Transcript

"Obstinate Issues, Sophisticated Solutions: Environmental Science and Education for a New Age"

John H. Chafee Memorial Lecture on Science and the Environment
Rita R. Colwell
Director
National Science Foundation

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, COLLEAGUES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

WELCOME TO THE THIRD ANNUAL JOHN H. CHAFEE MEMORIAL LECTURE ON

SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, MY NAME IS RICHARD BENEDICK.

AND IN ADDITION TO BEING AFFILIATED WITH ONE OF THE NATION'S PREMIER

RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONAL LABORATORY,

I AM ALSO PRIVILEGED TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THIS VERY UNUSUAL

REMARKABLE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS ORGANIZED THIS CONFERENCE.

NOW, I AM PERSONALLY NOT A SCIENTIST.

BUT AS A DIPLOMAT REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES IN INTERNATIONAL

NEGOTIATIONS ON SUCH ISSUES AS CLIMATE CHANGE, PROTECTING THE

OZONE LAYER, AND THE AIDS EPIDEMIC, I HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE THE

ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL ROLE THAT SCIENCE AND SCIENTISTS PLAY IN

SOLVING THE PROBLEMS OF A WORLD OF SIX BILLION PEOPLE WHICH WILL

IN THE COMING DECADES RISE TO NINE BILLION.

I'M REMINDED OF THE GARY LARSEN CARTOON, WHICH MANY OF YOU MAY

RECALL THAT SHOWED AN AUDITORIUM SUCH AS THIS, FILLED WITH ALL

MANNER OF DINOSAURS, WITH THEIR SCALES AND THEIR HORNS AND TAILS

AND PROTUBERANCES AND AT THE PODIUM, WHERE I AM NOW, WAS ANOTHER

LARGE DINOSAUR WITH A WORRIED EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE, SAYING,

AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE ARE

ON THE ROAD TO EXTINCTION.

AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, WE HAVE BRAINS THE SIZE OF A PEA.

NOW, WE HUMANS HAVE LARGER BRAINS.

INDEED, AS OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER OF THIS MORNING, JONATHAN LASH

OBSERVED, THANKS TO THE MARVELS OF TELECOMMUNICATION, THE PUBLIC

IS IN FACT INUNDATED WITH AN OVERLOAD OF INFORMATION.

HOW TO FILTER OUT THE SPAM, HOW TO FILTER OUT THE SELF-SERVING OR

MISLED MISSIONARIES, THE EXAGGERATED OR DISTORTED SCIENTIFIC

CLAIMS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE UNCERTAINTIES IN THE SCIENTIFIC

THEORIES AND FINDINGS.

FRANK THIS MORNING CORRECTLY NOTED THAT IT IS UNWISE AND INDEED

IRRESPONSIBLE FOR NATIONAL LEADERS TO WAIT FOR 100% SCIENTIFIC

CERTAINTIES BEFORE UNDERTAKING PREVENTIVE MEASURES.

NOW, THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS THE SPONSOR OF THIS CONFERENCE, THE

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT, HAS A SINGLE

AND UNIQUE VISION: TO IMPROVE THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR

ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING.

IN IMPLEMENTING THIS VISION, WE OPERATE IN A NONPOLEMIC,

NONPOLITICAL MANNER.

AS I SAID DURING THE OZONE NEGOTIATIONS THAT I WAS PRIVILEGED TO

LEAD SOME YEARS AGO, IF WE HAVE A 70% CASE, LET'S MAKE IT THAT

WAY.

LET'S RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO STRETCH IT TO 100% BECAUSE IN SO

DOING, WE ONLY GIVE AMMUNITION TO THOSE WHO OPPOSE TAKING ANY

ACTION.

PRESENT THE CASE FAIRLY AND THE PUBLIC AND MOST POLITICAL LEADERS

ARE MORE LIKELY TO TRY TO MANAGE THE RISKS IN A RATIONAL WAY.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SENATOR JOHN CHAFEE WAS A GREAT AMERICAN

AND A REMARKABLE STATESMAN.

HE TRULY APPRECIATED THE IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE FOR POLICY-MAKING.

