Subscribe

Office of Science and Technology Policy Blog

  • Scientific Integrity Policies Approach Public Release

    Posted by John P. Holdren on February 15, 2012 at 6:24 PM EDT

    The Office of Science and Technology Policy recently completed its review of the final draft versions of the scientific integrity policies submitted by more than a dozen Federal departments and agencies last December, and OSTP has now provided detailed feedback to each Federal entity. I am very happy to report that, but for a few modest changes that OSTP has recommended, virtually every draft policy now fulfills or exceeds the minimum requirements I circulated in my Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies.

    As I reported in detail in my blog posting last December, a number of departments and agencies have already finalized their policies and have either posted them publicly or are circulating them internally for administrative signoff. Others have posted their final draft policies for public comment or have said they intend to do so once they have incorporated OSTP’s latest suggestions.

    read the rest
    Learn more about

  • A Progress Report on Modeling & Simulation for the Economy

    Posted by Sridhar Kota on February 15, 2012 at 2:06 PM EDT

    Last week Aneesh Chopra addressed the inaugural National Modeling and Simulation Coalition with an update to an important R&D initiative focused on an industry of the future. In May 2010, an interagency working group made five priority recommendations to deliver on the promise of modeling and simulation (M&S) tools that spur productivity in advanced manufacturing, health care and education. We reported on our progress:

    read the rest
    Learn more about Technology

  • Nominate Inspirational Science and Math Teachers for Presidential Award

    Posted by Nafeesa Owens on February 15, 2012 at 10:25 AM EDT

    This week President Obama released his proposed budget for fiscal year 2013, which featured a heavy emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. And last week,during President Obama’s remarks at the second White House Science Fair, he said, “Every one of you can think of a teacher…without whom you would not be here. Give them a big thank you, not just for yourselves but also from me.  Because teachers matter.  They deserve our support.” Do you know teachers who have inspired students to believe in the impossible and to constantly strive towards excellence? Then consider nominating them for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).

    read the rest
    Learn more about Education, Technology

  • DOE Announces $12 Million in Support of the Materials Genome Initiative

    Posted by Cyrus Wadia on February 10, 2012 at 2:10 PM EDT

    In his State of the Union address last month, President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to advancing high-tech research and manufacturing within our borders, saying “I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here.” Support for research, development, and innovation in the fields of materials science and manufacturing is foundational to this goal, as advanced materials like those used in photovoltaic solar panels, lithium-ion batteries, and other high-tech energy-related products stand to revolutionize how we generate and store energy in everything from homes to cars to cell phones.

    read the rest
    Learn more about Energy and Environment, Technology

  • Young Entrepreneurs at the White House Science Fair

    Posted by Doug Rand on February 10, 2012 at 10:02 AM EDT

    Haley Hoverter

    Hayley Hoverter met President Obama on Tuesday at the White House Science Fair, where she presented her product, “Sweet (dis)SOLVE", a new type of sugar packet that dissolves in hot water, February 7, 2012. (Photo courtesy NFTE)

    Hayley Hoverter is an award-winning technology innovator, an entrepreneur, a CEO – and she’s also a 16-year-old high school student.  This week she met President Obama at the White House Science Fair, where she presented her product, “Sweet (dis)SOLVE.”  As the President explained:

    “What impresses me so much is not just how smart you are, but it’s the fact that you recognize you’ve got a responsibility to use your talents in service of something bigger than yourselves.  Some of you, that means developing new products that will change the way we live.  Hayley Hoverter invented a new type of sugar packet that dissolves in hot water.  It’s flavorless, it’s colorless, and potentially could save up to 2 million pounds of trash each year -- and that’s just at Starbucks.”

    read the rest
    Learn more about Startup America, Education

  • OSTP Briefing on R&D and STEM Education in the 2013 Budget

    Posted by Phil Larson on February 9, 2012 at 6:43 PM EDT

    OSTP will hold a briefing on the research, development, and STEM education portions of the President's FY2013 Budget on Monday, February 13, 2012.

    DATE: Monday, February 13, 2012

    TIME:  1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST

    WHERE:  American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC  (closest metro stop: Metro Center)

    To attend in person, please register at http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ostp/registration.

    SPEAKERS:

    • John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
    • Carl Wieman, Associate Director for Science, OSTP
    • Patrick Gallagher, Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology
    • Subra Suresh, Director, National Science Foundation
    • David Sandalow, Assistant Secretary for Policy and Int’l Affairs, Department of Energy

    Live Web streaming of this event will be provided as a public service by AAAS and can be accessed at http://www.aaas.org/go/ostp.

    Relevant budget documents will be posted by 11:30 a.m. EST on Monday, February 13, 2012 at http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ostp.

    ###