Supporting Innovation in an Economic Crisis

A briefing sponsored by the Economic Policy Institute, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, Breakthrough Institute, University of California Washington Center, and Ford Foundation

Monday, December 1, 2008 – Washington D.C.

How much will a new administration and Congress invest in efforts to unleash broader technological innovation in the United States? Does the economic crisis pose greater opportunities for investing in policies to spur technological innovation? What areas of federal innovation investment should be strengthened to help the U.S. rebuild its economy while still fostering advances in computers, nanotechnology, biotechnology, health, renewable energy, and other new industries? What institutional changes are needed to make innovation policy more effective?

Join business, technology, congressional, and academic leaders from around the country to answer these and other questions at a Washington D.C. briefing sponsored by the Economic Policy Institute, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the Breakthrough Institute, and University of California Washington Center and the Ford Foundation.

The day-long meeting will launch with release of a new report by Fred Block and Matthew Keller from the University of California, Davis that examines the role of the federal government in promoting innovations, the extent to which weaknesses in the U.S. system has affected deployment and implementation of new technologies, and what steps a new administration should take to ensure that the federal government plays a supportive and important role in innovation to foster global leadership. David Douglas of Sun Microsystems will join Victor Hwang of T2 Capital and Nicole Biggart, Dean of the Graduate School of Management at UC Davis, to react to the report and offer their perspectives on what pressing challenges face an incoming administration for expanding innovation capacity to help put people back to work, build new industries, and strengthen U.S. competitiveness.

The day-long conference will also focus on innovations to promote energy independence and sustainability, and the political and economic obstacles facing creation of a world-class innovation system in the United States.

Event Details:

When: Monday, December 1, 2008    9:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Where: University of California, Washington Center

Washington, D.C.

Agenda Highlights and Scheduled Speakers:

9:30 a.m. – Noon - Rebuilding the U.S. Innovation System

Nicole Biggart, Dean, Graduate School of Business, University of California, Davis

Fred Block, Professor, Department of Sociology, University of California, Davis

David Douglas, Senior Vice President, Sun Microsystems

Victor Hwang, Managing Partner, T2 Venture Capital

12:00 - 1:00 pm Address by Michael Piore, Professor, Department of Economics, MIT

1:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. - The Green Challenge: Investing in Innovation for Energy Independence and Sustainability

John Irons, Research and Policy Director, Economic Policy Institute

Robert Pollin, Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and author of Green Recovery

Andrew Revkin, Reporter, New York Times

Daniel Sarewitz, Director, Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes, Arizona State University

3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. - Overcoming Political and Economic Obstacles: Can the U.S. Create a World Class Innovation System?

Robert Berdahl, President, American Association of Universities

Ron Hira, Professor, Rochester Institute of Technology and author of Outsourcing America

Sean O'Riain, Professor of Sociology, National University of Ireland

Marc Stanley, Director of the Technology Innovation Program, U.S. Department of Commerce

To RSVP, send an email to events@burnesscommunications.com. For more information, please contact Staci Gorden at Burness Communications at 301-652-1558.