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US national expert advisory bodies related to science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy have a wide range of missions, governing structures, operational practices, cultures, and impact on federal policymaking. This paper offers an analytical framework for assessing the autonomy, function, and influence of of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), a federal advisory committee consisting of 30 elite scientists, engineers, and industry leaders appointed by and advising the president. We demonstrate that PCAST carries both a strong instrumental advisory role, providing substantive advice to White House STI policy development, and a significant symbolic advisory role, offering visible public support to presidential decisions and initiatives related to STI. However, we find that the council's engagement with either or both roles has shifted depending on its available resources, the policy agenda of the administration it serves, the level of presidential attention, and the priorities of council leadership. The paper concludes with recommendations to guide future PCASTs in fulfilling their mission and appropriately influencing US national STI policy.
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Lessons Learned from a Radio Spectrum Coexistence Competition: A Road Map to Engagement in Informal Education of Wireless Communication
The U.S. Government is in the process of implementing 2012 recommendations by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) [1] to share federal spectrum with non-federal users, a process that is projected to result in a Trillion dollars in societal benefits as well as related employment for millions. Related competitions such as DARPA’s Spectrum Challenge and Spectrum Collaboration Challenge [2] encourage innovative approaches and help prepare the STEM professionals who will develop effective spectrum sharing radios and networks as well as spectrum access systems needed to realize the PCAST vision. We describe experience gained and lessons learned through organization of two international radio spectrum coexistence competitions. In addition, we present an assessment of these competitions based on analysis of participant survey item responses addressing self-efficacy and engagement as well as participant recommendations. We identify and discuss several important considerations in organizing and hosting this type of competition. These considerations include infrastructure comprising both hardware and software, recruitment of sponsors, timing of funding and publicity for the competition, recruitment of participants and advisors, software and hardware documentation and ease of use, technical support, logistics for the final competition, and documentation of the competition, in particular the final competition, for use in publicizing the next year’s competition, if held yearly.
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- PAR ID:
- 10057256
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- ASEE Annual Conference proceedings
- ISSN:
- 1524-4644
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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