January 10-11, 2005

Advancing Knowledge and the Knowledge Economy is an international conference that brings together leading experts to examine how processes for creating and organizing knowledge interact with information technology, business strategy, and changing social and economic conditions. The conference is designed to broaden and deepen common understanding of how difficult-to-measure knowledge resources drive an increasingly virtualized economy and to assess prospects for advancing and regenerating knowledge infrastructure, institutions, and policies.

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CALL FOR PAPERS

Sponsored by:
The National Science Foundation, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute

When: April 23rd – 24th, 2005
Where: American Association for the Advancement of Science Headquarters, Washington, DC
Abstract Deadline: January 31st, 2005

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For Study and Travel in New Zealand

The Commonwealth Fund of New York invites applicants for the 2006 Ian Axford (New Zealand) Fellowships in Public Policy.  The deadline for the receipt of applications is March 1, 2005.

The fellowships give outstanding American professionals the opportunity to study, travel, and gain practical experience in public policy in New Zealand, including first-hand knowledge of economic, social and political reforms, and management of the government sector. Two to three Fellowships will be awarded for six months, starting in January/February 2006.

The purpose of the Ian Axford (New Zealand) Fellowship program is:

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Science & Technology in Society:
An Interdisciplinary Graduate Student Conference

Sponsored by:
The National Science Foundation George Mason University
The George Washington University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute

When: April 23rd – 24th, 2005
Where: American Association for the Advancement of Science Headquarters, Washington, DC
Abstract Deadline: January 31st, 2005

This annual conference provides a forum for ideas on theory and application of science and technology (S&T) as components of global society. Graduate students from a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs are invited to present their research on S&T in contexts ranging from local to global, public to private, micro- to macro-scale, speculative to legal, and history to future. In addition to presenting papers, students will have the opportunity to interact with each other and prominent scholars and professionals related to their field(s) of interest. Previous speakers have included Daniel Kleinman, Sandra Harding, and Al Tiech, just to name a few. We expect to draw scholars of similar caliber for the upcoming conference.

The conference organizing committee welcomes submissions of abstracts (up to 250 words) for a 10-15 minute presentation. Abstracts need to be submitted via email to stglobal@vt.edu by January 31st, 2005. Acceptance of abstracts will be given by March 1st, 2005. Final papers will potentially be included on the conference website. We seek submissions from graduate students studying topics related, but not limited to the role of S&T in the following thematic areas:

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The September 2004 edition of Ogmius, the newsletter of the CIRES Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, is now available online.
This edition of Ogmius features an article entitled “Addressing the Under-representation of Women in the Sciences” by CU professor Patricia Rankin, a research highlight analyzing the distinction between regulatory science and academic science, the Center’s fall noontime seminar series schedule, recent Center publications, and other news of interest to the science and technology policy community.

Click here to subscribe to Ogmius.

The server hosting Prometheus gave up the ghost on Monday. Thanks for your patience while our crack tech team gets us back on track. We’re still missing a few posts from June 3rd on, but hope to have them restored shortly.

Update: We seem to back in business. All the entries have been restored, and their permalinks should be the same. Let us know if you find any problems.

Hang a shingle on the internet one month, appear in the Washington Times the next. My tongue-in-cheek posting from earlier this week titled “Generic News Story on Climate Change” was reprinted in full in Tuesday’s (May 18, 2004) Washington Times in John McCaslin’s “Inside the Beltway” column. McCaslin did get one thing wrong when he wrote that I had sent the posting to “environmentally minded editors.” But even so we do appreciate the publicity.

The mission of SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) is to encourage Chicano/Latino and Native American students to pursue graduate education and obtain the advanced degrees necessary for research careers and science teaching professions at all levels.

2004 SACNAS National Conference
Science and Science Policy: Constructing an Inclusive Paradigm
Austin, TX
October 21-24, 2004

SACNAS provides unparalleled conference activities for students, educators, administrators and researchers in science. This year’s conference theme, Science and Science Policy: Constructing and Inclusive Paradigm, explores the link between current science policy issues and those communities most affected by them. It is vital that the Chicano/Latino and Native American scientific communities have a substantive voice in the creation of science policy which dictates the funding and direction of scientific research and inquiry. Continuing a third year tradition of working to increase Native American and Chicano/Latino presence in the scientific community, SACNAS offers a forum for investigation of questions related to the theme and the development of a new generation of leaders who will be instrumental in shaping equitable and inclusive science policy.

Our Western Water Assessment project has a new homepage and improved content. Check it out.

In creating this site I sought a name that would convey its basic purpose: addressing and commenting on the complex nature of science and technology decision-making. The name should, of course, also be catchy and maybe even fun. Hence, Prometheus became a weblog in addition to Greek god.

In Greek mythology Prometheus, which may be translated to “forethought”, is closely linked with the cultural and technological development of mankind. The Library of Apollodoros states that Prometheus created man from water and earth (1.7.1). Furthermore, at the feast at Mekone, Prometheus tricks Zeus into taking the lesser share of sacrifice, leaving the best portion to man. As punishment for this subterfuge Zeus withholds fire from mankind, only to have Prometheus steal it and present it to mankind. I suggest that this widely known act represents a very early example of science and technology policy.

Prometheus, then, conjures the ideas of intellectual growth and progress that this site hopes to reflect. Yet, Hesiod’s Theogony introduces Prometheus, the embodyment of science and technology, as “subtle and devious” (511)… for, like science and technology, Prometheus carries some negative consequences for mankind when, in retaliation for the theft of fire, Zeus unleashes evil on mankind through the creation of Pandora.

The Prometheus weblog, then, will tackle the benefits, risks, successes and failures of science and technology. Our pages will reflect the good and bad, and suggest science and technology policy for a modern day Prometheus.

The weblog will also steadfastly avoid eagles…