Reports

Science and Technology Issues in the 115th Congress

Science and technology (S&T)have a pervasive influence over a wide range of issues confronting the nation. Public and private research and development spur scientific and technological advancement. Such advances can drive economic growth, help address national priorities, and improve health and quality of life. The constantly changing nature and ubiquity of science and technology frequently create public policy issues of congressional interest.

The Changing Landscape of Disruptive Technologies

As tech innovations unfold, China is stacking up to the United States as a leading force. Global tech industry leaders indicated, in KPMG’s tech innovation survey, the United States and China are the world’s dominant tech epicenters with the greatest potential to develop disruptive technology breakthroughs that will have a global impact. The strong showing for these two mega-powers is relatively consistent with earlier KPMG surveys, although this year’s poll reflects a slight uptick for China—25 percent compared with 23 percent the prior year.

Ignored Potential

By 2020, STEM jobs in the United States are expected to increase by 10% (Lockard & Wolf, 2012); however, with some sectors reporting nearly 600,000 unfilled engineering jobs (BLS, 2015), declining numbers of engineering graduates cause alarm.

Horizon Report 2017 Higher Education Edition

Six key trends, six significant challenges, and six developments in educational technology profiled in this report are poised to impact teaching, learning, and creative inquiry in higher education. The three sections of this report constitute a reference and technology planning guide for educators, higher education leaders, administrators, policymakers, and technologists. These top 10 highlights capture the big picture themes of educational change that underpin the 18 topics...

U.S. Chamber International IP Index

“Governments from East to West all want the same thing: economic growth. Now more than ever, world economies must choose whether they will grow forward into the future or shrink back from endless innovative potential,” said Mark Elliot, executive vice president of GIPC. “Each year, this report attempts to highlight best practices among the world’s intellectual property environments. In 2017, many of the same challenges remain.

Annual Report on the State of the DOE National Laboratories

The Department of Energy's (DOE’s) scientific and technical capabilities are rooted in its system of National Laboratories—17 world-class institutions that constitute the most comprehensive research and development network of its kind. The first Annual Report on the State of the DOE National Laboratories describes the DOE National Laboratory System, its role in advancing the frontiers of science and technology, and efforts to ensure it continues as a national resource for the Department’s near- and long-term missions.

Obama administration spent billions to fix failing schools, and it didn't work

In response to the recession that began in 2007, the U.S. Congress passed, and President Barack Obama signed into law, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. Law 111-5). At an estimated cost of $831 billion, this economic stimulus package sought to save and create jobs, provide temporary relief to those adversely affected by the recession, and invest in education, health, infrastructure, and renewable energy. States and school districts received $100 billion to secure teachers’ jobs and promote innovation in schools.

National Report on the Status of K-12 Connectivity in America

In 2015, 40 governors committed to providing their K-12 students with equal access to educational opportunity by ensuring that all of their classrooms were connected to high-speed broadband. During 2016, 34 of these governors took action, taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the modernization of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) E-rate program, to begin the process of delivering on this commitment.

Reimagining the Role of Technology in Higher Education

This document is an outgrowth of the 2016 National Education Technology Plan (NETP). The NETP presents a shared vision and call to action for transformational learning enabled by technology at all levels of our education system.

Providing High-Quality STEM Experiences for All Young Learners

The report, “Early STEM Matters: Providing High-Quality STEM Experiences for All Young Learners,” is the culmination of two years of work by the Early Childhood STEM Working Group, which was co-organized by Erikson Institute and UChicago STEM Education at the University of Chicago. With the report, the working group, which includes scholars, policy makers, curriculum developers, and educators from across the United States, aims to inform the public discussion around STEM experiences in the early years.