Agenda - October 5, 2004

President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

S&T Collaboration: Ideas for Enhancing European-American Cooperation

The Horizon Ballroom
Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004

Tuesday October 5, 2004

Overview

The United States has many formal and informal mechanisms to facilitate the advancement of science through joint research with colleagues throughout the world. The purpose of this conference is to explore contemporary issues related to trans-Atlantic cooperation at the individual, academic, corporate and national levels. The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) will use the proceedings of this conference to identify topics that may warrant further examination by the Council.

One important example is the use of high cost facilities to determine if there are ways to share facilities. The facilities costs for doing "big science" (including particle physics, nanotechnology, molecular biology, etc.) represent a significant and growing portion of the total expense that research entities must bear. In some cases, a single facility with a given specialty — such as CERN's Large Hadron Collider, Japan's Super Kamiokande neutrino detector, NASA's large space based telescopes like Hubble, and NSF's polar research facility in Antarctica — could be used to benefit research from around the world. In connection with this conference, PCAST hopes to develop a list of high cost facilities both within the United States and internationally to use as examples and to study the policy implications of making these facilities internationally available.

European Union Research Advisory Board Members

PCAST is very pleased that the following members of the European Union Research Advisory Board are able to join PCAST for this conference:

• Jean-Luc Bredas, Professor of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Georgia Institute of Technology (Belgium)
• Kari-Pekka Estola, Vice President Nokia Research Centre (Finland)
• Ian Halliday, Chief Executive of the Particle Physics & Astronomy Research Council (United Kingdom)
• Jens Rostrup-Nielsen, Director of Research & Development Division, Member of Executive Board, Haldor Topsoe A/S (Denmark)
• Horst Soboll, Director, Research Policy, DaimlerChrysler AG (Germany)

Tentative Conference Agenda

8:00 a.m. Registration Begins

Welcome and Introductions

8:30 - 8:40 a.m.

Opening Remarks

8:40 - 9:00 a.m. TBA

Panel 1 - Enhancing International Mobility for European and American Researchers

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

The free movement of researchers between the United States and Europe is a critical dimension of contemporary science and technology. Panelists will discuss current issues — including visas, the internationalization of the S&T workforce, and new and needed mechanisms to promote international mobility.

Discussion with Panel: PCAST and EURAB Members

10:30 - 10:45 a.m. BREAK

Panel 2 - Funding Collaborative Research

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

A number of funding mechanisms are available to support international collaborative research. In one scenario, participating partners pay for their share of the work; in another, researchers from one country may work for sponsoring research organizations in another country. Funding mechanisms have also emerged on either side of the Atlantic designed to facilitate independent collaborative research. Panelists will discuss strategies for facilitating European-American collaborative research in the future.

Discussion with Panel: PCAST and EURAB Members

Lunch Break

12:15 - 1:30 p.m.

Panel 3 - Negotiating Differences in Legal and Regulatory Approaches

1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

A variety of regulatory/legal/policy issues exist which cause U.S. and European scientists approach their research from quite different traditions. Such differences can spillover into the development of trans-Atlantic research collaborations. Panelists will discuss these matters - such as intellectual property rules, standards development, and trade policies — with a focus on how they impact successful collaborations.

Discussion with Panel: PCAST and EURAB Members

3:00 - 3:15 p.m.  BREAK

Panel 4 - The Future of Trans-Atlantic Science Collaborations - Success Stories and Trends

3:15 - 4:45 p.m.

Despite the challenges that exist in current efforts to promote European-American collaboration in science and technology, substantial successful collaboration is in place. Moreover, current trends and ongoing initiatives may require or allow even more robust collaboration in the future. Panelists will describe their experiences in promoting collaborations between the United States and Europe, lessons learned, and future challenges.

Discussion with Panel: PCAST and EURAB Members

Concluding Remarks and Discussion

4:45 - 5:30 p.m.

PCAST & EURAB Members

Adjournment

5:30 p.m.