07/15/04
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This newsletter is available to the public at the following locations:
http://library.stanford.edu/depts/swain/nsflibnews/
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Key Principles (pdf)
http://www.dfg.de/aktuelles_presse/reden_stellungnahmen/2004/download/eurohorcs210604.pdf
Press Release
http://www.dfg.de/en/news/press_releases/2004/press_release_2004_33.html
(08 July 2004) The presidents and chairpersons of Europe's research
organisations, known as the European Union Research Organisations Heads Of
Research Councils (EUROHORCs), under the leadership of the current president,
Professor Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, President of the DFG, have agreed on the key
principles for the foundation of a European Research Council.
NAS Awards for Outstanding Achievements in Science
http://www.national-academies.org/nas/awards
The National Academy of Sciences is accepting nominations for awards to
recognize outstanding achievements in science. Fields of presentation include
chemistry, cosmology, solar physics/solar-terrestrial relationships,
astrophysics, materials science, geophysics, aeronautical engineering,
microbiology, psychology, the industrial application of science and the
application of science to the public welfare. Awards for young investigators
will be given in biology and medicine, molecular biology, psychology and
computational science/applied mathematics. Nominations are due by Friday,
Sept. 10.
“We've commented from time to time on the fact that Web search engines are aggressively going after the kind of content that until now was primarily accessible through paid information services. In a recent Briefing, Outsell Vice President and Lead Analyst Chuck Richard summarized the various initiatives underway. Anyone who doubts that the search players want a piece of the scholarly and scientific publishing markets should be paying attention. The search engines state their missions as follows: - Google: ‘to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful’; - Yahoo!: ‘to invest more heavily to get more content into our search engine experience.’ Here are the kinds of acquisition targets they are after: - Yahoo!'s Content Acquisition Program will target content embedded in the ‘invisible Web’ - Google is indexing IEEE Xplore abstracts - CrossRef Search pilot: the full texts of scholarly journals are searchable using Google - Google is indexing the scholarly papers of 17 universities, including MIT - Google is indexing Extenza e-journals, a division of Royal Swets and Zeitlinger - Google is indexing a subset of OCLC WorldCat records - Amazon's A9 search engine, powered by Google, accesses Amazon's ‘Search Inside the Book’ function Traditional aggregators face challenges on many fronts, and this is just one of them. The Briefing, ‘Competitor Assessment: Aggregators And Search Engines - Sparring, Partnering, Or Ignoring Each Other?’ tells the whole story. Available for purchase at www.outsellinc.com.” (From Outsell's e-briefs (http://www.outsellinc.com/))
MIT 2004 Engineering Systems Symposium
http://mitworld.mit.edu/
Engineering Systems Division 2004 Engineering Systems Symposium presents
two lectures:
Opening Session, “Perspectives on Engineering”. This opening panel of the two day symposium features a discussion hosted by James A. Champy, and includes panelists MIT President Charles M. Vest, Thomas Hughes, David A. Mindell, and Daniel Roos. Go directly to the page at http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/206/.
Frederick P. Salvucci, Senior Lecturer, Center for Transportation and Logistics, MIT. Fred Salvucci gives an overview of the challenges of building mega projects, and compares the building of Boston's “Big Dig” and the Boston Harbor clean up. Go directly to the page at http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/207/. These are the second and third of six presentations from the symposium--the remaining three will be posted on MIT World during July and August. Please note that they will not necessarily be made available in the same sequence that they occurred in real time.
Symposium on Technological Literacy
http://www.nae.edu/nae/naetech.nsf/weblinks/MKEZ-5XNHRY?OpenDocument
Audio and slide presentations from the National Academy of Engineering's
Symposium on Technological Literacy are now online. The April 28 event brought
together state education leaders in mathematics, science, assessment and
curriculum to learn about and discuss the issue of technological literacy. All
audio presentations require free RealPlayer.
