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.
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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!

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: 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.

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