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AAES FAST FACTS
August 9, 2002
August 9, 2002
August 9, 2002
Allison Salyer, editor
asalyer@aaes.org
WASHINGTON REPORT
The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Policy (PCAST) approved a report August 5 that makes several recommendations on how to organize the research and development aspects of the proposed new Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The report recommends a strong contribution of science and technology to the new department, including the creation of an undersecretary for science and technology who would report directly to the DHS secretary. The undersecretary's responsibilities would include overseeing the entire DHS research and development budget and assuring the department's research and development efforts are responsive to national needs through reaching out to federal, state and local levels, and by assuring that systems requirements are based on sound assumptions and analyses. The position of undersecretary for science and technology is also included in the three pieces of legislation introduced in Congress to create a homeland security department (H.R. 5005, S. 2794, S. 2452). Although there are some technical differences between the bills, most lawmakers generally agree on the importance of research and development to the new department and it has not been a controversial issue during hearings. Additional information may be found at www.ostp.gov and http://Thomas.loc.gov
Plans to repair tiny cracks within the space shuttle fleet and to resume flying by late September or early October were formally approved by NASA program officials late last week. The repairs on the shuttle Atlantis are to begin the week of August 12, 2002. If all goes well and the shuttle's three main engines can by installed by mid-August, flights could resume as early as September 28th with Atlantis' assembly mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Additional information may be found at http://news.yahoo.com
The National Academy of Sciences warned yesterday that the $7.8 billion effort to revive the Florida Everglades might trigger algal blooms and kill see grasses in nearby Florida Bay, challenging widely held assumptions that the largest environmental project in American history would restore the degraded bay to a gin-clear fisherman's paradise. Additional information may be found at www.nas.edu and www.washingtonpost.com
The best-known meteor shower is scheduled to peak this weekend (August 10-11). The Perseid Meteor Shower appears every August and an abundance of shooting starts are seen annually between August 8-14. Based on recent history, a very good Perseid shower will produce about one meteor per minute for a given observer under a dark country sky. Any light pollution, moonlight or hazy skies considerably reduces the count. The August Perseids are among the strongest of the readily observed annual meteor showers, and at maximum activity can yield 50 or 60 meteors per hour. Additional information may be found at www.space.com
Association News
ASME
ENERGY COMMITTEE PROVIDES COMMENTS ON H.R. 4 TO HOUSE-SENATE ENERGY CONFEREES
The Energy Committee of ASME's Council on Engineering has sent a letter to the House-Senate energy conferees regarding H.R. 4, the comprehensive energy bill. The letter states, "Reliable and reasonably priced sources of energy are essential for the economic and national security of the United States. Recent instability in energy prices brought the critical role of energy to the public's attention and has underscored the need for a comprehensive energy strategy to ensure a sustainable supply of energy for the American people. To avoid shortages and the resulting price fluctuations, the nation should develop a balanced fuel mix for power generation, which includes coal, nuclear, natural gas, and hydroelectric power, and must accelerate the development of advanced technologies and renewable resources." The letter also provides specific comments regarding the House and Senate versions of the energy bill, such as its support to revitalize nuclear energy as an important power production option.
To view the statement in its entirety, go to: www.asme.org/gric/ps/2002/02-28.html For more information, contact Francis Dietz at dietzf@asme.org
COMMITTEE ON ISSUES IDENTIFICATION ISSUES EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT
The ASME Committee on Issues Identification has published its 2002 external environment report, The Convergences of the Life Sciences & Engineering. This report focuses on the increasing interactions between the life sciences and engineering. In addition, important trends and their implications are identified and discussed. This report is not intended to be an exhaustive compilation of the uncertainties ahead; rather, it is designed to provide a snapshot of the key forces that are growing and changing engineering practice. As such, it should be viewed as a platform from which to launch informed discussion and debate about the trends and emerging issues facing the engineering profession and ASME in the coming years.