One Electorate Under God? A Dialogue on Religion and American Politics
http://pewforum.org/events/index.php?EventID=59
Brookings/Pew Forum Briefing The Brookings Institution and the Pew Forum on
Religion & Public Life host a discussion on the relationship between
religion and politics. The event will feature Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.), Rep.
David Price (D-N.C.), E.J. Dionne, Jr. and David Brooks. Moderated by Luis
Lugo. Wednesday, July 21, 2004, 10:30am, The Mayflower Hotel, State Room, 1127
Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC For more information or to RSVP, visit
the website or call the Pew Forum at 202/955-5075.
Pesticides and Control of West Nile Virus
http://www7.national-academies.org/internship/Events.html
Using pesticides to control West Nile virus is the topic of a seminar
sponsored by the National Academies' Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology
Policy Internship Program. The 90-minute event begins at 12:30 p.m. EDT
Friday, July 16 in Room 100 of the National Academies' Keck Center, 500 Fifth
St. N.W., Washington, D.C. The seminar is free and open to the public.
Gender differences in the careers of academic scientists and engineers: special report.
NSF, 2004. nsf04323
http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?ods_key=nsf04323
Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities.
NSF, 2004. nsf04317
http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?ods_key=nsf04317
Graduate Enrollment in Science and Engineering Fields Reaches New Peak; First-Time Enrollment of Foreign Students Declines.
NSF, 2004. nsf04326
http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?ods_key=nsf04326
Emigration of U.S.-Born S&E Doctorate Recipients.
NSF, 2004. nsf04327
http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?ods_key=nsf04327
Employment Sector, Salaries, Publishing, and Patenting Activities of S&E Doctorate Holders.
NSF, 2004. nsf04328
http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?ods_key=nsf04328
Remoe, Svend Otto.
Governance of the science, technology and innovation system in Norway: an overview.
STEP, 2004.
http://www.step.no/monit/wp1bc-norway.pdf
Giessel, Ja-Frens van.
Policy instruments for sustainable innovation.
Technopolis BV, 2004.
http://www2.vrom.nl/docs/internationaal/RegionalResearch03.pdf
Karlsson, Magnus.
Commercialization of reseearch results in the United States: an overview of federal and academic technology transfer.
ITPS, 2004.
http://www.itps.se/pdf/A2004_007.pdf
Eliasson, Kerstin.
American science – the envy of the world?: an overview of the science system and policies in the United States.
ITPS, 2004.
http://www.itps.se/pdf/A2004_004.pdf
Karlsson, Eva.
From Doctoral Student to Professor – The Academic Career Path in the United States.
ITPS, 2004.
http://www.itps.se/pdf/A2004_005.pdf
Stenberg, Lennert.
Government Research and Innovation Policies in Japan.
ITPS, 2004.
http://www.itps.se/pdf/A2004_001
Ohlin, Eva.
The Structure and Financing of Medical Research in the United States – An Overview.
ITPS, 2004.
http://www.itps.se/pdf/A2004_006.pdf
Does It Matter Where I Go to College.
AIP, 2004.
http://www.aip.org/statistics/college
Physics PhD Students - Types of Financial Support.
AIP, 2004.
http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/gradtrends.html
“The Triple Helix: University, Government, and Industry Relationships in the Life Sciences”,
by Eric Campbell, Greg Koski and David Blumenthal; AEI-Brookings Joint Center Working Paper (June 2004)
http://aei-brookings.org/admin/authorpdfs/page.php?id=1000
Confronting the Nation's Water Problems: The Role of Research.
NPA, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11031.html
Evaluation of the National Aerospace Initiative.
NPA, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10980.html
Open Access and the Public Domain in Digital Data and Information for Science: Proceedings of an International Symposium.
NPA, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11030.html
Summary of the Power Systems Workshop on Nanotechnology for the Intelligence Community: October 9-10, 2003 Washington, D.C.
NPA, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10911.html
Thomas, Gillian and Guy Thomas.
A Child's Place: Why Environment Matters to Children.
