Embassy of the United States

Science & Technology

Science & Technology Policy Archive

AA09187
Dubois, Lisa A. UNCLE SAM: SCIENTIST Lens, Winter 2009, pp. 4-9
View article on publisher's website: [HTML format, 6 pages]

During the past century, America reached the pinnacle of science and technology, thanks in no small measure to its immigrant spirit, diversity and genius for innovation. The U.S. outstripped all other countries in the number of science-related Nobel prizes awarded, in bringing new biotechnical products to the market, and in the amount of money spent on basic research. However, at the beginning of the 21st century, America's position of strength can no longer be taken for granted, hindered by the triple-whammy of reduced federal funding for basic research, a flagging biotech industry, and a public education system rife that is failing to turn on young people to careers in the sciences. The author believes that this can be changed if new federal investment in basic research can shore up a struggling economy. DuBois fears that, without investment in science and education, the United States will become a second-rate country.

ENSURING GREEN GROWTH IN A TIME OF ECONOMIC CRISIS: THE ROLE OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGY.
International Energy Policy. Web posted May 2009.
Full Text: [PDF format, 23 pages]

Despite the severity of the current financial and economic crisis, it cannot be allowed to distract us from addressing critical and strategic climate change and energy challenges, says the report. The energy sector produces 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions and so it must also be a key part of any strategy to reduce them. The paper describes the most promising low-carbon technologies, their current status and the policy framework that will be necessary to achieve their widespread deployment.

[Note: contains copyrighted material]

THE GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION CHINA, IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS.
Transportation, Space, and Technology, RAND Corporation. Richard Silberglitt et at. February 2009.
Full Text: [PDF format, 251 pages]

The report looks to identify the most-promising emerging technology applications for Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA) and Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) to analyze the drivers and barriers they would face in each case, and to recommend action plans for each technology application (TA). Seven TAs should form a pivotal part of TBNA's comprehensive strategic plan: cheap solar energy; advanced mobile communications and radio-frequency identification; rapid bioassays; membranes, filters, and catalysts for water purification; molecular-scale drug design, development, and delivery; electric and hybrid vehicles; and green manufacturing. [Note: contains copyrighted material]

NANOTECHNOLOGY: THE SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and Pew Charitable Trusts. Ronald Sandler. Web posted January 27, 2009.
Full Text: [PDF format, 63 pages]

The report emphasizes ways in which developments in nanotechnology intersect with governmental functions and responsibilities, including science and technology policy, as well as research funding, regulation and work on public engagement.

[Note: contains copyrighted material]

BEYOND "FORTRESS AMERICA" NATIONAL SECURITY CONTROLS ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
National Research Council. Web posted January 9, 2009.
Full Text: [HTML format, link to PDF file]

Many U.S. export and visa controls, developed during the Cold War era to prevent the transfer of technological and scientific advances to our enemies, now harm U.S. national security and economic prosperity, says the report from the National Research Council. The current regulations were designed for a world that no longer exists and are unsuitable for today's adversaries.

[Note: contains copyrighted material]

NANOTECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY: ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION.
Congressional Research Service, RL34616, Library of Congress. John F. Sargent. Web posted August 24, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 45 pages]

Nanotechnology is focused on understanding, controlling, and exploiting the unique properties of matter that can emerge at scales of one to 100 nanometers. A key issue regarding nanotechnology is how best to protect human health, safety, and the environment as nanoscale materials and products are researched, developed, manufactured, used, and discarded. While the rapidly emerging field of nanotechnology is believed by many to offer significant economic and societal benefits, some research results have raised concerns about the potential adverse environmental, health, and safety (EHS) implications of nanoscale materials.

TRANSPORTATION FUEL USE, TECHNOLOGY AND STANDARDS: THE ROLE OF CREDIBILITY AND EXPECTATIONS.
World Bank. Gunnar S. Ekeland and Torben K. Mideksa. Web posted August 26, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 39 pages]

There is a debate among policy analysts about whether fuel taxes alone are the most effective policy to reduce fuel use by motorists, or whether to also use mandatory standards for fuel efficiency. A problem with a policy mandating fuel economy standards is the “rebound effect,” whereby owners with more efficient vehicles increase vehicle usage. Taxes and standards should be mutually supportive because fuel taxes often meet political resistance. Over time, fuel efficiency standards can reduce political resistance to fuel taxes. Thus, by raising fuel efficiency standards now, politicians may be able to pursue higher fuel tax paths in the future.

