American Beginnings (IAAS 2009) The Rebirth of American Science

Dr Cormac O’Raifeartaigh (WIT)

Overview

I A new agenda for science Inaugural address, AAS address

II A new team

A science team for science policy

III New beginnings: research

Renewables, stem cells, climate change

IV New beginnings: the environment

Energy supply and climate change

I Inaugural Address (Jan 09)

“ A nation no longer at war”

Leave Iraq, forge peace in Afghanistan

“Economy badly weakened”

Consequence of greed and irresponsibility

“Swift action on economy”

A new era of responsibilty

“Restore science to its rightful place”

Scientific policy based on science not ideology

AAS Address (April 09)

“Restore science to its rightful place”

“Federal policies based on unbiased scientific information”

“Establish President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology”

“Increase funding for fundamental and applied research”

““Increase incentives for use of renewable energies

II A new team

Steven ChuSecretary of Department of Energy

John HoldrenAssistant to the President for Science and TechnologyDirector of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Harold VarmusCo-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

Jane LubchencoHead of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association

Steven Chu

Nobel prize in physics 1997

Cooling and trapping of atoms

Professor of physics and molecular biology at Berkeley

Director of the Berkeley National Labortory

The study of biological systems at the single molecule level

Vocal advocate for shift away from fossil fuels

Vocal advocate for research into alternative energy

John Holdren

Assistant to the President for Science and Technology

Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Co-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

Professor of Environmental Policy at Kennedy School

of Government at Harvard University

Director of the Wood’s Hole Research Centre

Harold Varmus

Co-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

Nobel prize in medicine (1989) Discovery of the genetic basis of cancer

Director of the National Institutes of Health (1993-1999)

President of Slaon-Kettering Cancer Centre NYC

Assistant to the President for Science and Medicine (Clinton 93-99)

Jane Lubchenco

Head of NOAA

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Wayne and Gladys Valley Professor of Marine Biology

Distinguished Professor of Zoology.

(University of Oregon)

President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1997)

Biodiversity, climate change, sustainability science

III New beginnings: research Renewable energy

International research into wind power, tidal energy, nuclear energy, battery technology

• Bush: reduced grants to renewable energies• Introduced credits for fossil fuels

• Huge reduction in research into renewable energy in US

• Obama (2009): increased grants for research

• Swift increase in research since December “solar cells cheap as paint”

John Marburger

III New beginnings: research Biofuels

• International research into biofuels 1st generation: inefficient use of food source 2nd, 3rd generation: more efficient

• Bush: 1st generation biofuels only• Used food resource• Caused food shortages

• Obama (2009): increased grants for 2nd , 3rd

gen biofuels

• Increase in research• Increase in production

switchgrass

III New beginnings: research Stem cells

International research shows embryonic stem cells beneficial for Parkinson’s, Alzheimers

• Bush (2001): bans government funding of embryonic stem cells research • Huge reduction in stem cell research (US)

• Obama (2009): reverses directive (65% support)

• Increase in embyonic stem cell research

III New beginnings: researchDoubles the budget of

National Science Foundation

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Department of Energy’s Office of Science

Permanent tax credits for research

New budgets for renewable energy research

Apollo-era development: 150 billion 10yr

Advanced Research Projects Agency

Triples NSF graduate research fellowships

Recovery and Reinvestment Act

3% of GDP on R&D

Recovery and Reinvestment Act

3 billion to the National Science Foundation$2 billion to the United States Department of Energy$1.3 billion for university research facilities$1 billion to NASA$600 million to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)$230 million for NOAA operations, research and facilities$580 million to the National Institute of Standards and Technology$140 million to the United States Geological Survey

IV New beginnings: the environment

• $59 billion in renewable energy investments included in the $787 billion stimulus package

• $150 billion for clean energy over the next 10 years Double capacity for renewable energy

• economic recovery depends on "green" jobs work created by renewable energy projects

• proposed cap-and-trade systemcharge companies for emitting carbon dioxide

could raise up to $2 trillion

IV Obama and the environment

• Historic deal in car efficiency standards

• 40% increase in car efficiency decrease in consumption and emissions • From 25 to 35 mpg by 2016

• Agreed with major manufacturers Part of GM/Ford bailout

IV New beginnings: climate change

• Obama: annual targets to reduce US emissions Back to 1990 levels by 2020

• Further reduction by 80% by 2050

• Bush; did not curb US emissions Declined to sign Koyoto protocol Refused to take leadership

U.N. climate head: "happy" with Obama's willingness to lead

• Copenhagen treaty in 2009

Science and US politics

Democrat science• Carter, Clinton, Gore, Obama• policy based on science

Republican science • Reagan, Bush, Cheney • ideology ignored scientific findings• set US science back

• isolated US position (Kyoto, renewable energies)

New beginnings:American science and the world

Obama led by science, not ideology

• progress in research energy supply, climate change

• progress in environmental action

• acknowledgement of international science• improved international co-operation

renewables, climate change (Copenhagen)

Further reading: www.realclimate.org www.irish-times.com http://coraifeartaigh.wordpress.com