Green Alliance/Denes, 2004.
http://www.demos.co.uk/catalogue/achildsplacebook/
The nation's report card: trial urban district assessment mathemtics highlights 2003. Results of the first NAEP trial urban district assessment in mathematics.
NCES, 2004.
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/dst2003/2004458.pdf
Thompson, Janet.
Estimates of Canadian research and development expenditures (GERD), Canada, 1992 to 2003, and by province 1992 to 2001.
Statistics Canada, 2004.
http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/88F0006XIE/88F0006XIE2004003.pdf
Earl, Louise.
Technological change in the public sector, 2000-2002.
Statistics Canada, 2004.
http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/88F0006XIE/88F0006XIE2004008.pdf
Earl, Louise.
An historical comparison of technological change, 1998-2000 and 2000-2002, in the private and public sectors.
Statistics Canada, 2004.
http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/88F0006XIE/88F0006XIE2004007.pdf
Strengthening Peer Review in Federal Agencies that Support Education Research.
NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11042.html
Improving Medical Education: Enhancing the Behavioral and Social Science Content of Medical School Curricula.
NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10956.html
Fertility of Malian Tamasheq Repatriated Refugees: The Impact of Forced Migration.
NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11006.html
War, Humanitarian Crises, Population Displacement, and Fertility: A Review of Evidence.
NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11005.html
Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion.
NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10883.html
In the Nation's Compelling Interest: Ensuring Diversity in the Health.
NAP, 2004.
Care Workforce http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10885.html
Proceedings from the Workshop on Science-Based Assessment: Accelerating Product Development of Combination Medical Devices.
NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11035.html
Review of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Smallpox Vaccination Program Implementation: Letter Report #6.
NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11041.html
TRB Conference Proceedings 30: Marine Salvage Capabilities: Responding to Terrorist Attacks in U.S. Ports - Actions to Improve Readiness.
NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11044.html
Scaling Up Treatment for the Global AIDS Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities.
NAP, 2004.
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11043.html
Networking the European Research Area: project synopses.
EC,2004.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/ fp6/pdf/era-networking_en.pdf
Inventing a better future: a strategy for building worldwide capacities in science and technology.
InterAcademy Council, 2004.
http://www.interacademycouncil.net/Includes/DBLink.asp?ID=6773
Choosing strategies for Sweden: a synthesis report from Swedish Technology Foresight.
Teknisk Framsyn, 2004.
http://composit.dimea.se/filebank/files/20040621$131212$fil$4GpV2H8VLZlhgi5Y7U31.pdf
Galileo's Battle for the Heavens
http://www.pbs.org/nova/galileo/
A companion website to the NOVA program which vividly reconstructs an epic
historical confrontation: the bitter clash between a fiery scientific genius,
Galileo Galilei, and the church authorities who tried to suppress his
astonishing discoveries. The website includes a timeline, articles about
Galileo, and interactives of some of his famous experiments.
The Science of Football
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/football/index.shtml
No, not US football, but the game the rest of the world calls “football”.
What is the physics of “bend it like Beckham?” Is watching the World Cup good
for you? Anwer these questions and more at this BBC website.
Audubon's Birds of America
http://www.mcq.org/audubon/catalogue/johnjamesaudubon.html
“Let your imagination soar as the birds that ruled America's skies more
than a century ago live again in resplendent color. Here's a chance to glimpse
into the artistic mind of legendary naturalist John James Audubon, as well as
spy the bountiful menagerie he adeptly painted on an 11-year quest to capture
American birds with life-size accuracy. Much more detailed than the era's
photographic capabilities allowed, these 435 color plates depict species such
as the Common Grackle, Hooded Warbler, and Bald Eagle in all their majesty.
The original collection is enhanced by a whimsical Flash exhibit, which
introduces you to both graceful and hardy creatures amid their natural
habitats. While some of these beauties are no longer with us, their spirit and
imprint on Audubon have been forever captured for future generations to
admire.” (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
Nature Science Update Rat Genome Special
http://www.nature.com/nsu/rat/
Among the human species, rats have few fans. And, hey, that's
understandable. They've got beady eyes, a nasty tail, and, if you've ever
traveled on a New York subway, you know they can grow to an alarming size.
