Meeting of President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology
International issues, public understanding of science and technology, and a discussion with Rep. Vern Ehlers were some of the agenda items for the June 9 meeting of the President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
Glenn Schweitzer of the National Academy of Sciences was the first speaker in the session devoted to international issues. He discussed a study to be done by the Academy on how the State Department could be more effective in dealing with matters of science, technology, and health in the formulation of foreign policy. Among the topics State requests assistance with are biodiversity, mechanisms for promoting access to worldwide communications by African institutions, priorities for government-funded scientific exchange programs in Eastern Europe, and low-cost technologies for assisting displaced refugees. A central question is how to implement the recommendations of this study in an era of resource constraints.
Joining Schweitzer in discussing this issue was Wendy Sherman of the State Department. “What should our role be?” in science and technology she asked PCAST members, a question difficult to answer since Sherman admitted that State does not now have the capacity it needs to deal effectively with science and technology issues. Finding people with the knowledge and experience to work on these issues is difficult, she said, since the State Department is staffed with generalists. Noting that the United States seemingly has responsibility everywhere and for everything, while other nations can be more selective, Sherman concluded that “if we don’t get a hold of this, we will fall behind.” A preliminary “letter report” on the contributions of science, technology and health matters to foreign policy is due from the Academy in September, with a final report scheduled for release in the summer of 1999.
The next agenda item was “public understanding of science and technology.” Bruce Alberts, President of the National Academy of Sciences, called this a “very critical issue,” adding that scientists need to “change our attitude of what scientists are supposed to do.” Alberts said many scientists still feel it is inappropriate for them to communicate directly with the public. Alberts described web, print, and upcoming television services the Academy is offering to bridge the communications gap. Also speaking on this panel was Robert Henson of the Dow Chemical Company and Eric Mazur of Harvard University. Mazur played a series of video clips of various television commercials and programs to demonstrate what he contends is the public’s perception of science -- that much of it is gibberish and useless.
Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-MI) was the last of the speakers at this public PCAST session. He began by saying that the potential for reductions in funding was the reason the scientific community became more educated about and involved in the political process. He stated that his forthcoming report to Congress will not be the science policy report to end all science policy reports. (Ehlers has a staff of two people to assist him in this effort.) He wants the approximately 70-page report to educate the public and the Congress about science and the scientific enterprise. Ehlers is unclear what will be done with the report, hoping to get approval of it from the House, Senate, and PCAST. In concluding his remarks, Ehlers called for more “socially responsible and politically aware scientists,” saying that he often asks scientists when was the last time they had met with a teacher, or given a guided tour of their laboratory to elementary or secondary students.
