5,554 votes
Kick Start Research and Innovation in Energy
Double the # of engineers who graduate from American universities each year to 60K. Bring more women into the field, encourage foreigners who study engineering here to stay.
We train foreign nationals, invest in them, and then make them go home. I would staple a green card to their diploma.
rynokil
Yes!! We still have the best advanced education network in the world, but not for long! We must retain talented workers, no matter where they are from. Business incubators for immigrants and encouragement for the highly educated to stay, to invent, to produce and to train the next generation are all key to staying competitive with China and India.
15 days ago
2010
ARPA-E was signed into law in Aug 2007. The agency will be a lean and aggressive force in developing advanced energy technologies. The new administration should stand up the agency as soon as possible so at least the infrastructure is put in place within 6 months of inauguration.
19 days ago
gloverette
We have allowed our focus to leave this critical and viable area that our country is known for. We must place importance back on the sciences, math and other critical thinking skills or we will be left behind.
20 days ago
JohnStanton
ZLets not have a repeat of the Carter years. Lets get going!
29 days ago
Johngv
This admin has the chance to turn things around with the R & D in this country.... China will be outpacing us if we encourage foreign students that school here to stay here..
about 1 month ago
SwiftlyTilt
I think the free market can only go so far. There a difference between providing jobs, and fostering an environment where people actually pursue engineering and technical jobs, which is what America needs to do. Imagine our country if we were not only free from dependency on foreign oil, but a leading inovator in the sciences, what good we could do for the world.
about 1 month ago
Steve McAllister
As much as I would like to see this, I think it is better to let the free market operate. It might be better to instead ensure high standards, and ensure that the ones who graduate are highly qualified. Highly qualified people will lead to high salaries and high salaries will attract the best, whether women, men, nationals or foreigners.
about 1 month ago
Jaison
innovation has always been the driving force of america. it seems that we have forgotten that. we lost on the combustion engine. asia has destroyed the big 3. but if we invest in R&D we can make the next gen cars, next gen cures, and next gen tech. a child might think japan invented cars, TV's, and every other gadget. but americans did then lost the manufacturing of them.
about 1 month ago
jps
John: We can attract the worlds best students and make sure that more of them are coming from the U.S. at the same time.
about 1 month ago
John.Argent
jps you at least are thinking about the USA, I have nothing against foreign nationals, but we need to get our education level up and find a way to finance the really good students and get them thru school, and leave big business out of it they only want the bottom line on profit.
about 1 month ago
jps
c8503: The problem would be better solved by improving the quality of the United States public school system, by, for example, using 5% of the defense budget to halve class sizes, build more schools to house the doubled classes, put teacher salaries on par with upper-middle management salaries, and waive state and community college tuitions. Let U.S. students compete in U.S. universities!
about 1 month ago
c8503
We need to ease legislation on work permits for foreign nationals, especially ones who complete higher education in the states. I just completed a master's program where 50% of the students grew up and went to undergraduate school in Asia. Almost every one of them went home to work because U.S. employers didn't want to deal with the extensive process of getting them visas. THIS HAS TO CHANGE!!!
about 1 month ago
reya276
I say invest in nano technology as when it absorbs radiation(sunlight) it produces electricity all on it's own.
about 1 month ago
ChrisWee
I applaud the goal, though I would caution against just assigning the responsibility to just DOE, or DARPA. Good ideas for implementing energy schemes might come from USAg, DOE, DARPA, NSF, Commerce Dept or any number of agencies.
about 1 month ago
jps
We need <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_sulfur_battery">lithium sulfur batteries</a> on both the small scale for portable consumer electronics, and the large scale for storing wind power for periods of calm.
about 1 month ago
dduke
I have noticed that DARPA's Grand Challenge for AI has had a lot of success given the relatively limited funds invested. Since energy security is every bit as important as military security, I suggest a similar approach with multiple grand challenges. Such as: energy storage density in batteries, solar conversion efficiencies, light source efficiencies, etc.
about 1 month ago
teriktm
we need new definitions - and new paradigms.
we can think - and work - our way out of this crisis with innovative programs that promote sustainable growth
about 1 month ago
citizenkahn
Amory Lovins, at the Rocky Mountain institute, is right we can grow out economy by greening it. From standard efficiency programs to process engineering we need to rethink to make the most desirable products and services that use the least resources. The earth wins, our economy wins because the economy is the environment
about 1 month ago
caross
America is falling behind... we need to focus our incredible resource of brainpower in this country to move forward in energy technologies.
All that is needed is funding, look at the XPrize and the amazing strides those programs have made.
Imagine what could have been done with all the money, wasted in war, that could be putting us well ahead of the rest of the world on Energy independence.
about 1 month ago
jlaprise
This should not be limited strictly to energy. By focusing so, it is likely that synergistic technologies that make possible advances in energy technology will be missed. Modern advanced, complex technologies are made possibleby advances in a variety of fields.
about 1 month ago
cmheisel
This ought to be our No. 1 priority backed by partners, such as IEEE, all Engineering schools, all high tech companies, etc.
about 1 month ago
dcoleman
Good old Jon Doerr (I truly hope it was really him who recommended this one). We need this strategy badly and must redirect government agencies like DARPA to focus on a geo-political mandate of research in renewable energy rather than a in combat mandate.
about 1 month ago