Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs - Science and Technology

DOE FY 2010 Budget Request and Recovery Act Funding for Energy Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment: Analysis and Recommendations

Laura Diaz Anadon, Kelly Sims Gallagher and Matthew Bunn — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:27:51 -0400

A new analysis of energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment (ERD3) funding in the Obama administration's FY2010 budget and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 finds that the total available for energy research development and demonstration alone and ERD3 in FY2010 would double and increase by two-thirds, respectively, compared to FY2009 (based on certain assumptions). These substantial funding increases—coupled with a range of institutional innovations the administration is implementing and movement toward putting a price on carbon emissions—will help accelerate innovation for a broad range of energy technologies. This report analyzes DOE's budget request for ERD3 and the Recovery Act and makes recommendations for further action by Congress and the administration.

Science Journalism Goes Global

Cristine Russell — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:18:48 -0400

When swine flu struck swiftly in Mexico, it created a challenge not only for international public health officials but also for journalists around the world assigned to follow the unfolding story. They needed to explain, in the face of great uncertainty and a nonstop news cycle, what the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus was and the potential dangers it posed. It was a difficult story handled most capably by experienced health and science reporters.

Driving Carbon Capture and Storage Forward in China

Hengwei Liu and Kelly Sims Gallagher — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:09:23 -0400

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), as an option in the portfolio of mitigation actions to combat climate change, is expected to have far-reaching implications for China. This paper (1) explores the strategic significance of CCS for China by making an extreme scenario analysis of Chinese power sector in 2030; (2) provides an overview of the recent CCS activities in China; and (3) identifies the major challenges with respect to CCS development in China and put forwards immediate strategies.

Geospatial Science & Technology for Sustainable Development in Africa: Partnerships and Applications

Calestous Juma — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:31:57 -0400

This conference, co-sponsored by the Association of American Geographers and the Science, Technology, and Globalization Project, Harvard Kennedy School brought together members of public and private donor organizations with those from institutions and industry engaged in the application of geospatial science and technology to assess development needs, formulate responses to those needs, and successfully implement sustainable development programs in Africa. Its goal was to insure that public and private sector initiatives that rely on geospatial tools, techniques, and applications achieve a high level of integration in the areas of database requirements and standards, methodologies, and strategies for sustainability. Enhancing private sector linkages with government and nongovernmental initiatives already underway, as well as with ongoing academic and scientific research efforts, will help further capacity building and coordinate public policy applications across regions and themes.

A Technology-Based Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy for 2030

Melissa Chan and Laura Diaz Anadon — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:07:31 -0400

"A Technology-Based Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy for 2030" by Melissa Chan and Laura Diaz Anadon presented at the U.S. Society of Ecological Economics 2009 Conference, Washington, D.C., June 1, 2009.

Spotlight with Venkatesh Narayanamurti

Sasha Talcott and Venkatesh "Venky" Narayanamurti — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:06:05 -0400

Venkatesh (Venky) Narayanamurti, is the new director of the Belfer Center's Science, Technology, and Public Policy program. He will be named the Benjamin Pierce Professor of Technology and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School in July.

Newsmakers

Sharon Wilke — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:04:56 -0400

Belfer Center Newsmakers.

Geospatial Science & Technology for Sustainable Development in Africa: Partnerships and Applications

Calestous Juma — Sun, 10 May 2009 19:43:59 -0400

The conference brings together members of public and private donor organizations with those from institutions and industry engaged in the application of geospatial science and technology to assess development needs, formulate responses to those needs, and successfully implement sustainable development programs in Africa.

Co-sponsored by the Association of American Geographers and the Science, Technology, and Globalization Project, Harvard Kennedy School

Senior Obama Administration and Chinese Government Officials Call for Rapid Development of "Clean" Coal Technologies

Sasha Talcott — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:39:19 -0400

April 21, 2009

With both China and the United States relying heavily on coal for electricity, senior government officials from both countries urged immediate action to push forward technology that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired plants. The leaders spoke April 16 at a high-level workshop jointly hosted by China's Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Energy Technology Innovation Policy research group at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center. The workshop aimed to develop concrete and specific opportunities for U.S.-China cooperation on advanced coal technologies, and the group will submit policy recommendations to both the Obama Administration and the Chinese government.

Which Globalization Will Survive?

Joseph S. Nye — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:33:00 -0400

"The world economy will shrink this year for the first time since 1945, and some economists worry that the current crisis could spell the beginning of the end of globalization....Globalization has several dimensions, and, though economists all too often portray it and the world economy as being one and the same, other forms of globalization also have significant effects — not all of them benign — on our daily lives."

