Convocation on Rising Above the Gathering Storm

Norman R. Augustine, Chair of the “Committee on Prospering the Global Economy of the 21st Century” that produced the influential 2005 National Academies report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future, met with members of the NSB Commission on 21st Century Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics during their first meeting, August 3 - 4, 2006.

Leon Lederman, NSB Commission co-chair, remarked, “we are terrified of producing a report for a shelf. Your report [Rising Above the Gathering Storm] was magic; how did you accomplish that?” Describing the work of the NAS Committee, Augustine suggested Commission members have a unique opportunity (and the talent and commitment) “...to take things one step further,” speaking of how his committee kept various stakeholder groups informed, at all stages as their work proceeded.

The urgency of Augustine’s remarks reflected the conclusion of the NAS report:

It is easy to be complacent about US competitiveness and preeminence in science and technology. We have led the world for decades, and we continue to do so in many areas. But the world is changing rapidly, and our advantages are no longer unique. Without a renewed effort to bolster the foundations of our competitiveness, it is possible that we could lose our privileged position over the long term. For the first time in generations, our children could face poorer prospects than have their parents and grandparents. We owe our current prosperity, security, and good health to the investments of past generations, and we are obliged to renew those commitments to ensure that the US people will continue to benefit from the tremendous opportunities opened up by the rapid development of the global economy. (page 9 - 14: Rising Above the Gathering Storm, 2006)

The attention of Commission members was brought to an upcoming convocation at the National Academies, a significant opportunity for all stakeholders to be informed about and involved in implementing recommendations in Rising Above....

Convocation on Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing Regions, States, and Cities

September 28th, 2006
The National Academies

Purpose:
(1) convene leadership of industry, government, research, and education communities from all 50 states and the federal government
(2) share knowledge and encourage leadership of initiatives at the state and local level to strengthen US competitiveness
(3) discuss current national proposals to respond to the nation’s competitiveness challenge and their implications for states, localities and regions.

For registration information, see
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/gatheringstorm/