Mar

15

A Symposium on “Computing Research that Changed the World”

Filed Under research horizons | Comments

Ed Lazowska and Peter Lee on November 4 proposed a brainstorming exercise to identify about a dozen game-changing advances in computing research over the past 20 years. A large number of people responded, as summarized in a November 30 post. The CCC has organized a really important symposium on March 25 that has short talks on 12 such advances. Check out http://www.cra.org/ccc/locsymposium.php for details.

I think that this symposium is really important because with a new administration in Washington, we have people who appreciate the importance of fundamental research. If we increase the size of the funding pie, all of us will benefit. The best way to increase the size of the computing research part of the pie is to link advances in computing research to advances in other fields and the larger society.

That is what the March 25 symposium is about. With the cast of speakers we have lined up and the number of people from government agencies and Congress who will be attending, we have a great chance to make a difference. Check out the program; we had to keep the invitation list small due to the location, but all the talks will be recorded.

– Greg Andrews

Feb

3

Action Alert! Urge Your Representatives to Support Science

Filed Under resources | Comments

A very important message to the Computing Research Advocacy Network (CRAN) is now on the CRA Government Affairs Blog. We are asking our members to contact their representatives in Congress now to request support for science funding in the stimulus bill. Quoting:

Today we’re asking members of our Computing Research Advocacy Network (CRAN) — and anyone else with an interest in seeing fundamental research and research infrastructure budgets reflect their critical importance to the long-term health of U.S. economy and quality of life — to contact their representatives in Congress and urge their support for science funding in the nearly $900 billion stimulus bill now making its way through Congress…

…It is important that we generate letters from as many institutions as possible. Because the Senate has come out with sharply reduced numbers in their version of the bill, there will be temptation in the conference process to reduce or trade away big science increases for gains elsewhere in the bill. Significant participation rates in this effort will help keep the pressure on Members to continue to support science in the bill.

The full text of the CRAN Action Alert is available here, along with a sample letter.

This is an incredibly important time right now for our nation and for the future of science research. If ever there was a time to act, it is now.