From: m23364@mwunix (James Meritt)
Subject: Re: fyi #161: Change on the Horizon for Dept. of Energy National Laboratories
Keywords: science, funding, doe, national-labs.
Organization: MITRE Corporation, McLean VA
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 15:38:01 GMT

In article <1992Dec29.223634.1941@relay.nswc.navy.mil> rsherme@chaos.nswc.navy.mil writes:
}Posted for:
}Public Information Division
}American Institute of Physics
}Contact: Richard M. Jones
}Phone: (202) 332-9661
}Email: fyi@aip.org
}
}Change on the Horizon for Dept. of Energy National Laboratories
}
}FYI No. 161, December 29, 1992
}
}Although it is not expected to be one of his first priorities,
}President-elect Bill Clinton, in cooperation with Congress, is
}expected to dramatically change the mission and objectives of the
}DOE national laboratories over the coming years.
}
}This is not a new initiative, but rather a continuation of what has
}been an on-going struggle by DOE to redefine itself.  DOE Secretary
}James Watkins, in presenting the FY 1993 proposed budget almost a
}year ago, declared "DOE is migrating to more plowshares than
}swords."  Critics contend that DOE has never been certain about its
}new identity, an issue which may be less troubling in the new
}administration.
}
}Although change can be expected in many of DOE's activities, one of
}the most closely watched areas is certain to be its national
}laboratories: Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, and Sandia.  Around
                                                            ^^^^^^
}two-thirds of the DOE budget is for the development and testing of
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
}nuclear weapons, and environmental clean-up at its weapons
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
}facilities, so considerable money is at stake.  DOE, Congress, and
^^^^^^^^^^^
}industry agree that there is great potential at the laboratories
}for contributions to national economic goals, but much uncertainty
}about how to make this potential a reality.
}
}The Council on Competitiveness, a private organization consisting
}of American business, education, and labor interests has reviewed
}this issue.  A council study has attracted considerable attention
}in Washington, with some observers predicting that proposals by the
}council offer a blueprint for the incoming Clinton Administration.
}
}In one of its final activities this fall, the House science
}committee held a hearing on the national laboratories at which
}Erich Bloch, a Distinguished Fellow at the council, testified.
}Bloch identified a number of impediments to utilization of the
}national laboratories by industry, including: industry's
}unfamiliarity with the labs (and vice versa); differing approaches,
}bureaucracies and traditions; inadequate funding of technology
}transfer programs; the tendency of laboratories to see industrial
}technology and competitiveness as peripheral concerns; etc.  While
}Bloch highlighted progress at NIH, Sematech, and some DOE efforts,
}he characterized current efforts as requiring too much effort,
}time, and money.
}
}To remedy this situation, Bloch advocates assigning 10% of the DOE
}and NASA labs' budgets to technology transfer programs -- just
}under $1 billion.  This amount should be increased to 20%+ over the
}coming years.  Support was also given to launching national
}technology infrastructure projects, new legal mechanisms, and
}outreach programs.  A system for measuring results would be
}implemented.
}
}Although it is too early to predict what action the Clinton
}Administration will take, change is certain to occur.  Science
}committee chairman George Brown has planned hearings early next
}year to lay the foundation for legislation, with a report by the
}U.S. Office of Technology Assessment nearing completion.
}
}###############
}Public Information Division
}American Institute of Physics
}Contact: Richard M. Jones
}(202) 332-9661
}##END##########


Greg especially:  Please note that production is NOT mentioned, either as a
currently finded action, nor any change being mentioned.


Xref: sparky talk.politics.misc:66947 soc.motss:55815