WHEN I WAS LEADING THE U.S. NEGOTIATIONS ON THE MONTREAL

PROTOCOL, TO PROTECT THE OZONE LAYER, SENATOR CHAFEE WAS A VERY

CLOSE ALLY IN CONGRESS, AND I CAME TO KNOW HIM QUITE WELL.

HE WAS AN ALLY IN SETTING A SCIENCE-BASED COURSE AND IN FENDING

OFF ATTACKS BY ANTIENVIRONMENTAL, ANTISCIENCE IDEALOGUES, PEOPLE

WHO WANTED TO US WEAKEN OUR POSITION IN THE INTERNATIONAL

NEGOTIATIONS.

WE WERE VINDICATED BY THE FAR-SIGHTED DECISION OF PRESIDENT

RONALD REAGAN OVERRULING SOME OF HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS IN ENDORSING A

STRONG UNITED STATES POSITION IN THE OZONE NEGOTIATIONS.

AND THE RESULT, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WAS THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL ON

PROTECTING THE OZONE LAYER AND IN A WORLD WHERE WE REGULARLY HEAR

MUCH GLOOM AND DOOM, I AM PROUD AND HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE TONIGHT

HERE TONIGHT THAT THE MOST RECENT OBSERVATIONS OVER ANTARCTICA

DEFINITIVELY CONFIRM THAT THE ANTARTIC OZONE HOLE IS

NOW DIMINISHING AND IS ON THE ROAD TO BEING HEALED.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF GETTING TO KNOW

BOTH DAN LANGENBERG AND RITA COLWELL

THROUGH MY WORK ON THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND THE

ENVIRONMENT. I'M SURE THEY BOTH REMEMBER SOME FIVE OR SIX YEARS

AGO WHEN WE WERE STILL TRYING TO GET THIS ORGANIZATION

ESTABLISHED AND TO GET SOME RECOGNITION AND ENDORSEMENT FOR OUR

ORGANIZATION AND FOR OUR MISSION.

YOU MAY REMEMBER HOW WE WERE CALLING ON SKEPTICAL ADMINISTRATORS

IN A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES WHO DID NOT

WANT TO HEAR VERY MUCH ABOUT US IN THOSE DAYS.

I THINK IF SOMEONE IN THOSE DIFFICULT DAYS, FIVE OR SIX YEARS

AGO, HAD SHOWN US A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE PRESENT, OF TODAY, IN THIS

SPLENDID SETTING, WITH MANY OF THE SAME ORGANIZATIONS NOW

OFFICIAL FUNDING SPONSORS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND

THE ENVIRONMENT, WE ALL THREE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE FALLEN AWAY IN

A DEAD FAINT.

IT SHOWS THAT THINGS CAN TURN OUT FOR THE BETTER.

NOW, RITA COLWELL, WHOM DON LANGENBERG WILL INTRODUCE, EPITOMIZES

FOR ME AS A NONSCIENTIST IN HER DISTINGUISHED CAREER, THE ESSENCE OF

MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE.

HOLDING DEGREES IN BACTERIOLOGY, GENETICS, AND OCEANOGRAPHY.

AND INDEED, FOR ME VERY IMPRESSIVE, A GEOLOGICAL SITE IN

ANTARTICA HAS BEEN NAMED IN RECOGNITION OF HER POLAR RESEARCH.

THE COLWELL MASSIF.

NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BEFORE I INTRODUCE DON, WHO IN TURN

WILL INTRODUCE RITA, I HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE

FIRST OF THESE THREE DELIGHTFUL PEOPLE WHOM I HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW

OVER RECENT YEARS, AND THAT IS MRS. GEORGIA CHAFEE NASSIKAS, THE DAUGHTER

OF SENATOR JOHN CHAFEE, FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR, GEORGIA

WILL REPRESENT THE CHAFEE FAMILY AT THIS CELEBRATION.

MRS. NASSIKAS, LIKE HER FATHER, IS AN INDIVIDUAL OF MANY INTERESTS AND MANY

TALENTS.

ARTISTS AND DESIGNER, ORGANIC GARDENER, AND NOT LEAST, MOTHER OF

FOUR.

GEORGIA, MY PLEASURE.

>> GOOD EVENING.

THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME VERY IMPORTANT DIGNITARIES ON

PENNSYLVANIA AND CONSTITUTION, BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS STOPPED IN

ITS TRACKS.