Bleh! But as this site from Nature Science Update points out, not all rats are
vermin. Take the lab rat, for instance. These scurrying rodents don't know it,
but they make big contributions to science every day. The recently published
rat genome will help scientists to further understand evolution. Using the
technology behind cloned rats, researchers can “alter rat genes at will.” And
if a rat's life of tubes, needles, and mazes gets boring, it can always hope
to go back to the wild. A toast to rats – disgusting, but useful! (From
Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
Baltimore Ecosystem Study
http://www.beslter.org/
Many ecologists work to understand how various parts of a given ecological
system work or function with other systems in their vicinity, but relatively
few attempt to bring together all of this work with major urban areas. One
such impressive project is the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, which aims to
understand metropolitan Baltimore as an ecological system; and in doing so,
bring together researchers from the biological, physical and social sciences
to work on this formidable task that is truly interdisciplinary. At the site,
visitors can learn about the staff of the project and read about its various
thematic areas of inquiry, including biodiversity, education, soil, stream and
watershed studies, and vegetation. A good place to start before diving into
the numerous research projects would be the research area, which explains the
basic goals of the project, the theories that the research team is drawing on,
and the central questions of its work. The Baltimore Ecosystem Study has also
been approved for use in classrooms by the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, and educators will find materials that they can draw
on to teach various concepts and ideas here as well. [KMG] (From the Scout
Report)
North American Mammals
http://web4.si.edu/mna
“This website includes detailed descriptions, images, and distribution
ranges for more than 400 mammals native to the North American continent. The
primary resources for the site have been based in the continental United
States, but [also include] species found in Canada and Mexico.” A selection of
search options are available: map location search, species name, conservation
status, and a feature that allows the user to perform a “visual search.” For a
visual search, select the order or species name, and results appear in the
form of scientific color illustrations for each mammal. Many listings also
include sound recordings. (From InfoMine)
Becoming Human
http://anatomy.med.unsw.edu.au/cbl/embryo/embryo.htm
“An 8-week-old human embryo already boasts eyelids, ears, and separated toes
and fingers. Students can follow the progress of human development with
movies, images, and animations at this site from Mark Hill of the University
of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. One section tracks changing body form
through the 23 Carnegie stages that define the first 2 months of development.
Other pages focus on particular structures, tracing the growth of the head,
for example, and showing a furrow on the embryo's back closing to form the
spinal cord, the process called neurulation. There's also a backgrounder on
abnormal development.” (From Science NetWatch)
Sniffing the Decades
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/sniffingthedecades/
See if science can predict which decade you were born in from the smells
that remind you of your childhood. This is a relatively quick and simple
website in itself, but it is linked to a variety of interesting websites about
taste and smell. I particularly enjoyed finding out how my favorite foods
reflected my basic personality traits . . .
Gypsies Win Right to Sue IBM Over Role in Holocaust
http://www.guardian.co.uk/secondworldwar/story/0,14058,1245284,00.html
News article about a Swiss court allowing a suit to be brought by the Gypsy
International Recognition and Compensation Action (GIRCA) against IBM on the
grounds that “IBM may have helped Adolf Hitler pursue mass murder [of Gypsies
and others] more quickly” by providing the Nazis with “pioneering punch cards
and prototype computer systems.” Also includes links to related articles and
sites. From the Guardian Unlimited, the online companion to the British
newspaper The Guardian. (From the Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Representatives Ehlers and Udall Form STEM Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives
http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2004_07_06_extra2.htm
Representatives Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Mark Udall (D-CO) have established
a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) caucus in the U.S.
House of Representatives. The new STEM caucus will focus solely on science,
math, technology, and engineering education issues and will work to promote
and improve all areas of science and math education including K-12, higher
education, and workforce issues in Congress. It will increase the visibility
and importance of STEM education and work to educate members of Congress and
their staff on the issues surrounding STEM education. The Caucus will also
serve as an information source and a catalyst for advancing legislation and
funding to improve STEM education.