Scaling Dynamics in Energy Technologies: Historical Evidence & Implications

Charlie Wilson — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:23:43 -0400

Historical patterns of growth across a range of energy technologies are used to explore "scaling". Scaling is used to describe a particular form of growth that is (i) both rapid and substantive, taking into account the overall size of the energy system, and (ii) occurs at multiple levels from the technical unit and/or plant to the industry as a whole (e.g., from a wind turbine or wind farm to total installed wind capacity or manufacturing output). Scaling dynamics are assessed in historical time series data on vehicles, jet aircraft, refineries, and power plants (nuclear, coal, gas, wind). In those cases for which S-shaped growth is clearly evidenced, logistic function parameters are used to compare scaling across different technologies.

Entrepreneurial Finance: Financing of Young Innovative Ventures

Ant Bozkaya — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:07:52 -0400

This book aims to better understand the process of the funding of young innovative ventures, and how a deeper understanding of this process can help public policy to better stimulate entrepreneurial firms—especially in high-technology industries.

These essays, complemented by a comprehensive introduction, are essential for scholars, researchers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs wishing to advance their understanding of this important and expanding field of study.

Venkatesh "Venky" Narayanamurti Named Director of Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center

Beth Maclin — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:45:19 -0400

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Venkatesh “Venky” Narayanamurti will be the new director of the Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Belfer Center Director Graham Allison announced today.

How to Keep the Bomb From Terrorists

Graham Allison — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:29:43 -0400

The only thing that can keep nuclear bombs out of the hands of terrorists is a brand-new science of nuclear forensics.

Obama Taps into Belfer Center Community for Key Policy Posts

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:00:47 -0400

The Belfer Center is both proud and humbled that a number of its members have been asked to serve in the Obama Administration. The group's experience and expertise span many of the international challenges confronting the nation today.

Networked Leaders

Joseph S. Nye — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:17:09 -0400

"While Obama was hardly the first American politician to use the Internet, he was the most effective in using new technology to raise money from small donors, energize and coordinate volunteers, and convey his messages directly to voters. Now he is faced with the question of how to use networks to govern....In a networked world, leadership is more like being in the middle of the circle and attracting others than being "king of the mountain" and issuing orders to subordinates down below."

Center Hosts Al Gore and Top Energy/Climate Experts in Climate Solutions Summit

Sharon Wilke — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:07:14 -0400

The Belfer Center hosted former Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore and 30 of the United States' top energy and climate experts in October for a "Solutions Summit" on the climate challenge ... participants brainstormed concrete solutions to producing carbon-free electricity, using as a starting point Gore’s July 2008 Generational Challenge to Repower America, which calls on the nation to produce 100 percent of America's electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within ten years.

Washington Post Pools Its Resources

Cristine Russell — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:39:21 -0500

March 6, 2009

In the latest of many recent changes at The Washington Post, the management has announced a new plan to coordinate all health, science and environmental coverage paper-wide—from national to lifestyle—under a single editor.

Globe Kills Health/Science Section, Keeps Staff

Cristine Russell — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:52:19 -0500

March 4, 2009

This week, The Boston Globe stopped running its highly regarded Monday Health/Science section and began placing its content in the paper’s trendy new “g” lifestyle tabloid, as well as its business section. It is the latest casualty at the struggling but storied New England paper, located in what is arguably the center of the health, science, and technology universe. According to health and science editor Gideon Gil, the Globe’s nine-person specialty staff is expected to stay intact—at least for now—and coverage of everything from stem cells to climate change will still have high priority in the paper.

Correspondence: Costs and Difficulties of Blocking the Strait of Hormuz

William D. O'Neil and Caitlin Talmadge — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:55:10 -0500

William O'Neil replies to Caitlin Talmadge's Summer 2008 International Security article, "Closing Time: Assessing the Iranian Threat to the Strait of Hormuz."

Positioning the Indian Coal-Power Sector for Carbon Mitigation: Key Policy Options

Ananth Chikkatur and Ambuj D. Sagar — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 14:22:09 -0500

The domestic and international steps outlined in this paper could greatly advance the development and implementation of a GHG-mitigation strategy in the Indian coal-power sector, while allowing the sector to contribute suitably to the country’s energy needs. The key to success will be adopting a deliberate approach, with short- and long-term perspectives in mind, that allows for the development of an integrated energy and climate policy.

