Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy (STEP)

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Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy
Keck Center, Fifth Floor
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202.334.2200
Fax: 202.334.1505
Email: step@nas.edu

Patent Reform Copyright Innovation Studies High-Skilled Immigration Policy Manufacturing Studies

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

In a report released May 2, 2013, Copyright in the Digital Era: Building Evidence for Policy, the National Academies call on federal agencies and foundations to support a broad range of empirical research studies to contribute to the comprehensive review of US copyright law recommended by Register of Copyrights, Maria Pallente, and announced April 24, 2013 by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte. The report also urges the federal government to consider instituting two regular, systematic surveys – one of businesses on their acquisition and use of intellectual property of all types and the other of consumers to understand how digital content is created and used. Read More.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

The STEP Board welcomes three new members: Jeff Bingaman, former Senator from New Mexico; John Hennessy, President of Stanford University; and Ellen Dulberger, retired IBM executive. Visit our Members and Staff page to learn more abut these recent appointees.

Issues Winter 2013

A STEP article in the Winter 2013 edition of Issues in Science and Technology examines how federal funding of physical science and engineering research fields fared in the decade of The Gathering Storm report and the America COMPETES Acts.

DIRECTOR'S CORNER

STEP’s Executive Director, Stephen Merrill, spoke at the 2013 AAAS Annual Meeting on “The Search for Research ROI” in a session on Measurement of Economic and Social Impacts of Science and Technology Investments. His presentation distilled lessons for continuing efforts to assess the value of research, identifying promising and unproductive or counterproductive lines of inquiry. Read some of Dr. Merrill’s remarks in this article featured in AAAS News and Notes. View presentation.

	Current Projects
Copyright in the Digital Era: Building Evidence for Policy What is the best way to expand and improve research on the impacts of copyright policy, particularly on innovation in the digital environment? The Effects of Provisions in the Internal Revenue Code on Greenhouse Gas Emissions How does the tax code impact the emission rates of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases? Comparative Innovation Policy: Best Practice for the 21st Century What are other countries -- such as India, Taiwan, Japan, China, Belgium, and Poland -- doing to promote technology-based economic development? 21st Century Manufacturing: The Role of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Competing in the 21st Century: Best Practice in State and Regional Innovation Initiatives What lessons are there in state and regional efforts to promote technology development -- lessons for each other and for the federal government? Capitalizing on Science, Technology, and Innovation: An Assessment of the Small Business Innovation Research Program - Phase II In this second phase of the review of the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR), an ad hoc committee will measure the program's progress against its legislative goals. Intellectual Property Management in Standard-Setting Processes How do different IP policies work in practice in various geographical contexts? How do variations in these policies relate to different types of standards activities, organizations, and fields of technology?