I'M SORRY I'M A LITTLE LATE HERE.

ON BEHALF OF THE CHAFEE FAMILY, I AM THRILLED TO SEE SUCH

VIBRANT AND STELLAR PARTICIPANTS HERE AT THE LECTURE.

WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE DR. COLWELL AS OUR SPEAKER.

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT MOTTO IS

IMPROVING THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING.

DR. COLWELL'S WORK EMBRACES THAT MOTTO.

HOW FITTING THAT THE THEME OF THIS YEAR'S CONFERENCE IS EDUCATION

FOR A SUSTAINABLE AND SECURE FUTURE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND UNFLAGGING COMMITMENT TO THAT GOAL.

NOW, ESPECIALLY THAT COMMITMENT IS REQUIRED.

LAWS THAT WERE PASSED TO ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE ARE BEING

ROLLED BACK.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES THAT WERE HAMMERED OUT TO ACHIEVE SECURITY

ARE NOW THREATENED.

TIME IS RUNNING SHORT ON MANY ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL

FRONTS.

YESTERDAY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE TODAY'S CHALLENGES.

HOW PLEASED JOHN CHAFEE WOULD BE WITH THE VIGOR AND TENACITY WITH

WHICH YOU RISE TO MEET THOSE CHALLENGES.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GEORGIA FOR

THOSE GRACIOUS COMMENTS.

AND I NOW HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF INTRODUCING DR. DONALD

LANGENBERG, EMINENT PHYSICIST WITH RENOWNED ACHIEVEMENTS IN

CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS AND SUPERCONDUCTIVITY, EMINENT SCIENCE

ADMINISTRATOR AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE

FOUNDATION SOME YEARS AGO, ALSO AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR AS

CHANCELLOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS IN CHICAGO, AND LATER,

UNDER HIS GUIDANCE, CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY MARYLAND SYSTEM

WHICH HAS RISEN UNDER HIS GUIDANCE TO THE TOP RANKINGS OF

AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES, QUITE APART FROM ITS DOMINANCE IN

BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU

DR. DON LANGENBERG, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL.

>> THANK YOU, MR. AMBASSADOR.

IT IS MY GREAT PERSONAL PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THIS

YEAR'S CHAFEE LECTURER, A FRIEND, AND A COLLEAGUE.

YOU HAVE ALL BEEN PROVIDED WITH A SUMMARY OF RITA COLWELL'S

RATHER REMARKABLE CAREER.

AND I WON'T GO THROUGH IT.

BUT LET ME MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK ARE AMONG THE

REMARKABLE THINGS THAT RITA HAS DONE.

SHE IS THE FIRST ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST TO DIRECT THE NATIONAL

SCIENCE FOUNDATION.

SHE HAS BEEN A TIRELESS CAMPAIGNER, A SPOKESPERSON FOR ENHANCED

FUNDING OF SCIENCE GENERALLY AND OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE

FOUNDATION IN PARTICULAR.

THE NSF BUDGET IS NOW UP TO ABOUT 4.8 BILLION.

I LIKE THAT NUMBER.

AS THE AMBASSADOR SAID, I SERVED TIME AT NSF A FEW YEARS BACK AT

THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE CARTER ADMINISTRATION AND THE REAGAN

ADMINISTRATION, AND DURING THAT PERIOD, THE NSF BUDGET REACHED 1

BILLION DOLLARS.

IT DID SO THREE TIMES.

FIRST, GOING UP, THEN GOING DOWN.

AND FINALLY, GOING UP AGAIN.

AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THE SO-CALLED NSF DOUBLING BILL, AN

AUTHORIZATION BILL PASSED BY THE CONGRESS WITH GREAT BIPARTISAN

SUPPORT, SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE NEXT

GREAT THRESHOLD IS 10 BILLION DOLLARS FOR NSF.

OF DIRECT IMPORTANCE TO NCSE, RITA SHEPHERDED THE NATIONAL

SCIENCE BOARD REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FOR

THE 21ST CENTURY.

AND THIS CAST A NEW ROLE FOR NSF AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND

ENGINEERING AS A PRIORITY WITH A MUCH MORE INTERDISCIPLINARY AND

SOCIALLY RELEVANT FOCUS.

