National Science Board releases report on long-term national workforce engineering trends

The National Science Board (NSB), the governing body of the National Science Foundation, established a task force in October 2000 to assess long-term national workforce trends and needs in science and engineering.

The task force was charged with considering the relationship of the trends and needs to existing federal policies and recommending strategies that would address long-term science and engineering workforce needs.

As a result of the task force study, the board recently issued a report entitled "The Science and Engineering Workforce/Realizing America's Potential" (NSB-03-69).

The report offers the board's findings and recommendations on long-term strategies for the workforce in the following areas: undergraduate and advanced education in science and engineering; the knowledge base on the science and engineering workforce; the pre-college teaching workforce for mathematics, science and technology; and U.S. engagement in the international science and engineering workforce.

The report is available on EngineeringPolicy.Org at www.engineeringpolicyorg/Repts.html.
Patti Curtis handles public policy-related NSF issues for ASME. She can be reached at curtisp@asme.org.

DHS to protect information on critical infrastructure

The Department of Homeland Security recently launched the Protected Critical Infrastructure Information program, enabling the private sector to voluntarily submit infrastructure information to the federal government to reduce the nation's vulnerability to terrorist attacks.

More than 85 percent of critical infrastructure is within the private sector, according to Homeland Security estimates.

Under provisions of the Critical Infrastructure Information Act of 2002, voluntary information submitted will be protected from public disclosure until and unless the office of the Protected Critical Infrastructure Information program determines that the information does not meet its requirements.
The rule establishing the procedures for protected information was published in the February 20 Federal Register, which can be found at www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/6CFR29_22004.pdf.

The protected information office is part of the homeland security directorate on Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection. That office is charged with receiving submissions, determining if the information qualifies for protection and, if validated, sharing it with authorized entities for use as specified in the Critical Infrastructure Information Act.

More information about the Protected Critical Infrastructure Information program can be found at www.DHS.gov/pcii.

DOE releases long-term hydrogen research plan

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently released its "Hydrogen Posture Plan," a document outlining the activities, milestones and deliverables that DOE plans to pursue to support America's shift to a hydrogen-based transportation energy system. The plan identifies milestones for technology development over the next decade, leading up to a commercialization decision by industry in 2015.

The Bush administration's fiscal year 2005 budget request includes $227 million for research to support the President's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative.

The Posture Plan integrates research, development and demonstration activities from the DOE renewable, nuclear, fossil and science offices. An integrated hydrogen program is designed to improve the effectiveness and accountability of DOE's research activities, and increase the probability of success in achieving technical milestones on the road to a hydrogen economy.

DOE has also coordinated its work on codes and standards with the Department of Transportation and other agencies. ASME is working with the DOE on its research and standards needs for hydrogen.

The plan can be accessed online at www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells.

— Francis Dietz
ASME Government Relations

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