[Note: contains copyrighted material]

FOREIGN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PRESENCE IN U.S. INSTITUTIONS AND THE LABOR FORCE.
Congressional Research Service, 97-746, Library of Congress. Christine M. Matthews. Web posted August 14, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 25 pages]

Foreign scientists and engineers serve the needs of industry at the doctorate level and also have been found to serve in major roles at the masters level in the United States. However, there are charges that U.S. workers are adversely affected by the entry of foreign scientists and engineers, who reportedly accept lower wages than U.S. citizens. Many in the scientific community maintain that in order to compete with countries that are rapidly expanding their scientific and technological capabilities, the country needs to bring to the U.S. those whose skills will benefit society and will enable us to compete in the new-technology based global economy. There are those who believe that the underlying problem of foreign students in graduate science and engineering programs is not necessarily that there are too many foreign-born students, but that there are not enough native-born students pursuing scientific and technical disciplines.

NANOTECHNOLOGY: A POLICY PRIMER. Congressional Research Service, RL34511, Library of Congress. John F. Sargent. Web posted June 22, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 15 pages]

Nanoscale science, engineering and technology, commonly referred to collectively as nanotechnology, is believed by many to offer extraordinary economic and societal benefits. Congress has demonstrated continuing support for nanotechnology and has directed its attention primarily to three topics that may affect the realization of this hoped for potential: federal research and development (R&D) in nanotechnology; U.S. competitiveness; and environmental, health, and safety (EHS) concerns. The report provides an overview of these topics and two others: nano-manufacturing and public understanding of and attitudes toward nanotechnology.

AA08225
THE END OF THEORY: THE DATA DELUGE MAKES THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD OBSOLETE Anderson, Chris Wired, vol. 16, no. 7, July 2008, 106-121
Full Text: [HTML format: 16 pages]

A petabyte is one quadrillion bytes, and Google’s servers process that amount of data every 72 minutes. Anderson posits that the arrival of the Petabyte Age and the capability to gather, store and examine massive amounts of data may bring the end of another age, the Age of Science as we know it. For centuries, scientists have developed a hypothesis, then accumulated data and studied it with hopes of substantiating the hypothesis. The availability of mountains of data may obviate the need for a hypothesis and prove that the data itself reveals the basis for new conclusions. In a series of brief articles by other writers this theory is tested in various fields, including agricultural production prediction, the legal discovery process, prediction of crisis outbreaks, disease surveillance, voting behavior, and other topics. In agriculture, for instance, the consulting firm called Lansworth made more accurate predictions about the U.S. corn crop than the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lansworth based its predictions on satellite data, digital soil maps, and weather forecasts, while USDA conducted interviews with select farmers in certain regions to gather data to make its predictions.

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND AMERICAN DIPLOMACY: BACKGROUND AND ISSUES FOR CONGRESS.
Congressional Research Service, RL34503, Library of Congress. Deborah D. Stine. Web posted June 9, 2008.
Full Text [PDF format, 13 pages]

Science and engineering activities have always been international. Scientists, engineers, and health professionals frequently communicate and cooperate with one another without regard to national boundaries. The report discusses international science and technology (S&T) diplomacy, instances when American leadership in S&T is used as a diplomatic tool. It enhances another country’s development and improves understanding by other nations of U.S. values and ways of doing business. The five developmental challenges where S&T could play a role include child health and child survival, safe water, agricultural research to reduce hunger and poverty, micro-economic reform, and mitigation of natural disasters.

