, you know that the event is attended by the movers and shakers of S&T policy and debates often ensue regarding the future of funding and policy related to a wide range of S&T issues. If you've never been, check out the below topics and consider the conference this year. This year, S&T policy in the upcoming elections and for the next administration is a key topic to be discussed during the forum and was also the topic of SISTP's first journal club meeting.

The annual AAAS Forum on Science and Technology Policy is the conference for people interested in public policy issues facing the science, engineering, and higher education communities. Since 1976, it has been the place where insiders go to learn what is happening and what is likely to happen in the coming year on the federal budget and the growing number of policy issues that affect researchers and their institutions. Come to the Forum, learn about the future of S&T policy, and meet the people who will shape it. The next S&T Policy Forum will be 8-9 May 2008 at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center in Washington, DC.

The program will include:

Keynote address by President's science advisor, Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Overview of FY 2009 federal research and development (R&D) budget proposals.

Major sessions on:

- The budgetary and policy context for R&D in FY 2009, including congressional treatment of R&D budgets, and a discussion of what kind of world science and technology will face - and help create - in the 21st century
- New models for funding science
- Science & Technology, the 2008 election, and beyond
- Human enhancement: promise and/or threat?
- Advocacy in science: what is the proper role?
- Science and the new media

The William D. Carey Lecture, an invited address by a notable figure in S&T - Lewis Branscomb, Harvard University

Reception Thursday evening, and meal functions featuring distinguished speakers (luncheons Thursday (John Kao, author of Innovation Nation) and Friday; breakfast Friday (speakers to be announced))

For more information and to register, please go to:
(http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/forum.htm)

Note: There is a cost to attend this event, there is a student discount, CISTP may be able to support student attendance. Read more!

Events: Innovation Nation: Collaboration and Competition in a Globalised World

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the British Embassy cordially invite you to a public lecture by:
Rt. Hon. John Denham, Secretary of State, Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills, United Kingdom

"Innovation Nation: Collaboration and Competition in a Globalised World"

Monday, April 21, 2008 4:30 PM, reception to follow
AAAS Auditorium
1200 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20005
RSVP by noon on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 to Ms. Linda Stroud (international@aaas.org)

You can also sign up for the Washington Science Policy Alliance Seminars are other events here: http://www.aaas.org/spp/wspa Read more!

Journal Club: Alternative Energies - Ethanol

As spring draws near, we'll start planning road trips and cranking up the ACs. So what better time than now to discuss alternative energy/fuels?

The next SISTP journal club will take place on Friday, April 11, 2008 from 6pm-7:30pm.
We'll discuss alternative energies, specifically ethanol. This will be the last JC of the spring semester, however, there has already been expressed interest on keeping the JCs going over the summer months. We'll keep you posted on summertime JCs.

We'll meet in room 403 of the Elliott School (1957 E Street, NW).

Below are the links to the four articles (3 scholarly and 1 media), which various members have suggested for the discussion. All of the links enable you to download the articles for free.

Fuel Ethanol from Cellulosic Biomass
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/251/4999/1318

Challenge of biofuel: filling the tank without emptying the stomach?
http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/1748-9326/2/4/044004/

Forget the ethanol myth - avoid the biofuel bubble
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&refer=columnist_wasik&sid=aOS8e5kvDESE

Gasohol: Does it or doesn't it produce positive net energy?
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/sci;206/4420/789 Read more!

Event: Democratizing Development: How Technology is Disrupting Traditional Development Models

On April 15, 2008 the Society for International Development's Washington, DC Chapter and the Academy of Educational Development are co-sponsoring this event on technology and development.

Will technology put the traditional development model and development players "out of business"? Or, will technology enable both old and new players to contribute effectively to combating poverty?

During the session, panelists will demonstrate their technology and share their views. Panelists in attendance will include:

• Raj Kumar, President, The Development Executive Group
• Premal Shah, President, Kiva
• Pierre Wielezynski, Communications Officer, Online Outreach, World Bank

The session will be moderated by: Matthew Clark, Director, Global Strategic Accounts, Microsoft

For more information and to RSVP: http://www.sidw.org/event/

*Thanks to OID for the pointer.

Read more!

