National Education Technology Plan Unveiled

Posted on November 12, 2010October 17, 2012

Education Secretary Arne Duncan released this week the Department’s plan for transforming American education through technology, a process that would create an engaging, state-of-the-art, cradle-to-college school system nationwide. The National Education Technology Plan was written and refined over a year and a half by leading education researchers, with input from the public, industry officials, and educators and students from across the country. It is a crucial component of the Obama Administration’s efforts to have America lead the world in college completion by 2020 and help close the academic achievement gap so that all students graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and careers.

“We’re at an important transition point…we need to leverage technology’s promise to improve learning” the Secretary expressed in remarks. The plan, “Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology,” presents a model with key goals in five areas: learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity. Each section outlines concepts for using technology to holistically transform education, with the aim to achieve each goal by 2015. Overall, the plan addresses trends that could transform education, such as accessibility and mobility, the rise of digital content, and the rise of online social networks for information, collaboration, and learning. Also, it stresses that technology in the classroom only works when paired with effective teaching.

More information can be found here

DoE Opens S&T Awards Nomination Period

Posted on October 27, 2010October 17, 2012

The Department of Energy is now accepting nominations for the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Awards, which are among the longest running and most prestigious science and technology awards given by the U.S. Government.

The Lawrence Awards honor U.S. scientists and engineers at mid-career for exceptional contributions in research and development supporting the Department of Energy and its mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States.

The Lawrence Award was established in 1959 by the Atomic Energy Commission and President Dwight D. Eisenhower in honor of the 1939 Nobel Laureate in physics. The first Lawrence Awards were conferred in 1960 and have since been awarded to 209 recipients.

Eligibility requires that nominees be U.S. citizens in mid-career and show promise for continued exceptional achievements. Nominations for the 2011 Lawrence Awards must be submitted by January 15, 2011. Please carefully note the revisions and updates to prior announcements. In particular, this announcement includes two new award categories – “Computer, Information, and Knowledge Sciences” and “Energy Science and Innovation” – as well as new category titles and descriptions. The Lawrence Award’s webpage describes the nomination guidelines and process, and all nominations must be made via an electronic submission process. The Department of Energy encourages the nomination of a diverse pool of candidates.

Questions about the E. O. Lawrence award nominations may be addressed to: lawrence.award@science.doe.gov or james.glownia@science.doe.gov. Dr. Glownia may be reached at (301) 903 2411.

National Science Board Call for Nominations

Posted on September 16, 2010October 17, 2012

The National Science Board has announced a call for nominations for the following two awards:

2011 VANNEVAR BUSH AWARD
Honoring Exceptional Service to the Nation in Science and Technology

The Vannevar Bush Award is awarded annually to truly exceptional lifelong leaders in science and technology who have made substantial contributions to the welfare of the Nation through public service activities in science, technology, and public policy. Recent recipients include: Bruce Alberts, Editor-in-Chief, Science Magazine; Mildred Dresselhaus, Institute Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Norman Augustine, former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Lockheed Martin Corporation.

2011 Nomination Flyer Click here to submit a nomination

2011 NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD Honoring Service in Public Understanding of Science and Engineering

The National Science Board (NSB) Public Service Award honors individuals who and groups that have made substantial contributions to increasing public understanding of science and engineering in the United States. These contributions may be in a wide variety of areas that have the potential of contributing to public understanding of and appreciation for science and engineering – including mass media, education and/or training programs, entertainment, etc. Recipients of the NSB Public Service Award include NUMB3RS, the CBS television drama series; Ira Flatow, Host and Executive Producer of NPR’s “Science Friday”; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; Bill Nye The Science Guy; and NOVA, the PBS television series.

2011 Nomination Flyer Click here to submit a nomination

Stem Cell Injunction Stayed by US Court of Appeals

Posted on September 13, 2010October 17, 2012

** Updated 9/13** In response to the previously reported stay of the stem cell research injunction, the NIH has announced that it is resuming normal grant activities until directed otherwise:

NIH STATEMENT REGARDING STAY OF STEM CELL INJUNCTION

We are pleased with the Court’s interim ruling, which will allow promising stem cell research to continue while we present further arguments to the Court in the weeks to come. With the temporary stay in place, NIH has resumed intramural research and will continue its consideration of grants that were frozen by the preliminary injunction on August 23. The suspension of all grants, contracts, and applications that involve the use of human embryonic stem cells has been temporarily lifted. Human embryonic stem cell research holds the potential for generating profound new insights into disease, cell-based therapeutics, and novel methods of screening for new drugs.

Original 9/9 Post

Last night, the Department of Justice (DoJ) filed an emergency motion to stay the preliminary injunction barring federal funding of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Today, the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit stayed the preliminary injunction pending briefing on the DOJ emergency motion. The plaintiffs have been given until September 14 to respond to the DOJ motion, and DOJ has until September 20 to respond back.

During the stay period, NIH can resume both its intramural hESC research and its normal extramural application and grant processes.

The text of the court order follows:

09/09/2010 CLERK’S ORDER filed [1264809] ORDERED that the district court’s August 23, 2010 order be stayed pending further order of the court. FURTHER ORDERED that appellees file a response to the emergency motion by September 14, 2010, at 4:00 p.m. The appellants may file a reply by 4:00 p.m. on September 20, 2010. [10-5287]

DoE Releases RFI on Energy Education and Workforce Development

Posted on August 25, 2010October 17, 2012

The Department of Energy’s Technology Offices recently released an “Energy Education and Workforce Development” Request for Information (RFI). Through the RFI, the DoE technology offices seek to gauge the status, prevalence, quality, and gaps in energy relevant education and workforce development activities.

Responses are being sought from energy associations, academic associations, academia, the private sector, non-profits, and others. The collected information is intended to help DOE’s Technology Offices define the scope and priorities of its education and workforce development efforts.

You can find more information on the RFI and larger education and workforce development efforts on the Energy.gov “Strengthening America’s Energy Future through Education and Workforce Development” Blog post.

The RFI will be open until September 3, 2010. All questions should be directed to WorkforceRFI@hq.doe.gov. Members of the UW community responding to the RFI are asked to also share their input with the Office of Federal Relations.