AA08111
SCIENCE AND THE CANDIDATES
Kirshenbaum, Sheril, Et Al. Science, Vol. 320, 11 April 2008, p. 182
Available from the publishers website

In a few months, many in the U.S. science and engineering establishment, along with those in business and journalism, have joined the ScienceDebate2008 initiative, a call for the presidential candidates to engage in a public debate on science and technology policy. The need for such a debate could not be more obvious, on issues ranging from the environment to medicine and health. But the public rarely hears detailed discussion of these issues from the candidates and none of the candidates has agreed to such a debate. In an increasingly complex world, science will become ever more intertwined with policy issues. This effort has made the candidates aware of how critical science policy issues are, whether they show the courage to debate them or not. Their responses to this initiative will be on record and will form a basis for future development.

AA08111
Kirshenbaum, Sheril, Et Al. SCIENCE AND THE CANDIDATES Science, Vol. 320, 11 April 2008, p. 182
Full Text: [Available from the publisher's website]

In a few months, many in the U.S. science and engineering establishment, along with those in business and journalism, have joined the ScienceDebate2008 initiative, a call for the presidential candidates to engage in a public debate on science and technology policy. The need for such a debate could not be more obvious, on issues ranging from the environment to medicine and health. But the public rarely hears detailed discussion of these issues from the candidates and none of the candidates has agreed to such a debate. In an increasingly complex world, science will become ever more intertwined with policy issues. This effort has made the candidates aware of how critical science policy issues are, whether they show the courage to debate them or not. Their responses to this initiative will be on record and will form a basis for future development.

INFORMATION ECONOMY REPORT 2007-2008, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR DEVELOPMENT: THE NEW PARADIGM OF ICT
UNCTAD, FEB 6, 2008
Full Report: [pdf format, 386 pages]

The report analyses the contribution of information and communication technology (ITC) to growth and development. It also highlights the importance of open access to knowledge and, hence the importance of diffusion and sharing of knowledge and technology, especially in the case of developing countries.

PERSPECTIVES ON U.S. COMPETITIVENESS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
Titus Galama and James Hosek, editors. National Defense Research Institute, RAND Corporation. Web posted September 24, 2007.
Full Text: [pdf format, 162 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

This report consists of papers that represent a partial survey of facts, challenges, and questions surrounding the U.S.'s current and future science and technology (S&T) competitiveness. These papers were presented at a meeting in November 2006. The meeting was attended by analysts, policymakers, military officers, professors, and business leaders; and covered such topics as science policy, quantitative assessment of S&T capabilities, globalization, innovation, and trade.

AA07360
Eilperin, Juliet AN INCONVENIENT EXPERT (Outside, vol. 32, no. 10, October 2007, pp. 140)
Full Text: [Available from the publisher's website]

Massachusetts Institute of Technology climatologist Richard Lindzen is one of a small number of climate scientists who are promoting the controversial idea that human activities are not to blame for global warming. Lindzen notes that periods of warming have occurred in previous centuries, prior to the modern industrial age, and that we cannot know what the future holds, because science is only beginning to analyze the more complex responses to climate change. Lindzen, who has an avowedly contrarian streak, is a favorite of conservative and private-sector groups with an anti-global-warming agenda, and while he does not advocate for them, many of his scientific colleagues have been dismayed at his role in enabling pressure groups to sow confusion. The author notes that Lindzen does not dispute that global warming is taking place, but where he diverges from the majority of the scientific community is in the sense of urgency -- whether climate change is a pressing problem, or whether humanity can adapt to itover the long run. Eilperin notes, however, that "while Lindzen and his allies are competitive in the marketplace of ideas, they're losing in America's cloakrooms and boardrooms" -- the Democratic-controlled Congress is preparing legislation to place a cap on carbon-dioxide emissions, and many corporate leaders are seeing the wisdom in CO2-mitigation strategies.

EARTHQUAKES: RISK, MONITORING, NOTIFICATION, AND RESEARCH.
Peter Folger. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. February 2, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 21 pages]

Approximately 75 million people in 39 states (primarily in the western U.S.) face some risk from earthquakes. Under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), four federal agencies are responsible for (1) targeted research in long-term earthquake risk reduction, (2) notification of seismic events, (3) developmental measures to reduce earthquake hazards, and (4) conducting research to reduce the U.S. vulnerability. However, over the past few years, the focus of NEHRP has shifted toward improving the U.S.'s ability to prepare for earthquakes and to minimize losses when they occur. Congress will continue to debate whether this federally supported program is an adequate response to earthquake hazards.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY: ISSUES FOR THE 109TH CONGRESS.
Frank Gottron. Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service (CRS). Updated September 1, 2006.
Full Report: [pdf format, 51 pages]

Science and technology underpin and pervasively influence a wide range of issues confronting the nation. Deciding how much federal funding to invest in basic and applied research, and in research and development (R&D), and determining what programs have the highest priority, could have implications for homeland security, new high technology industries, government/private sector cooperation in R&D, and myriad other areas. This report briefly discusses key science and technology issues being debated in the 109th Congress.