Event: Does China Have an Energy Diplomacy?: Reflections on China's Energy Security and its Impact on Foreign Policy

GWU's Sigur Center for Asian Studies' Lecture Series on Transnational Asia is hosting Linda Jakobson, Senior Researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 from 12:30 - 1:45pm.

Place: Lindner Family Commons, The Elliott School of International Affairs, 6th Floor, 1957 E Street, NW
RSVP: Please RSVP with your name, affiliation, and e-mail to gsigur at gwu dot edu by Monday, April 7, 2008.
For more information visit http://www.gwu.edu/~sigur/events.html#energy Read more!

Internship Opportunity: Economic Policy Program at the German Marshall Fund

This DC-based internship opportunity came our way through the Organization of International Development at GWU. This may be of interest for those in the energy/environmental policy fields.

The Economics Policy Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) seeks a part-time intern to pursue substantive research and analysis on core program issues as well as administrative support. Starting date would be immediately or any time in early 2008.
The German Marshall Fund’s Economic Policy Program seeks to advance prosperity, opportunity, stability and good governance in the transatlantic community and around the world. The program has four main areas:
- Development and aid policies;
- Trade policies, including agricultural and biofuels policies;
- Climate and trade policies.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Duties will include conducting background research and literature reviews on specific topics including Africa, economic development and agriculture; gathering and organizing statistical data; performing scans of Africa-based organizations; tracking Africa-related events; and editing and contributing to policy-relevant publications. The intern should expect to balance work on a longer-term project on infrastructure and economic development with time-sensitive requests as needed. The intern will also have the opportunity to participate in policy meetings at both GMF and external organizations, and may be asked to summarize key points for the program team. Further duties include logistical and administrative support for the Program Associate and for the Managing Director of the Agricultural Markets Program at the Hewlett Foundation.

This graduate level internship is unpaid but offers an ideal opportunity to acquire substantive professional experience for those interested in a career in public policy or international affairs. Our office is in a great Metro-accessible location, just blocks from Dupont Circle. GMF offers a stimulating, supportive work environment. The intern will be considered to be a full member of the Economic Policy Program team.

SKILLS AND BACKGROUND:
An ideal candidate will:
- have excellent analytical and writing skills and previous research experience
- be able to commit 15 hours per week (primarily during the standard 9-5 workday)
- be creative, organized, self-directed and responsible
- be comfortable working independently and as part of a team, and multi-tasking
- possess a background in economics, international trade, agriculture, development and/or international relations, preferably with some experience working on African issues
- be able to start as soon as possible.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
To be considered for this internship please send cover letter, resume, and a short writing sample (a research paper demonstrating finely tuned writing skills and relevance to the Economic Policy Program’s areas of interest) to Ms. Ulrike Leis at uleis at gmfus dot org.

Please be sure to describe your specific dates of availability (3-12 months) and anticipated weekly schedule (indicating your willingness to work at least 15 hours each week); your relevant background and qualifications for this position; and an idea of your specific interests in the fields of economics, trade, agriculture, and/or development.
This specific internship position may be eligible for funding.
GMF is equal opportunity employer.
The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is a public policy and grant making institution dedicated to fostering cooperation between the United States and Europe in the spirit of the postwar Marshall Plan. GMF promotes the study of international and domestic policies, supports comparative research and debate on key issues, and assists policy and opinion leaders’ understanding of these issues. For more information see www.gmfus.org. Read more!

The D. Allan Bromley Annual Lecture on Science and Society

In mid-April, CISTP will support a group of students from the Center to attend this lecture:

The Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa and the GeorgeWashington University present the D. Allan Bromley Lecture with speaker Nicholas S. Vonortas, Director, Center for International Science and Technology Policy at the George Washington University.

This presentation focuses on the dramatic changes in our understanding of science, technology and innovation policy during the past few decades. Consideration is first given to the knowledge-based economy. Next, a focus on the fundamentals of contemporary policy and the need for a balanced supply-cum-demand approach is considered. Policy in the United States is followed with a discussion of the current major debates among policy analysts.

The presentation is open to the public and starts at 5:30pm on Thursday, April 17, 2008. We hope to meet our Canadian colleagues and add to the relationship already shared between the two universities. Please visit http://www.telfer.uottawa.ca/ for more information.