Additional copies of the report may be ordered through ASME Information Central at 1-800-THE-ASME (order #AF0202) or on-line at: www.asmeny.org/cqi-bin/web016c?000000+0000+OS+II For more information, contact Melissa Murray at murraym@asme.org
SENATE APPROPRIATORS APPROVE $25 MILLION FOR MATH AND SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS
Earlier this week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $25 million for a Math and Science Partnerships Program at the Department of Education Math and Science Partnerships- far less than the requested full funding of$450 million authorized by H.R. 1, the No Child Left Behind Act, for fiscal year 2003.
The Math and Science Partnership Coalition, of which ASME's Council on Education is a member, had requested $450 million for the partnerships. In a letter to Senate appropriators, Robert Simoneau, senior vice president for ASME's Council on Education, stated, "The engineering community has long been concerned with the state of K-12 STEM education. To increase student learning in these areas and enable the United States to globally compete with a strong, technologically literate workforce, we need to commit a significant amount of resources for STEM education now.'
The House of Representatives still has to take action on its FY 2003 education appropriations bill. It is anticipated, however, that funding levels for federal education programs will be considerably lower in the House appropriations bill. The final funding for federal educational appropriations will be contingent on a reconciliation of House and Senate funding levels.
The new Mathematics and Science Partnerships program created in the 'No Child Left Behind' Act' will allow higher education and K-12 districts to create programs targeted specifically to address the needs of local science and mathematics educators. These merit-based partnerships among school districts; university science, engineering, and math departments; businesses; and educational organizations seek to improve teacher quality and student achievement.
For more information on the Math and Science Partnership Coalition, go to: http://www.nsta.org/main/pdfs/mspc_statement.pdf or by contacting Patti Burgio at burgiop@asme.org
ASME PARTICIPATES IN CONFERENCE ON WOMEN ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS
Mulchand Rathod, Ph.D., P.E., ASME's Vice President, Board on Minorities and Women, was a panelist at the 12th International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES) held earlier this month in Ottawa, Canada. He was joined by representatives from three other engineering professional associations to discuss what their respective organizations are doing to attract more women into the profession and into engineering professional associations. The panel on which Rathod participated, 'The Role of Technical Societies in the Recruitment, Retention and Advancement of Women Engineers,' was facilitated by Ms. Peggy Layne of the National Academy of Engineering's Program on Diversity in the Engineering Workforce.
Dr. Rathod's remarks focused on the successful programs of the Board on Minorities and Women (BMW), including: the Diversity Action Grant (DAG) program that encourages ASME Student Sections to develop and implement programs to encourage the participation of women and minorities in mechanical engineering; the Minority Leadership Program (MLP) that provides leadership and mentoring opportunities for ASME members; and, the BMW Award which recognizes the outstanding contribution of an ASME member in promoting inclusiveness.
Dr. Rathod's report can be found at: http://www.asme.org/bmw/PDFfiles/ICWESpanelJuly2002.pdf Additional information on the BMW and its programs may be found at www.asme.org/bmw or by contacting Mary James Legatski at legatskim@asme.org
IEEE-USA
On July 12, IEEE-USA wrote to all Members of Congress citing the record high unemployment levels for electrical and electronics engineers and computer scientists and urging members to hold district field hearings and town hall meetings during the August recess to explore the extent of the problem and its causes. See: www.ieeeusa.org/forum/POLICY/02July12.html
On July 15, IEEE-USA wrote to the U.S. Senate urging prompt passage of reform legislation to enhance the security of 401(K) defined contributions retirement plans. See: www.ieeeusa.org/forum/POLICY/02July15.html.
AAES
On July 31, 2002, AAES sponsored an Afternoon Tea for Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) in an effort to bring interested parties to discuss issues such as homeland security, pension reform, Social Security and the Farm Bill. Participants included representatives from the Nuclear Energy Institute, the US Chamber of Commerce, the America Psychological Association and the National Council of Agricultural Employers.