Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology

Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2017-07-28

Total Pages: 231

ISBN-13: 0309452058

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Between 1973 and 2016, the ways to manipulate DNA to endow new characteristics in an organism (that is, biotechnology) have advanced, enabling the development of products that were not previously possible. What will the likely future products of biotechnology be over the next 5â€"10 years? What scientific capabilities, tools, and/or expertise may be needed by the regulatory agencies to ensure they make efficient and sound evaluations of the likely future products of biotechnology? Preparing for Future Products of Biotechnology analyzes the future landscape of biotechnology products and seeks to inform forthcoming policy making. This report identifies potential new risks and frameworks for risk assessment and areas in which the risks or lack of risks relating to the products of biotechnology are well understood.


Downsizing the Federal Government

Downsizing the Federal Government

Author: Chris Edwards

Publisher: Cato Institute

Published: 2005-11-25

Total Pages: 263

ISBN-13: 1933995513

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The federal government is running huge budget deficits, spending too much, and heading toward a financial crisis. Federal spending soared under President George W. Bush, and the costs of programs for the elderly are set to balloon in coming years. Hurricane Katrina has made the federal budget situation even more desperate. In Downsizing the Federal Government Cato Institute budget expert Chris Edwards provides policymakers with solutions to the growing federal budget mess. Edwards identifies more than 100 federal programs that should be terminated, transferred to the states, or privatized in order to balance the budget and save hundreds of billions of dollars. Edwards proposes a balanced reform package of cuts to entitlements, domestic programs, and excess defense spending. He argues that these cuts would not only eliminate the deficit, but also strengthen the economy, enlarge personal freedom, and leave a positive fiscal legacy for the next generation. Downsizing the Federal Government discusses the systematic causes of wasteful spending, and it overflows with examples of federal programs that are obsolete and mismanaged. The book examines the budget process and shows how policymakers act contrary to the interests of average Americans by favoring special interests.


Global Innovation Index 2020

Global Innovation Index 2020

Author: Cornell University

Publisher: WIPO

Published: 2020-08-13

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13: 2381920005

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The Global Innovation Index 2020 provides detailed metrics about the innovation performance of 131 countries and economies around the world. Its 80 indicators explore a broad vision of innovation, including political environment, education, infrastructure and business sophistication. The 2020 edition sheds light on the state of innovation financing by investigating the evolution of financing mechanisms for entrepreneurs and other innovators, and by pointing to progress and remaining challenges – including in the context of the economic slowdown induced by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.


Anticipatory Policymaking

Anticipatory Policymaking

Author: Rob A. DeLeo

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-09-16

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 1317604962

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Public policy analysts and political pundits alike tend to describe the policymaking process as a reactive sequence in which government develops solutions for clearly evident and identifiable problems. While this depiction holds true in many cases, it fails to account for instances in which public policy is enacted in anticipation of a potential future problem. Whereas traditional policy concerns manifest themselves through ongoing harms, "anticipatory problems" are projected to occur sometime in the future, and it is the prospect of their potentially catastrophic impact that generates intense speculation and concern in the present. Anticipatory Policymaking: When Government Acts to Prevent Problems and Why It Is So Difficult provides an in depth examination of the complex process through which United States government institutions anticipate emerging threats. Using contemporary debates over the risks associated with nanotechnology, pandemic influenza, and global warming as case study material, Rob A. DeLeo highlights the distinctive features of proactive governance. By challenging the pervasive assumption of reactive policymaking, DeLeo provides a dynamic approach for conceptualizing the political dimensions of anticipatory policy change.


Acoustic Absorbers and Diffusers

Acoustic Absorbers and Diffusers

Author: Trevor J. Cox

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2009-01-26

Total Pages: 495

ISBN-13: 0203893050

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Absorbers and diffusers are two of the main design tools for altering the acoustic conditions of rooms, semi-enclosed spaces and the outdoor environment. Their correct use is important for delivering high quality acoustics. Unique and authoritative, this book decribes how to effectively measure, model, design and apply diffusers and absorbers. It is a resource for new and experienced acousticians, seeking an understanding of the evolution, characteristics and application of modern diffusers. Absorption is a more established technology and so the book blends traditional designs with modern developments. The book covers practical and theoretical aspects of absorbers and diffusers and is well illustrated with examples of installations and case studies. This new edition brings Acoustic Absorbers and Diffusers up-to-date with current research, practice and standards. New developments in measurement, materials, theory and practice since the first edition (published in 2004) are included. The sections on absorbers are extended to include more about noise control.


Engineering a Better Future

Engineering a Better Future

Author: Eswaran Subrahmanian

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-11-12

Total Pages: 222

ISBN-13: 3319911341

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This open access book examines how the social sciences can be integrated into the praxis of engineering and science, presenting unique perspectives on the interplay between engineering and social science. Motivated by the report by the Commission on Humanities and Social Sciences of the American Association of Arts and Sciences, which emphasizes the importance of social sciences and Humanities in technical fields, the essays and papers collected in this book were presented at the NSF-funded workshop ‘Engineering a Better Future: Interplay between Engineering, Social Sciences and Innovation’, which brought together a singular collection of people, topics and disciplines. The book is split into three parts: A. Meeting at the Middle: Challenges to educating at the boundaries covers experiments in combining engineering education and the social sciences; B. Engineers Shaping Human Affairs: Investigating the interaction between social sciences and engineering, including the cult of innovation, politics of engineering, engineering design and future of societies; and C. Engineering the Engineers: Investigates thinking about design with papers on the art and science of science and engineering practice.