Karl S. Pister Board Chair Lawrence T. Papay Council Chair Cornelius W. Sullivan Council Vice Chair

It is not easy for society to create effective science and technology policy. Doing so requires an understanding of complex processes and potentials, as well as realizing the risk of acting and the risk of not acting; it raises a host of related questions about resource allocation, ethical issues, and long-term strategies. The debates over greenhouse gas emissions, energy, transportation; the importance of educational infrastructures for science and math; and the challenge of effectively managing an ever more sophisticated (and expensive) healthcare system are critical issues with significant long-term consequences. There are no quick fixes or single solutions for important and complex issues such as these, and, consequently they are difficult to address.

But there has been a crucial shift in the public sphere in recent years, with a new willingness to look beyond easy fixes. Policymakers and the public are spending less time debating whether to act, and more time discussing how to act. We have reached consensus on the existence and the seriousness of the shortcomings in our science and math education system, on the challenges facing our water supply and on the need for a long-term energy strategy that meets our growing needs and is less harmful to the environment. There is not yet consensus on how to address these problems, but the recognition that they must be addressed now is a major and encouraging step forward.

The National Academies' report Rising Above the Gathering Storm, which warned of America's impending and possibly permanent fall from its position as the world's high-tech leader, has been a major factor in building this momentum. CCST has worked to effectively translate what this national report means for California, and how our state can best respond to challenges in education, research and development, and innovation. In fact, over the past year CCST has been actively working with many state agencies, the legislature, and the governor's office on major science and technology related issues facing the state. As CCST nears the end of its second decade, it has never so effectively fulfilled its mandate to keep California's policymakers connected with the expertise of the state's science and technology community as it is doing today. These are exciting times as we look forward to helping California shape a better future for its citizens.

Karl S. Pister, Board Chair

Lawrence T. Papay, Council Chair

Cornelius W. Sullivan, Council Vice Chair