WE WILL SEE FAR MORE IN THE WAY OF EXCITING IMPORTANT RESULTS AS

THAT FOCUS CARRIES ON INTO THE FUTURE.

ONE OF THE MOST SALIENT THINGS IN RITA'S CAREER HAS BEEN HER

VISION.

AND I DON'T MEAN VISION BY VISION THE ABILITY TO SEE WHAT'S

HAPPENING,

OR WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT, RATHER, THE ABILITY TO SEE WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE

AND THEN TO WORK AGGRESSIVELY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SHE DID THAT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BIOTECHNOLOGY

INSTITUTE IN THE MID 1980S.

SHE GOT IT ESTABLISHED, SHE SERVED AS ITS FOUNDING DIRECTOR AND

PRESIDENT

UNTIL SHE LEFT FOR THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.

AND I BELIEVE SHE'S DOING THAT AT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL OF US.

IT GIVES ME A GREAT DEAL OF PLEASURE TO BRING TO YOU THE THIRD

JOHN H. CHAFEE MEMORIAL LECTURER ON SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT,

RITA COLWELL.

RITA?

>> GOOD EVENING TO ALL OF YOU.

I'M DELIGHTED AND HONORED TO BE SPEAKING TONIGHT, NOT LEAST

BECAUSE OF THE REALLY FINE WORK OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR

SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT ACCOMPLISHES, AND THE DISTINGUISHED

SPEAKERS WHO HAVE PRECEDED ME AT THIS PODIUM, PEOPLE LIKE SHERRY

ROWLAND, MARIO MOLINA AND ED WILSON, BUT I'M ALSO MINDFUL THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE COME OUT IN A

RATHER COLD SNOWY SLASH RAINY NIGHT IN JANUARY TO ENGAGE IN A

DIALOGUE ON ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

SO I'M GENUINELY PLEASED TO BE AMONG PEOPLE WHO SHARE A STRONG

COMMITMENT TO AN ISSUE SO CRITICAL TO THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY.

AND FINALLY, WITH ALL AMERICANS, I OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO

THE LATE SENATOR CHAFEE, WHOSE VISION AND PERSISTENT VOICE ON

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WE CELEBRATE.

WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIS -- HAVE HAD HIS LEADERSHIP, BECAUSE

HE WAS A TIRELESS CAMPAIGNER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING ENVIRONMENTAL

POLICY,

AND A LONG-TIME ADVOCATE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND

EDUCATION.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ARE THE TOPICS OF THE

CONFERENCE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING TODAY, AND IT IS THE

FOCUS OF MY REMARKS THIS EVENING.

I WANT TO EMPHASIZE BOTH THE EXTRAORDINARY DIFFICULTY OF THE

CHALLENGES THAT ARE FACING US AND THE GREAT POTENTIAL THAT WE

HAVE FOR MEETING THEM.

SO I'VE TAKEN MY TITLE FROM A COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS THAT WAS

DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY IN TIMES THAT ARE RATHER

SIMILAR TO OUR OWN RIGHT NOW.

SPEAKING 40 YEARS AGO, HE DESCRIBED THE PRESSING ISSUES OF THE

TIMES, AS I QUOTE, "MORE SUBTLE AND LESS SIMPLE" THAN THOSE OF THE

PAST.

"THEY RELATE NOT TO BASIC CLASHES OF PHILOSOPHY OR IDEOLOGY," HE

SAID, BUT TO WAYS AND MEANS OF REACHING COMMON GOALS, TO RESEARCH

FOR SOPHISTICATED SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX AND OBSTINATE ISSUES.

WELL, THAT WAS 1962.

CONFIDENCE IN THE ABILITY OF SCIENCE TO MAKE RAPID PROGRESS IN SOLVING THE

NATION'S PROBLEMS WAS RAMPANT AT THAT TIME.

JOHN GLENN HAD JUST BECOME THE FIRST AMERICAN TO ORBIT THE EARTH.

THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, THE AGENCY THAT I NOW DIRECT,

HAD JUST TURNED THE CORNER ON ITS FIRST DECADE OF WORK TO ADVANCE

FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN THE SCIENCES.