This Caucus is very important to K-12 science and math education in a number of ways. It will help to bring valuable visibility to the issues of concern to science and math education teachers, and help to secure much needed funding for science and math education in the yearly appropriations cycle. But the strength and effectiveness of the STEM Caucus – and future science and math education initiatives on Capitol Hill – will largely be determined by the numbers of Representatives who join the STEM Caucus and work to affect change. Currently, 32 House members have joined the STEM Caucus. Check the STEM roster (http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/nstaexpress_2004_07_06_extra2.htm) to see if your representative is on this list, and take a moment to e-mail them with your thanks. Questions? E-mail Jodi Peterson at jpeterson@nsta.org (From NSTA)
IDSA
http://www.idsa.org/
Site for IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America), “the voice of the
industrial design profession, advancing the quality and positive impact of
design.” Features images and information about Industrial Design Excellence
Award (IDEA) winning designs, information about famous industrial designers
and designs, directories of schools and vendors, links to related sites, and
more. Searchable. (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Digital Bridges: Bridges of the Nineteenth Century: A Twenty-First Century Book Collection
http://bridges.lib.lehigh.edu/
This “site consists of a collection of thirty representative 19th century
American bridge engineering monographs, manuals, and documents from the Lehigh
University Libraries' Special Collections.” Browsable and searchable. Also
includes glossaries of bridge terms, personal and corporate names, and
specific bridges. (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
HazardMaps.gov: The Multi-Hazard Mapping Initiative (MMI)
http://www.hazardmaps.gov/
NGDC Geologic Hazard Photos
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/fliers/se-0801.shtml
1. This is “a dynamic mapping site. It is a central repository for
collecting, synthesizing, visualizing, and analyzing natural hazards data,”
primarily for the United States. Provides maps about natural hazards such as
floods, landslides, and hurricanes, and information about geologic features.
Also includes earthquake information for the world. Searchable by address or
latitude and longitude. Includes a FAQ and a user's guide. From the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 2. Searchable library of photographs of
geologic hazards and natural disasters. Images include earthquakes, volcanoes,
tsunamis, landslides, and others. Includes photos of famous events such as the
Kobe earthquake and eruption of Mount Pinatubo. From the National Geophysical
Data Center (NGDC) of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Birth Cry of the Cosmos Heard
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3832711.stm
Reports on sounds of the early universe, which have been recaptured by an
astronomy professor. Features sound files resulting from analysis of the
“so-called background radiation that was born 400,000 years after the Big
Bang.” Includes related links. From the British Broadcasting Corporation
(BBC). (From Librarian's Index to the Internet)
Ethnomathematics Digital Library (EDL)
http://www.ethnomath.org/
A collection of annotated links to Web sites related to ethnomathematics,
which is “the study of the mathematical practices of specific cultural groups
in the course of dealing with their environmental problems and activities.”
Searchable; browsable by subject (from abacus to zero), geographic area,
cultural group, or language. From Pacific Resources for Education and Learning
(PREL), a nonprofit education organization. (From Librarian's Index to the
Internet)
Fireworks!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fireworks/
A companion website to the NOVA program, this website is an interesting
introduction to the chemistry of fireworks. Fireworks are danger held, like a
sparkler, at arm's length: close enough to be beautiful, powerful, and
alluring, yet far enough away to be safe. This explosive NOVA website presents
the colorful history of pyrotechnics and reveals the chemical secrets that put
the bang in the rocket and the fizz in the Roman candle. Test your knowledge
and read about the chemistry that puts the bang in the 4th of July.