Congress is debating funding levels for counterterrorism R&D, issues about public access to scientific information, and technological and privacy aspects of "data mining" to identity terrorist activities and track individual terrorists. Other science and technology policy issues Congress is addressing include tsunami forecasting and warning, "telecom reform" (revising the Telecommunications Act of 1996), cloning and stem cell research, ocean policy, and global climate change.

Several energy issues being debated include President Bush's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Congress is also paying close attention to the transformation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as it implements President Bush's "Vision for Space Exploration."

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) EDUCATION ISSUES AND LEGISLATIVE OPTIONS
Jeffrey J. Kuenzi, Christine M. Matthews, and Bonnie F. Mangan. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. May 22, 2006.
Download the document [pdf format, 35 pages]

There is growing concern that the United States is not preparing a sufficient number of students, teachers, and practitioners in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). A large majority of secondary school students fail to reach proficiency in math and science, and many are taught by teachers lacking adequate subject matter knowledge.

When compared to other nations, the math and science achievement of U.S. pupils and the rate of STEM degree attainment appear inconsistent with a nation considered the world leader in scientific innovation. In a recent international assessment of 15-year-old students, the U.S. ranked 28th in math literacy and 24th in science literacy. Moreover, the U.S. ranks 20th among all nations in the proportion of 24-year-olds who earn degrees in natural science or engineering.

Several pieces of legislation have been introduced in the 109th Congress that address U.S. economic competitiveness in general and support STEM education in particular. These proposals are designed to improve output from the STEM educational pipeline at all levels, and are drawn from several recommendations offered by the scientific and business communities.

The objective of this report is to provide a useful context for these legislative proposals. To achieve this, the report first presents data on the state of STEM education and then examines the federal role in promoting STEM education. The report concludes with a discussion of selected legislative options currently being considered to improve STEM education.

AA05382
Gibbs, W. Wayt HOW SHOULD WE SET PRIORITIES? (Scientific American, Vol. 293, No. 3, September 2005, pp. 108-115)

Full text available from your nearest IRC

The author, senior writer for Scientific American, notes that the world faces no shortage of problems. The scientific community can help us understand which long-term problems need the most attention; however, even in advanced democracies, long-term planning and persistence is seldom rewarded, and the public attention span is usually limited to election cycles. Gibbs believes that governments and international agencies have failed to fully engage the private sector, noting that economic mechanisms may achieve progress at a quicker pace than the command-and-control governmental model. Gibbs points to the amendment made to the Clean Air Act in 1990, that allowed sulfur-dioxide emissions trading among power plants; he concedes that the plan has flaws, because only Congress can adjust emissions caps. Even though this experience not achieved its environmental goal of reducing acid rain, Gibbs believes that each new market mechanism "takes a step up the learning curve". This article is one of a special series, CROSSROADS FOR PLANET EARTH, in the September issue of Scientific American.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY: ISSUES FOR THE 109TH CONGRESS. [RL32837]
Marcia S. Smith. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service (CRS). Undated August 22, 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 51 pages]

Science and technology are an underpinning of, and have a pervasive influence over, a wide range of issues confronting the nation. Decisions on how much federal funding to invest in basic and applied research and in research and development (R&D), and determining what programs have the highest priority, for example, could have implications for homeland security, new high technology industries, government/private sector cooperation in R&D, and myriad other areas. This report includes discussions of key science and technology issues being debated in the 109th Congress.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY: ISSUES FOR THE 109TH CONGRESS.
Marcia S. Smith. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. March 28, 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 50 pages]

This report addresses key public policy issues that directly affect, or are affected by, science and technology. The appropriate level of federal funding for research and development is among the issues facing Congress. One consequence of President Bush's objective of constraining the growth of discretionary spending is that funding for federal research and development would increase only slightly in the FY2006 budget. If adjusted for inflation, it would decline for the first time since FY1996. Federal research and development funding spurs technological advancement, which contributes to economic growth, and plays a role in the education of future scientists and engineers. Members of congressional committees that oversee research and development have expressed concern about the possible repercussions of restraining research and development funding.