Technological Innovation and Economic Development in Times of Crisis: Challenges and Opportunities for International Cooperation

Calestous Juma — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:42:27 -0500

The lecture will explore the role that emerging technologies can play in fostering economic growth and improving human welfare in Africa. It will re-examine opportunities for development cooperation between the United States and Africa in light of the current global food and financial and crises. It will draw on experiences on the linkages between economic growth and technological innovation in fields such as agriculture, health, energy, education, and environmental management.

The lecture will be from 12:30–1:30 pm, at the University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Room 2172.

Harvard Kennedy School's John P. Holdren Named Obama's Science Advisor

Sharon Wilke, Sasha Talcott and John P. Holdren — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 11:17:26 -0500

President-elect Barack Obama announced in his radio address Saturday that he has selected Harvard's John P. Holdren to serve as Assistant to the President for Science and Technology in the new administration. The post, popularly known as "the President's science advisor," also includes directorship of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President and requires Senate confirmation.

Science, Engineering, and Economic Growth in Africa: Development Cooperation Challenges and Opportunities

Calestous Juma — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:25:40 -0500

Friday, January 9, 2009
9:00am – 10:30 am
The Lecture Room, National Academy of Sciences
2101 Constitution Avenue, Washington, D.C. (entrance on C Street)
(No prior registration required)

Special Guest:
Koji Omi
Founder and Chairman, Science and Technology in Society forum, Tokyo, Japan
Member, House of Representatives
Former Minister of Finance of Japan

Look to the Internet to Fight Poverty

Elaine Kamarck — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 12:27:51 -0500

"Internet innovation has transformed business, entertainment, and even government. In an Obama administration, it can transform approaches to poverty at home and abroad. The government's efforts should be focused on expanding access to Internet and other technologies for as many Americans as possible while continuing to develop our national broadband capacity. An expanded technological infrastructure will help Obama make good on a broad social justice agenda as he confronts the myriad problems he has inherited."

International Climate Technology Strategies

Richard G. Newell — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:03:07 -0400

This paper considers opportunities for improved and expanded international development and transfer of climate technologies. It characterizes the economic scale of the climate technology challenge, and it reviews the pattern of public and private R&D and the rationale for R&D policies within the global innovation system. The paper clarifies the importance of options for inducing technology market demand through domestic GHG pricing, international trade, and international development assistance. It then turns to upstream innovation strategies, including international coordination and funding of climate technology R&D, and knowledge transfer through intellectual property. The paper concludes that a successful international effort to accelerate and then sustain the rate of development and transfer of GHG mitigation technologies must harness a diverse set of markets and institutions beyond those explicitly related to climate, to include those for energy, trade, development, and intellectual property.

Biotechnology Support is Key to Africa's Economic Renewal

Calestous Juma — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:45:41 -0400

Calestous Juma, director of the Science, Technology, and Globalization project of the Belfer Center, writes that biotechnology "is emerging as a key driver of economic renewal in developing countries." However, he say, "controversies surrounding the safety of genetically-modified (GM) foods are threatening to undermine international cooperation in this emerging field."

Belfer Center Alums Launch Center for New American Strategy (CNAS)

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:26:47 -0400

Kurt Campbell and Michèle Flournoy, both alums of the Belfer Center, founded The Center for a New American Strategy in February 2007. The organization has grown into an intellectual, nonpartisan national think tank focusing on national security and defense.

Laura Diaz Anadon Leads Research in Low-Carbon Energy Technologies

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:13:29 -0400

Laura Diaz Anadon, former chemical engineer and financial consultant, was named program manager of the Center’s Energy Technology Innovation Policy (ETIP) research group’s Energy Research Development & Deployment Policy (ERD3) this past summer. She heads the Center's efforts to produce and promote a comprehensive set of recommendations for the next U.S. administration to accelerate the development and deployment of low-carbon energy technologies.

Belfer Center Newsletter Winter 2008-09

Sharon Wilke — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:09:11 -0400

The Winter 2008-09 issue of the Belfer Center newsletter features recent and upcoming research, activities, and analysis by Center faculty, fellows, and staff on critical global issues. "What should the next president do first?" is a question raised in this issue. Belfer Center experts respond to the question with advice on what they consider priority issues of national security, climate/energy policy, and the economic crisis.

The Winter 2008-09 issue also features take-aways from the Center’s recent “Acting in Time on Energy Policy” conference hosted by the Energy Technology Innovation Policy research group. In addition, it spotlights Belfer Center Faculty Affiliate Richard Clarke and new Kennedy School Professor Nicholas Burns.