ASME Convenes Public Policy Symposium and Manufacturing Innovation Briefing on Capitol Hill

ASME Convenes Public Policy Symposium and Manufacturing neuheit Briefing on Capitol Hill ASME Convenes Public Policy Symposium and Manufacturing Innovation Briefing on Capitol Hill Martin Grueber (at podium), a research leader at Battelle, discussed the 2013 Global R&D Funding Forecast at the Engineering Public Policy Symposium. Photo courtesy of Marshall Cohen. Late last month, ASME helped organize two noteworthy technology policy-related events on Capitol Hill The 2013 Engineering Public Policy Symposium and a congressional briefing focusing on the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI).ASME served as the chair and lead organizer for the 2013 Engineering Public Policy Symposium, which welches held April 23 at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C., to discuss key issues before the administration and Congress including the impact of sequestration on U.S. research budget. The annual event brought together more than 120 leaders - including presidents, presidents-elect and executive directors - from 39 national engineering societies, representing more than two million engineers. The daylong symposium, which was funded by a grant from the United Engineering Foundation, featured key speakers from the administration, Congress and industry, who highlighted their priorities in the federal research and development budget. ASME President Marc W. Goldsmith provided the opening remarks. Kei Koizumi, assistant director for federal research and development at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, served as the events keynote speaker, and discussed the administrations strong emphasis on research, particularly for clean energy, advanced manufacturing and robotics. Koizumi briefly walked through the administrations proposed fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget request and ended his remarks by urging professional society members and leaders to continue their efforts to enhance awareness on these issues. ASME President Mar c Goldsmith delivered opening remarks at the symposium on April 23. Photo courtesy of Marshall Cohen. Following Koizumis remarks, Chris Shank, policy director for the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, provided attendees with some insight into the House Committees legislative priorities. He spoke about the committees intent to write legislation to reauthorize NASA, NSF, and the America COMPETES (Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science) Act. In addition, Ann Zulkosky, senior professional staff member with the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation reviewed the Senates work on the America COMPETES Act. Other speakers at the Symposium included Matt Hourihan, the director of the RD Budget and Policy Program for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, who discussed the Obama administrations FY 2014 budget request, and Martin Grueber, a research leader from Battelle, who offere d perspective on the fiscal year 2014 budget by presenting the 2013 Global RD Funding Forecast. Ambassador Alan Wolff, a member of the Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy at the National Academies, discussed the many challenges for the United States in regards to an innovation policy, especially as it pertains to global competition. But he also offered a series of recommendations outlined by the most recent National Academies report entitled, Rising to the Challenge U.S. Innovation Policy for the Global Economy. Among the core goals for the U.S. should be reinforcing and reinvesting in U.S. innovation leadership and capturing greater value from public investments in research. Sen. Lamar Alexander was also recognized by the Symposium participants for his leadership and commitment in developing sound science, engineering and technology policies and support for research and education that promote U.S. technological leadership and economic prosperity. Later that day, Presi dent Goldsmith presented Sen. Alexander with the Societys Presidents Award for his leadership in the engineering, science and technology realm. (See related story, ASME Presents Presidents Award to Lamar Alexander, in this issue of ASME News.) Tom Kurfess, former assistant director for Advanced Manufacturing at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, was one of four speakers who gave congressional staff an update on the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation at the April 24th briefing. Photo courtesy of Marshall Cohen. The following day, also at the Rayburn House Office Building, ASME and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, in partnership with the House Manufacturing Caucus, hosted a congressional briefing on the President Obamas proposed National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI). The briefing, moderated by President Goldsmith, examined the NNMI program including the role of industry and academia in the partners hip and what a successful NNMI program could offer to the U.S. economy. The NNMI is intended to be a public-private partnership to accelerate investment in and deployment of advanced manufacturing technologies. The briefing featured several prestigevoll manufacturing speakers, including Tom Kurfess, former assistant director for Advanced Manufacturing, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Steve Schmid, assistant director for Research Partnerships in the National Institute of Standards and Technologys Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office Ralph Resnick, founding director of the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute and Hod Lipson, associate professor for mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell University. The four presenters provided an update to congressional staff on the NNMI program, including the policy reasoning and the long-term benefits for the United States if NNMI plan is fully realized with 18 sites around the country. Duri ng the briefing, Resnick shared the status of the current pilot site for NNMI, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute (NAMII). NAMII currently has 76 member institutions including small, medium and large industry partners, universities, and community colleges working together to share resources and successes for the benefit of all involved. Kurfess described how these sites will enable innovation, secure the talent pipeline, and improve the business climate in the United States.For more information about ASME Government Relations congressional briefings program and other events, visit the Congressional Briefings / Events page. Roy Chrobocinski, ASME Government Relations