Task Force Kicks Off Research Campaign

WASHINGTON, April 28 -- Leaders from the technology industry and academia unveiled an advocacy campaign this week to illustrate the importance of basic research to the future of American innovation, economic growth and job creation.

The Task Force on the Future of American Innovation, which includes 14 organizations associated with business and academia, said it will seek to reverse a decline in federal investment in basic research in the physical sciences and engineering that puts at risk the development of new technologies, new industries and high-value jobs. Specifically, it is calling on the federal government to increase the budgets of key research agencies -- the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy Office of Science and the Department of Defense Research Accounts -- by 10 to 12 percent a year over the next five to seven years.

Task force members include the American Chemical Society, the American Physical Society, the Association of American Universities, The Alliance for Science & Technology Research in America (ASTRA), the Computer Systems Policy Project, the Council on Competitiveness, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel Corp., the National Association of Manufacturers, The Science Coalition, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and Texas Instruments.

"US competitiveness in global markets and the creation of good jobs at home rely increasingly on the cutting-edge innovation that stems from high-risk basic research," said Craig Barrett, CEO of Intel Corp. and chairman of the Computer Systems Policy Project. "We’re here to help policy makers understand that US technological leadership, innovation and jobs of tomorrow require a commitment to basic research funding today."

The campaign will include print advertising and traditional lobbying by task force members and allies. The group will run print advertisements with the theme, "Innovation is America’s Economic Heartbeat: Don’t Flat Line our Future!"

For more information, visit ASTRA's Web site: www.aboutastra.org. To request copies of the print advertisements, E-mail: r_boege@acs.org