California Institute of Technology: Cool Cosmos
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/index.html
This great educational site from Cal Tech offers all sorts of great
resources to assist in learning about the universe. Using the fun gear-like
menu on the left of the screen, visitors can pick from site areas such as the
Cosmic Classroom (which offers classroom activities, lessons, reference info.,
and an Ask an Astronomer option), Cosmic Kids (where kids can learn about
what's in space through stories and resources like the Infrared Zoo), the
Video and Image Galleries, and lots more. The site should be a great resource
for teachers introducing students to the study of the universe or those
visitors who are simply interested in getting lost in space for a while. This
site is also reviewed in the July 9, 2004 _NSDL Physical Sciences Report_.
[JPM] (From the Scout Report)
Cassini-Huygens Arrives at Mars
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm
This is exciting stuff, no doubt about it. The NASA site has, as you would
expect, all the latest news and photos, and more besides. The site is loaded
with everything from Saturn post cards to animations and videos.
Secrets of the Dead - Tragedy at the Pole
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_southpole/
Immediately after Scott's ill fated attempt to be the first to the South
Pole, he was considered a hero. Later historians have painted him as a
bungler. A new look at the evidence of what happened during this doomed
expedition shows some of the impressive science expertise that Scott used,
although to no ultimate avail.
Belgian Scientific Research Programme on the Antarctic
http://www.belspo.be/antar/
The 1959 Antarctic Treaty set out to achieve “demilitarization, the ban on
nuclear tests and on the disposal of radioactive waste material – the respect
of which is guaranteed by a system of mutual inspection – and the promotion of
international scientific cooperation. The approval in 1991 of the ‘Protocol on
Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty’ (Madrid Protocol), turned
the area into a natural reserve dedicated to peace and science. The Protocol
prohibits any non-scientific activity relating to mineral resources and
otherwise, makes provision for the realization of environmental evaluations to
be based upon scientific evidences.” At this site, visitors can learn about
the goals of the programme and also learn more about some of the many phases
of its research projects. Also of interest are is the metadata section,
including links to data from projects such as “The Mass Balance of the
Antarctic Ice Cap.” Overall, a very interesting site for those interested in
the fruits of the Madrid Protocol and the science that has occurred in its
wake. [JPM] (From the Scout Report)
The Living Room Candidate
http://livingroomcandidate.movingimage.us/
Once considered an indignity or gimmick, campaign ads have become integral
to the success of a presidential candidate. The messages – delivered in
30-second snippets – have transformed elections and been transformed in the
process. Updated for 2004, this well-designed and compelling site offers more
than 250 presidential campaign TV commercials dating from 1952. Comparing
Eisenhower's 1952 cute “I Like Ike” cartoon to the attack ads seen in the past
few campaigns demonstrates how much the run for the White House has changed.
This site is an engaging resource for anyone interested in the evolution of
political theater. (From Yahoo's Picks of the Week)
The following items are from Edupage. To subscribe to Edupage: send mail to: listproc@educom.unc.edu with the message: subscribe edupage Anonymous (if your name is Anonymous; otherwise, substitute your own name). To unsubscribe send a message to: listproc@educom.unc.edu with the message: unsubscribe edupage. (If you have subscription problems, send mail to: manager@educom.unc.edu.)
SUPERCOMPUTING BILLS CLEAR HOUSE
The U.S. House of Representatives has
passed two bills aimed at improving supercomputing facilities and programs in
the United States. The High-Performance Computing Revitalization Act of 2004
would coordinate all federal supercomputing projects under the authority of
the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy and would require
the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy's Office of
Science to make supercomputing facilities available to researchers. Under the
other bill, called the Department of Energy High-End Computing Revitalization
Act of 2004, the secretary of energy would develop top-level supercomputing
facilities, which would be accessible to researchers from industry, academe,
and federal agencies. The bill authorizes $165 million for the project, but
the funds would still need to be appropriated through other legislation. The
Computing Research Association, a group that represents academic and
commercial researchers, praised the House's approval of the bills but noted
that federal funding for information technology projects has frequently fallen
short of targets.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 8 July 2004 (sub. req'd) via Edupage.
http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2004/07/2004070802n.htm
REVISION TO DMCA GAINS SUPPORT
Joe Barton (R-Tex.), chairman of the House
Energy and Commerce Committee, this week endorsed a bill that would amend the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to allow for broader fair-use access.