SCHOOLS ACROSS THE NATION WERE BUILDING NEW LABORATORIES,

STOCKING THEM WITH CUTTING-EDGE EQUIPMENT, AND PROMOTING SCIENCE

AS AN IMPORTANT CAREER AND NATIONAL NEED.

WE WERE A NATION INTOXICATED WITH HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE AND

SCIENCE WAS GOING TO TAKE US THERE.

LOOKING BACK TO THOSE TIMES, WE MAY BE TEMPTED TO DESPAIR -- THE

STUBBORN PROBLEMS OF THE PAST, THE DISEASE, HUNGER, AND CONFLICT,

THEY'RE STILL WITH US.

AND NOT SURPRISINGLY, NEW ONES HAVE APPEARED.

TO THE OLD AND FAMILIAR SCOURGES WE NOW ADD THE GROWING CONCERNS

ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF PLANET EARTH.

WE MIGHT WELL ASK, "HAVE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FAILED US?"

THE SOMETIMES GLOOMY BUT EVER THOUGHTFUL CARTOON CHARACTER

CHARLIE BROWN I THINK EXPRESSS THIS ANGST PERFECTLY WHEN HE SAYS

SOMETIMES I LIE AWAKE AT NIGHT AND ASK, "WHERE HAVE I GONE WRONG?"

AND THEN A VOICE SAYS TO ME, "THIS IS GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN ONE

NIGHT."

WELL, UNDERSTANDING THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST IS A NECESSARY AND A

USEFUL PART OF OUR LEARNING PROCESS.

IN ONE GLANCE OF THE NEWS REMINDS US THAT NOT ALL THE CHANGES WE

HUMANS HAVE BROUGHT ARE REALLY FOR THE BETTER.

THE OZONE HOLE THAT NOW APPEARS OVER ANTARTICA AND

ACCORDING TO THE NEWS NOW IS RECEDING, REMAINS A REMINDER THAT

THE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL HUMAN ACTIONS CAN HAVE

FAR-REACHING THOUGH UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES.

BUT LOOKING AT OUR POSSIBILITIES, ONLY THROUGH THE DARK LENS OF

PAST MISTAKES, CAN DISTORT OUR VISION.

WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD TO WHAT KENNEDY CALLED "A NEW DIFFICULT,

BUT ESSENTIAL CONFRONTATION WITH REALITY."

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ARE SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT REALITY.

THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN A POWERFUL FORCE FOR HUMAN PROGRESS.

AND FAR FROM FAILING US, THEY CAN HELP US FIND A WAY THROUGH AND

BEYOND OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.

SO I'LL SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT SOME EMERGING FRONTIERS IN RESEARCH

THAT ARE GERMANE TO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE AND WHAT WE NEED TO

DO TO REALIZE THE PROMISE THEY HOLD, A FRESH AND VIGOROUS

COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.

I BELIEVE WE STAND AT THE THRESHOLD OF A NEW AGE OF SCIENTIFIC

EXPLORATION.

ONE THAT'S GOING TO BRING US DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR PLANET

AND ALLOW US TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE'S LIVES WORLDWIDE.

IN THE PAST TWO DECADES, OUR KNOWLEDGE SIMPLY HAS EXPLODED.

AND THE PACE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS ACCELERATED WITH IT.

NOW, NEW KNOWLEDGE DRIVES TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND IT

PROVIDES US WITH A RICHER SET OF OPTIONS FOR THE FUTURE.

IT ALSO INFORMS OUR CHOICES AND THROUGH PREDICTION, REDUCES OUR

RISKS AND ENABLES PREVENTION.

FROM A VIEWPOINT OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH, IT IS

PARTICULARLY APPROPRIATE FOR US TO LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE

ENVIRONMENTAL HORIZONS.

DISCOVERY AND INNOVATION ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE SCIENTIFIC

ENDEAVOR.

ALTHOUGH THE DETAILS MAY NOT BE UNCLEAR, WE CAN STILL DISCERN THE

SHAPE OF THE LANDSCAPE THAT'S AHEAD.

OUR NEW INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES HAVE

TRANSFORMED THE VERY CONDUCT OF RESEARCH.

HELPING US TO HANDLE HUGE AMOUNTS OF DATA, ENABLING NEW WAYS TO

COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE AROUND THE GLOBE, AND LETTING US

VISUALIZE WHAT BEFORE WE COULD NOT EVEN IMAGINE.

