Author Posts Archive: Jonathan Pfeiffer
David Goldston wants to ask the big questions about federal science policy. Can the research establishment become unsustainably large? Are scientists always an asset to Congress? And what are the problems with current methods of creating science policy?
Two years ago, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy formed a task force to develop a plan to research the issue of pharmaceutical products in drinking water. Monday, an Associated Press report revealed that the group failed to carry out its responsibilities. In a Senate hearing today legislators put pressure on the EPA to take initiative on the issue.
A roundup of some of the science and technology policy events happening around Washington D.C. from Apr. 14 to Apr. 18.
A recent National Research Council report recognizes that the 9/11 attacks provoked counter-productive security measures that stifle access to fruitful scientific research. Security expert Bruce Schneier talks with
Science Progress about the science that makes us smarter and the security that makes us safer.
A roundup of some of the science and technology policy events happening around Washington D.C. from Mar. 17 to Mar. 21.
Last summer, the United Kingdom Government created the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. The new Department has an ambitious goal, outlined in a new report: to turn the United Kingdom into an “Innovation Nation” that is the world’s most attractive country for innovative businesses.
The Heartland Institute gathered a group of skeptics of global warming in New York City during Mar. 2 through Mar. 4. The conference speakers criticized the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Al Gore, the two winners of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.
A roundup of some of the science and technology policy events happening around Washington D.C. from Mar. 10 to Mar. 14.
Scientists and security experts gathered yesterday on Capitol Hill to present a National Research Council report, “Science and Security in a Post 9/11 World.” The report, which was mandated by Congress, suggests ways of balancing the goals of security and economic vitality in the context of science policy. At the top of the list is a recommendation to create a new, high-level Science and Security Commission.
NIH advisers call for an overhaul of the peer-review process; Craig Venter wants carbon dioxide to drive a new generation of fuels within 18 months; CDC advisers call for universal flu vaccinations for children over six.
A roundup of some of the science and technology policy events happening around Washington D.C. from Mar. 3 to Mar. 7.
A company in Irvine, California reported that it has developed a “non-viral” method of reprogramming human adult cells to behave like stem cells. Other scientists are showing caution after the announcement, but the company is keeping the research under wraps until it “finalizes an agreement with a corporate partner.”
A hearing reviewed a recent scandal over beef safety and raised questions about the ability of the Department of Agriculture to keep food-borne pathogens out of the food supply.
A roundup of some of the science and technology policy events happening around Washington D.C. from Feb. 25 to Feb. 29.
Texas A&M settles for $1 million in a lab safety investigation; the Supreme Court rules in favor of medical device makers; how does the CDC pick the right flu vaccine?
Jeffrey Sachs helped launch a new student-led journal of sustainable development,
Consilience, on Monday by detailing a vision of goal-driven innovations that cross the public-private line. He advocated an “organizational ecology” approach to addressing global challenges.
A roundup of some of the science and technology policy events happening around Washington D.C. from Feb. 18 to Feb. 22.
Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences made a unanimous decision Tuesday to require faculty members to submit their published articles for inclusion in an open-access database. Unless scholars request a waiver to the policy, they must submit digital copies of their works to the provost’s office.
A roundup of some of the science and technology policy events happening around Washington D.C. from Feb. 11 to Feb. 15.
A roundup of some of the science and technology policy events happening around Washington D.C. from Feb. 4 to Feb. 8.
“The answer to the question of how the U.S. manages its great scientific resources and potential,” wrote Dan Greenberg this week at the Chronicle’s Brainstorm blog, “is that it doesn’t.” The Federal government has a responsibility to support scientific and technological research, and the President must lead the way.
Press coverage of last week’s announcement from the J. Craig Venter Institute that researchers have built the first synthetic genome focused on synthetic cells as potential fuel factories, carbon dioxide sinks, biological weapons, ecosystem ravagers, and ego boosters.
A roundup of some of the science and technology policy events happening around Washington D.C. from Jan. 28 to Feb. 1.
A new plan to sequence and compare one thousand human genomes; WHO releases data on bird flu monitoring; Ares 1 design flaw could cause violent vibrations.
Europe revises biofuels standards, NSF Science and Engineering Indicators in global context, and sub-national regions lead the world in climate policy.
Three stories focusing on innovation and on the impact of climate change demonstrate the difficulty of fairly distributing the costs, risks, and benefits of technologies.
A House Select committee hearing examines whether the government should protect polar bears before or after making a decision to allow oil drilling in their habitat.