About Dr. D. Allan Bromley:

One of the world's leading nuclear physicists, D. Allan Bromley, died on February 11, 2005. He was born in Westmeath, Ontario in 1926. Dr. Bromley was the first person to hold the Cabinet-level rank of Assistant to the President for Science and Technology from 1989 to 1993 during the first Bush administration. Prior to this Dr. Bromley sat on former President Reagan's White House Science Council. Dr. Bromley was a former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a recipient of the National Medal of Science, the highest U.S. scientific award.

Read more!

Linking Knowledge with Action for Sustainable Development, National Academies Event

The Arthur M. Sackler Colloquia of the National Academies of Sciences for 2008 is focusing on sustainable development.
This upcoming Thursday and Friday, April 3-4, 2008, experts on topics ranging from scientific assessment, HIV/AIDS, R&D funding and dispersion, agricultural partnerships, etc. will speak on the issues in relation to sustainability.
More information and descriptions of the event can be found here.
Although the colloquium is not free ($100 for students), the 8th Annual Sackler Lecture is free and open to the public. The lecture takes place on Thursday. From 4:40-6pm, a reception and poster session will take place. From 6-7pm, Michael Crow of Arizona State University will give the lecture: Opportunities and Limits in the Creation of Useful Knowledge for Sustainable Development.
RSVP is required for the lecture. Read more!

April 4: Meet the Center & Spring ISTP Reception

Don't miss the April 4 Meet the Center & Spring ISTP Reception! This event is the SISTP kick-off event. Come join us as the Society introduces itself and its initiatives and faculty and scholars of the Center give brief talks on their current work and plans for upcoming semesters.

Tentative agenda:

• Introduction: Society for ISTP (SISTP)
• Faculty Talks (Introduction, Background, Areas of Expertise and Activities)
• Dr. John Logsdon
  
• Dr. David Grier
• Dr. Colleen Hartman
• Dr. Caroline Wagner
• Dr. Nicholas Vonortas
• Dr. Henry Hertzfield
  
• Spring Reception

For more information and to RSVP contact cistp at gwu dot edu before April 2nd. This event is open to those affiliated with the Center for International Science and Technology Policy at GWU.

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Last Journal Club of the Semester: April 11

Friday, April 11 will be the last Journal Club of Spring 08, with the topic of Ethanol as a viable alternative fuel, and alternative fuels in general. Readings coming soon! Read more!

Journal Club: GMOs

This Friday, March 28, 2008, we will hold our second journal club meeting and we hope you can attend. The topic is broadly based on GMOs and Biotech. The attached readings will be used to initiate discussion.

We will meet at CISTP in the Elliott School from 6pm to 7:30pm on Friday, March 28, 2008. Beverages will be provided. Although Friday is not the best evening for everyone, it seems to be the time when the most people are available (no classes, etc.). Also, if this Friday is anything like the last, we will most likely move to a local watering hole following the JC.

Below are four articles (relatively short):
1- ISAAA Executive summary gives a brief overview of biotech/GMOs
2- GMO_risks_ethics: covers the risks and concerns of omitting research in the context of GMOs
3- GMO_scientific responsibility: a short piece covering the roles of scientists in the use of 'golden rice'
4- Labeling Policy for GMOs: covers the debate on labeling GMOs

We hope to see you there! Read more!

Journal Club: Science in the Capitol

The first ISTP Society Journal Club (henceforth JC!) will be held on Friday, March 7 at CISTP Conference Room starting at 5:30-7:00pm. The first half-hour will be devoted to ISTP Society updates followed by the JC.

The readings are:

Science_USPresidentialCandidat

es: A brief summary of the candidates position on S&T issues published in Science.
Science-OTA-Mooney: A brief opinion piece about the possibility of reviving Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) by science writer Chris Mooney.
Science-Politics-Kelly: An analysis of the conflict between science and politics by Henry Kelly, President of the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).

I have provided links below for additional information about S&T topics and Elections 2008-

AAAS - http://election2008.aaas.org/
Student Pugwash - http://www.spusa.org/2008vote/
Science Debate 2008 - http://www.sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php?id=8

Read more!