The bill, known as the Digital Media Consumer's Rights Act, was introduced
more than 18 months ago but has been stalled ever since. Barton's support
could see the bill marked up in July and possibly passed before the end of the
current Congressional session. An anonymous Senator will reportedly introduce
the legislation to the Senate if it has sufficient backing in the House. The
bill would allow users to circumvent digital copy-protection measures if the
purpose falls within the scope of traditional fair use. Currently, the DMCA
prohibits such circumvention. The bill would also allow companies to develop
and market tools that bypass digital copy protections if those tools are
capable of significant noninfringing use.
Internet News, 22 June 2004 via Edupage.
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3372091
ACADEMICS GET BEHIND REVISIONS TO DMCA
Five academic library organizations,
as well as the Association of American Universities, have joined the Personal
Technology Freedom Coalition, which is working to gain passage of legislation
that would revise portions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The
Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act would allow exemptions for fair use from
the provision of the DMCA that bans circumvention of antipiracy measures, and
it would broaden a current exemption from the anticircumvention provision for
certain types of research. Joining the coalition to revise the law are the
American Association of Law Libraries, the American Library Association, the
Association of Research Libraries, the Medical Library Association, and the
Special Libraries Association. The bill may come up for a vote during the
current Congressional session, though it is opposed by the chair of the House
Judiciary Committee, which claims jurisdiction over the bill.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 9 July 2004 (sub. req'd)via Edupage.
http://chronicle.com/prm/weekly/v50/i44/44a03102.htm
FEDERAL PROGRAM PUSHES SCIENCE EDUCATION
U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer
Abraham this week announced the Scientists Teaching and Reaching Students
program, which is intended to support and foster interest in math and science
programs among the country's middle and high school students. According to the
Third International Mathematics and Science Study, U.S. students, who are
among the top-performing students in the world in math and science at the
4th-grade level, fall nearly to the bottom of the list by 12th grade. The new
program will award scholarships for math and science teachers to study at the
nation's labs, including Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, and Sandia National
Laboratories. In addition, those labs will host 2,000 5th- and 8th-grade
students for at least one day a year. For a number of years, U.S. colleges and
universities have seen steadily declining numbers of students in science
programs, and the effect of the new program on this trend is not clear.
Countries such as India, China, and Russia currently graduate significantly
more science and engineering students than the United States.
San Jose Mercury News, 8 July 2004 via Edupage.
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/9112372.htm
Long-lost relations of Genghis Khan sought by London restaurant
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001973548_khan07.html
The Legacy of Genghis Khan
http://www.lacma.org/khan/index_flash.htm
Modern Mongolia: Reclaiming Genghis Khan
http://www.museum.upenn.edu/Mongolia/index.shtml
Official Website of the Government Organizations of Mongolia
http://www.pmis.gov.mn/presi_eng.htm
Oxford Ancestors
http://www.oxfordancestors.com/
Shish
http://www.shish.com/
DNA testing has received great prominence in the international media as of
late, largely due to its use in highly publicized courtroom battles and in
unraveling the genealogical histories of numerous families of note. One London
restaurant (which specializes in grilled kebabs) has taken this practice one
step further by offering one free DNA test each day this week to determine
whether any of patrons might in fact be related to the legendary Mongol ruler
Genghis Khan. The firm doing the DNA testing, Oxford Ancestors, says up to 17
million men in Central Asia share a pattern of Y chromosomes that indicates a
common ancestor in their shared familial past. Since there are no verified
tissue samples from Genghis Khan, these genetic tests are based on an
assessment of probabilities. The response thus far has been rather
overwhelming, as Hugo Malik (a bar manager at the popular London eatery
offering the tests) noted recently: “We've had Mongolian people who've
traveled across London to give us their details. They said, ‘Grandad always
used to tell us we were descended from Genghis Khan.’ ” (From the Scout Report)
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