Science and technology also are important components of homeland security issues. Not only is Congress debating funding levels for research and development for counterterrorism and bioterrorism countermeasures, but issues concerning public access to scientific information, and technological and privacy aspects of "data mining" (a potential means to identity terrorist activities and track individual terrorists themselves).

Congress is addressing a wide range of other science and technology policy issues, from tsunami forecasting and warning, to "telecom reform" (revising the Telecommunications Act of 1996), to cloning and stem cell research, to ocean policy and global climate change. Several energy issues are being debated, including President Bush's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. The "transformation" of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as it implements President Bush's "Vision for Space Exploration," is receiving close attention as the agency announces related job cuts and program changes, including sharp cutbacks in aeronautics research and development.

AA05127
Kemper, Steve EVOLUTION ON TRIAL (Smithsonian, Vol. 36, No. 1, April 2005, pp. 52-62)
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The 1925 trial of a science teacher for daring to teach his students Darwinian theories of evolution takes on new relevance when the same debate in being relived today. State lawmakers in Alabama, Kansas, Georgia and other parts of the United States are promoting the teaching of creationism -- or "intelligent design" -- alongside the teaching of the theory of evolution. Kemper reexamines the trial, the characters and the national media attention that surrounded the event. In returning to the scene of the trial, Dayton, Tennessee, he also finds that most of the people there still give greater credence to creationism than evolution.

Michael Kearns. ECONOMICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE, AND POLICY. Issues in Science and Technology (Washington: Winter 2005.Vol.21, Iss. 2; pg. 37, 11 pgs)
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Kearns explores on the interaction between the network and economic approaches to diverse and challenging problems, as well as the impact that this interaction can have on matters of policy. He argues that the power and scale of the models and algorithms that computer scientists have developed may in turn provide new opportunities for traditional economic modeling. He opines that cross-fertilization of ideas and techniques between economics and computer science is yielding fresh insights that can help inform policy decisions.

AA04348
Ackerman, Frank, et al. IS IT MORAL TO CREATE MARKETS IN HUMAN HEALTH AND LIVES? (Environmental Forum, Vol. 21, No. 5, September/October, 2004, pp. 44-50)

Full text available from your nearest IRC

The cost/benefit analysis is becoming an increasingly popular method for some public policymakers. Adapted from business and economic decision-making, this tool is being applied in a broad range of issues and policy decisions. However, some critics charge that using this market-based approach requires assigning arbitrary values to individual lives, and thus forces policymakers into an ethical dilemma. "Freedom from harmful pollution has long been viewed as a right, not a commodity," argues one of the four participants in this Forum article; "The question is whether it is moral for EPA to impose the costs of environmental protection on people without considering the benefits," argues another. This provocative discussion should assist the thoughtful reader in considering the application of this tool for a variety of purposes.

SCIENCE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY.
Executive Office of the President (EOP). National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). July 20, 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 48 pages]

Science has always been a national priority. Although no one can accurately predict whether a specific program of research program will lead to beneficial outcomes, the U.S. public has consistently supported discovery science, realizing that it consistently leads to valuable results. The U.S. also engages in science that is directed to addressing specific national challenges and pursues methods to accelerate the translation of science into products and applications. Furthermore, federal research programs provide educational opportunities and inspiration for the young scientists and educators who will help shape the future.

An important objective of the NSTC is the establishment of clear national goals for federal science and technology investments in areas ranging from information technologies and health research to improving transportation systems and strengthening fundamental research. The Council prepares research and development strategies that are coordinated across the Federal agencies to form a comprehensive investment package aimed at accomplishing multiple national goals. This document details, from a Federal agency perspective, the science policies and accomplishments of the current Administration, and illustrates how today's science sets the stage for benefits to the economy and national quality of life far into the future.

