Happily, approaches to these issues can result in cooperation more often than in conflict. EST officers enjoy opportunities to build relationships and strengthen the flow of information. With France, U.S. laboratories are joining in research in areas ranging from marine science to energy technology. American nuclear officials exchange views with the French on the safety of aging reactors. U.S. Coast Guard officials offer guidance on emergency response following a severe oil spill off the French coast.
Legal experts discuss bio-ethics issues.
Many of us will recall from our university days those weighty academic debates over the rise and fall of political regimes. Few can recall the same exhilaration of defending a position for or against trade in bioengineered corn or the international transfer of hazardous materials. More and more, however, today's class of Foreign Service officers comes equipped with academic, and often personal, experience in the global arenas of environment, science, technology and health. This is an encouraging trend for the Foreign Service, and it reflects a more general sensitivity to these issues in our population. The EST function does not require advanced scientific credentials, only the intuitive skills and curiosity that all Foreign Service officers possess as they move from one assignment to another.