TO THE TRADITIONAL METHODS OF THEORY AND OBSERVATION, WE NOW HAVE

THE ADDED SOPHISTICATED MODELING AND SIMULATION TECHNIQUES THAT

ALLOW US TO PROBE THE COMPLEXITIES AND THE DYNAMICS OF

ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS AT ALL LEVELS.

INCREASINGLY, WE'RE ABLE TO PREDICT SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE.

AND WE ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THAT ABRUPT CHANGE AND WHAT WE

CALL "EMERGING STRUCTURES," CHARACTERIZE MANY OF THE NATURAL

PHENOMENA --

FROM EARTHQUAKES TO THE EXTINCTION OF SOME SPECIES.

WE KNOW THAT THE IMPACT OF HUMANS ON NATURAL SYSTEMS IS

INCREASING.

BUT WE DON'T YET REALLY HAVE THE FULL PICTURE OF HOW

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE, HUMAN INDUCED OR OTHERWISE, WILL CASCADE

THROUGH NATURAL SYSTEMS.

THESE ARE QUESTIONS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENTAL

FUTURE.

HOW VULNERABLE ARE NATURAL SYSTEMS TO STRESS?

AND HOW RESILIENT CAN THEY BE IN THE FACE OF CHANGE?

THE ANSWERS BEAR DIRECTLY ON ISSUES OF GREAT CONCERN TO ALL OF

US.

FROM THE EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES TO BIOTERRORISM TO THE

HEALTH OF ECOSYSTEMS AND FROM LOCAL CONTAMINATION OF SOIL AND

WATER, TO GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE.

NOW, LAST SUMMER IN A SURVEY OF THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT, THE

ECONOMIST DESCRIBED THE CURRENT LACK OF DETAILED ENVIRONMENTAL

DATA AS "REMARKABLE."

BUT THIS SHOULDN'T SURPRISE ANYBODY IN THIS AUDIENCE.

WE'VE UNDERSTOOD FOR A LONG TIME THAT COMPLEXITY

CHARACTERIZES ENVIRONMENTAL INTERACTIONS AND MAKES MEASUREMENT

DIFFICULT.

NOW, I USE THE TERM BIOCOMPLEXITY TO DESCRIBE THIS DYNAMIC WEB OF

RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARISE WHEN LIVING THINGS AT ALL LEVELS FROM

MOLECULES TO GENES TO ORGANISMS TO ECOSYSTEMS INTERACT WITH THEIR

ENVIRONMENT.

NOW, EARLY ON WE USED THE TERM "ECOSYSTEMS APPROACH" TO DESCRIBE

PART OF WHAT WE MEAN BY "BIOCOMPLEXITY."

AND NOW THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE ALLOW US TO DELVE

INTO THE STRUCTURE OF THE VERY MOLECULES THAT COMPOSE CELLS.

AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, TO PROBE THE GLOBAL SYSTEM THAT ENCOMPASSES

THE BIOSPHERE.

SO BIOCOMPLEXITY LETS US TAKE THE BROADER VIEW,

GIVING US A VIABLE MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL

RESEARCH.

AND OUR NEW TECHNOLOGIES HELP TO US DO THAT.

THE TOOLS ARE NOW AT HAND OR UNDER DEVELOPMENT, THAT WILL CHANGE

THIS SITUATION DRAMATICALLY.

SENSORS THAT RECORD MINUTE VARIATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL

VARIABLES, SATELLITES WITH EVER-INCREASING RESOLUTION, AND GLOBAL

POSITIONING SYSTEMS, ALL ALLOW US TO BEGIN ESTABLISHING A

BASELINE AGAINST WHICH TO MEASURE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND OUR

NEW INFORMATION STORAGE AND COMPUTING POWER GIVES US THE ABILITY

TO MANAGE AND ANALYZE THESE VAST AMOUNTS OF DATA.

THE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE ENABLING

DISCOVERY TODAY HAVE CHANGED THE VERY CONDUCT OF RESEARCH.

THREE ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES PROMISE REVOLUTIONS AT LEAST AS

PROFOUND.