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING INDICATORS 2004.
National Science Foundation (NSF). Web-posted May 4, 2004.
Table of Contents [sections in html and pdf formats, various pagings]Full Report, Vol. 1 [pdf format, 496 pages]Full Report, Vol. 2 [pdf format, 454 pages]

The United States remains the world's leading producer of and a net exporter of high-technology products and ranks among the global leaders in research and development (R&D) spending. However, ongoing economic and workforce changes make the outlook for the future uncertain, according to Science and Engineering (S&E) Indicators 2004, a biennial report of the National Science Board (NSB) to the president. "The United States is in a long-distance race to retain its essential global advantage in S&E human resources and sustain our world leadership in science and technology," said NSB Chair Warren M. Washington. "For many years we have benefited from minimal competition in the global S&E labor market, but attractive and competitive alternatives are now expanding around the world. We must develop more fully our native talent."

The outlook for U.S. S&E is affected by uncertainties in three major areas: the effects of security policy adjustments arising from the September 11, 2001, attacks, the current weak worldwide economy, and developments affecting the U.S. S&E workforce.

The first source of uncertainty is the recasting of the relationship between science and technology (S&T) and U.S. national security. The attacks of September 2001 have given increased urgency and a new focus to the changing strategic role of S&T in the post-Cold War era. The role of foreign students, scientists, and engineers in the U.S. S&E system; the appropriate balance between security and openness in scientific communication; the direction of certain Federal R&D initiatives; and the contributions that R&D can make in the domestic security arena are all issues of concern. The eventual resolution of these issues and the related effects on the U.S. S&T system remain unclear, particularly because only a few of the relevant data series available at this writing cover the 2002-03 period.

A second source of uncertainty is the duration, depth, and eventual effects of the current worldwide economic weakness. In particular, the effect this weakness will have on the structure and activities of high-technology firms around the world is unclear. As is the case with the aftermath of September 11, only fragmentary trend data are available that cover the 2002-03 period, and 1-year deviations from these trends are difficult to interpret with confidence.

A third source of uncertainty is the effect of the continuing globalization of labor markets on the U.S. knowledge-based economy. Employment in the U.S. S&E workforce has been growing significantly faster than overall employment for several decades, made possible in part by the U.S. ability to attract foreign-born S&E workers. The U.S. S&E workforce is entering a period of rising retirements, particularly among (but not limited to) doctorate holders. If present degree trends, retirement behavior, and international migration patterns persist, S&E workforce growth will slow considerably, potentially affecting the relative technological position of the U.S. economy.

Note: The entire publication (both volumes) totals 950 pages. Users may wish to visit the Table of Contents to select those sections that are of most interest.

AA04153
Goodchild, Fiona M. THE PIPELINE: STILL LEAKING (American Scientist, Vol. 92, No. 2, March-April 2004, pp. 112-114)
View article on publisher's website

In late 2003 the National Science Board released a report, Realizing America's Potential, which describes U.S. student interest in critical science and engineering fields as "flat or reduced" despite a decade-long effort by scientists, educators and business professionals to increase enrollments. The author, a former K-12 educational coordinator at an outreach center sponsored by the National Science Foundation, believes more attention needs to be paid now to how sciences are taught in the first two years of college, with less attention to "weeding out" students and a greater effort to showcase the relevance and applications of science and engineering in the workforce.

AA03405
Wright, Karen TESTING PESTICIDES ON HUMANS (Discover, Vol. 24, No. 12, December 2003, pp. 66-69)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes the amount of pesticide residue in produce, grains and processed food that is considered tolerable, based on animal tests. Some chemical manufacturers have tested pesticides on humans, and an industry group sued the EPA to have such test results considered in defining tolerance levels. An EPA advisory panel could not reach consensus on whether human pesticide testing was ethical, and the issue is currently under review by a National Academy of Sciences panel at the request of the EPA. A sidebar describes the Food and Drug Administration's annual survey of contaminants in food. Among the pesticides most frequently found are DDT and dieldrin, both banned from use in the United States more than 25 years ago but still used in other countries.