Eighteenth Session December 10, 1999 Minutes

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Eighteenth Session December 10, 1999 MinutesEIGHTEENTH SESSION DECEMBER 10,1999 MINUTES

WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE CENTER, TRUMAN ROOM
726 JACKSON PLACE
WASHINGTON, DC 20502

PLENARY SESSION – 9:15 PM – 12:30 PM

Attendance:

PCAST Members: John A.Young (Co-Chair); Neal Lane (Co-Chair); NormanAugustine; Francisco J. Ayala; Murray Gell-Mann; David A. Hamburg; JohnP. Holdren; Diana MacArthur; Shirley M. Malcom; Mario J. Molina;Peter H. Raven; David Shaw; Charles M.Vest.

Staff: Arthur Bienenstock; Rosina Bierbaum; Gerald Epstein; Laura Efros;Gerald Hane; Duncan Moore; Joan P. Porter

Public Attendance: Approximately 50 members of the public, includingthe press, were present.

Welcome and Introductions

John Young and Neal Lane, PCAST Co-Chairs, opened the meeting and welcomedparticipants at 1:25 PM.

PCAST Panel Reports

Nanotechnology Panel Chairperson, Charles Vest, reported on the Panel'sactivities. PCAST agreed to send a letter to the President endorsingthe National Science and Technology Council, Committee on Technology, InteragencyWorking Group on Nanoscience and Technology National Nanotechnology Initiative.

Peter Raven, Chairperson of the Environment and Natural Resources Panel,reported on a review of the National Science Board's (NSB) Interim Reporton “Environmental Science and Engineering for the 21st Century,” that thePCAST Co-Chairs had asked him and John Holdren to coordinate within PCAST.The Environment and Natural Resources Panel met with the National Scienceand Technology Council Committee on Environment and Natural Resources onDecember 9 to discuss the report and review along with other matters. PCAST approved a letter to send to Neal Lane reviewing the NSB report. He will, in turn, forward to the NSB. A copy of the letter is partof the written record of the meeting.

David Hamburg, Chairperson of the Education Panel, reported on the Panelactivities of the previous day.

Norman Augustine, Chairperson of the Security Panel, reported on activitiesof the Panel and plans for the meeting to follow the plenary session.

Frank Loy, Under Secretary, Global Affairs, Department of State

The Under Secretary commented on a variety of science-related topicsin the Department of State. PCAST questions and comments followed.

Challenges for Our National Science and Technology Enterprise

Frank Press and Erich Bloch, Principals of the Washington Advisory Group,led a discussion of this topic with PCAST.

Reports of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Divisions

Neal Lane, as Director of OSTP, gave a brief report on the status ofthe FY 2000 budget. He also introduced Gerald Epstein, appointedDecember 1 as Assistant Director for National Security in OSTP. Hereplaces Bruce MacDonald, now in the private sector.

Neal Lane also introduced the next presenter, Gerald Hane, OSTP AssistantDirector for International Strategy and Affairs. He was joined byLaura Efros, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention representativeof the National Science and Technology Council, Committee on InternationalScience, Engineering and Technology. They gave a brief report onkey initiatives in Emerging Infectious Diseases. PCAST members ShirleyMalcom and Virginia Weldon requested an update on this topic.

Duncan Moore, Associate Director for Technology, gave a report on theNational Science and Technology Council, Committee on Technology, Summiton Innovation that took place at George Washington University on November30 and December 1. Copies of his overheads are part of the writtenrecord of this meeting.

Public Comment

Public Commentators:

Ellen Paul, Public Policy Representative, American Institute of BiologicalSciences, Washington, DC

Robert L. Stern, S&E Associates, Washington, DC

Adjournment

Neal Lane adjourned the meeting at 12:35 PM.

Minutes submitted by:

____________________
Joan P. Porter
Executive Secretary
Presidential Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology

Approved:

____________________________
Neal Lane
Co-Chair, President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology

____________________________
John A. Young
Co-Chair, President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology

President'sCommittee of Advisors
on Scienceand Technology
(PCAST)
1600 Pennsylvania Ave,N.W
Washington, DC 20502
202.456.6100
Information@ostp.eop.gov

Calendar

Agenda January 26, 1998

Agenda March 5/6, 1998

Agenda June 9, 1998

Twelvth Plenary Session March 1998

Agenda September 17, 1998

Thirteenth Plenary Session

Fourteenth Plenary Session September 1998

Agenda November 19, 1998

Fifteenth Plenary Session November 1998

Plenary Session Monday, February 22, 1999

Sixteenth Session February 22, 1999