THEY ARE NANOSCALE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ADVANCES IN MOLECULAR

BIOLOGY AND GENOMICS AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE CONVERGENCE OF

NEUROSCIENCE AND THE SOCIAL OR BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES THAT IS

OPENING NEW WINDOWS ON HUMAN COGNITION.

SO I CALL THESE "NANO, BIO, AND COGNO" FOR SHORT.

EACH PROMISES TO CONTRIBUTE GREATLY TO OUR ABILITY TO MEET HUMAN

NEEDS AND TO SUSTAIN A ROBUST AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.

NOW, FIRST IS NANOSCALE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

NANO TAKES US DOWN TO THE SCALE OF PHENOMENA AT SEVERAL

BILLIONTHS OF A METER.

INDIVIDUAL ATOMS ARE A FEW TENTHS OF A NANOMETER.

SO NANOSTRUCTURES ARE AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE SMALLEST

HUMAN-MADE DEVICES AND THE LARGEST MOLECULES OF LIVING SYSTEMS.

JUST THINK ABOUT THAT.

WE CAN NOW MANIPULATE INDIVIDUAL ATOMS AT WILL.

NANO CAPABILITY MEANS WE WILL BE ABLE TO DESIGN AND CUSTOMIZE

MATERIALS, CUSTOMIZE PRODUCTS AND TOOLS, ATOM BY ATOM.

EVERYTHING FROM AUTOMOBILE TIRES TO GOLF CLUB SHAFTS AS THIN AS

FISHING LINES.

SO SCIENTISTS ENVISION NEW RESOURCE CONSERVING PRODUCTS,

MANUFACTURED BY PROCESSES THAT ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY BENIGN.

AND RESEARCH IS UNDERWAY NOW ON MATERIALS TO GENERATE ENERGY

CLEANLY AND CHEAPLY.

AT THE NANOSCALE, THE POINT AT WHICH THE WORLDS OF THE LIVING AND

THE NONLIVING MEET, WE'RE DISCOVERING NEW LINKS IN THE

BIOLOGICAL, GEOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL CYCLES THAT SUPPORT LIFE ON

EARTH.

NOW, HERE IS A SIMPLE EXAMPLE.

RESEARCHERS ARE INVESTIGATING NANOSCALE PROCESSES AT THE SURFACES

BETWEEN MICROORGANISMS AND THE PHYSICAL WORLD.

NOW, THESE INTERACTIONS PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE WEATHERING OF

ROCKS, THE AVAILABILITY OF NUTRIENTS IN SOILS AND THE TRANSPORT

OF HEAVY METALS INTO GROUNDWATER.

AND THE WORK HAS BROAD IMPLICATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL

REMEDIATION. AND NANOTECHNOLOGY INTERCONNECTS MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES,

PHYSICS, ENGINEERING, CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS SCIENCE, BIOLOGY, AND

MORE.

AND IT IS GOING TO INFLUENCE EVERY FIELD AND INDUSTRY IN THE NEXT

20 YEARS.

GENOMICS AND ITS OFFSPRING, BIOTECHNOLOGY, ARE ALSO TRANSFORMING

OUR FUTURE.

WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE ADVANCES IN PLANT GENETICS THAT ALLOW US TO

ENGINEER CROPS THAT ARE SALT TOLERANT OR DROUGHT RESISTANT OR

RICE THAT'S VITAMIN A RICH.

EXCITING RESEARCH IS WELL UNDERWAY TO DEVELOP FOODS THAT ARE

NUTRITIONALLY ENHANCED.

AND THE VITAMIN A ENRICHED RICE IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

WE ALSO HAVE FOODS LIKE BANANAS, POTATO THAT CAN DELIVER

VACCINES EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

THE CHOLERA VACCINE CAN NOW, HAS BEEN INTRODUCED INTO BANANAS SO YOU CAN

AVOID THE COLD CHAIN IN DELIVERING THE VACCINE TO CHILDREN IN THE

THIRD WORLD.

NOW, LESS WELL KNOWN IS THE CAPABILITY OUR NEW GENOMICS TOOL KIT GIVES US

TO EXPLORE BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE.

FOR THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE "WHAT'S OUT

THERE," TO CHART THE PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS FROM THE SMALLEST

OF LIVING ORGANISMS TO OUR OWN HUMAN EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.

GENOMICS HAS UNCOVERED BOTH A REMARKABLE CONTINUITY AMONGST THE GENES

OF LIVING ORGANISMS AND THE VAST DIVERSITY THAT COMPRISES LIFE ON

EARTH.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF MICROORGANISMS THAT INHABIT

ENVIRONMENTS THAT WE ONCE BELIEVED COULD NOT SUPPORT LIFE.

THE SOUTH POLE, ARCTIC GLACIERS, VOLCANIC LAVA. BECAUSE

MICROORGANISMS PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN THE CYCLING OF CARBON,

NUTRIENTS AND OTHER MATTER,

THEY HAVE HUGE IMPACTS ON OTHER LIFE, INCLUDING HUMANS.

WE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE VAST RESERVOIR OF MICROBIAL SPECIES

IN SOILS AND IN SEAS AND WE'RE ONLY JUST BEGINNING TO PROBE THEIR

ECOLOGY WITH OUR GENOMIC TOOL KIT.

THESE MICROORGANISMS MIGHT VERY WELL BE THE "CANARIES IN THE

MINESHAFT," WARNING US OF SUBTLE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES FROM THE

LOCAL TO THE GLOBAL.

WE KNOW THAT BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES, EVERYTHING FROM

ANTIBIOTICS TO PESTICIDES TO STEROIDS ARE NOW ROUTINELY FOUND IN

OUR WATERWAYS AND IN SOIL.

HOW ARE THESE AFFECTING MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES?

ARE THEY ALTERING THE STRUCTURE OF MICROBIAL ECOSYSTEMS?

WE CAN NOW INVESTIGATE THESE INTERACTIONS FROM THE MOLECULAR TO

THE ECOSYSTEM LEVEL.

ALTHOUGH WE SOMETIMES SEEM TO FORGET IT, WE HUMANS ARE PART OF THE

NATURAL WORLD WE ARE POISED TO UNDERSTAND IN THESE DEEPER WAYS.

AND SO ENTER HUMAN COGNITION OR MORE SIMPLY, LEARNING.

RESEARCH THAT SPANS DISCIPLINARY BORDERS IN THE COGNITIVE,

BEHAVIORAL, NEURO, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES IS POISED TO LAUNCH A

RENAISSANCE IN THE STUDY OF HUMAN THOUGHT AND ACTION.

AND AN ILLUSTRATION OF THIS, THIS NEW KIND OF RESEARCH, IS CLOSE

AT HAND.

THE NOBEL PRIZE IN ECONOMICS WAS RECENTLY AWARDED TO DANIEL KAHNEMAN, A

PSYCHOLOGIST, FOR HIS PIONEERING WORK ACROSS THE BORDERS OF

COGNITIVE SCIENCE AND ECONOMICS.

AND TO VERNON SMITH, FOR INTRODUCING EXPERIMENTAL METHODS IN

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.

THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SUPPORTED THE WORK OF BOTH THESE

DISTINGUISHED ECONOMISTS AND ONE NSF AWARD WENT TO VERNON SMITH

FOR INTEGRATING BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE BRAIN INTO HIS COURSE

WORK IN ECONOMICS.

OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE WAY WE MAKE THE CHOICES AT THE CORE OF

OUR CONSUMER SOCIETY IS BEGINNING TO CHANGE.

AND I MIGHT POINT OUT THAT SOME YEARS AGO WHEN WE FUNDED ONE OF

THESE SCIENTISTS, VERNON SMITH, WE WERE CRITICIZED BECAUSE THAT

WASN'T THE WAY TO SPEND NSF MONEY.

WELL, WE NOW KNOW THAT NEW RESEARCH ON COGNITION IS GOING TO

ENABLE US TO DESIGN BETTER LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.

IT CAN SHED LIGHT ON HOW WE PLAN AND HOW WE ADAPT TO CHANGE.

WE CAN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND WHICH INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS MEET

HUMAN NEEDS AND REDUCE THE RISKS TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND TO

OURSELVES.

THESE VERY HUMAN ACTIVITIES AND SYSTEMS ARE GOING TO HELP US TO

DETERMINE WHETHER OUR FUTURE ON THIS PLANET IS IN FACT

SUSTAINABLE.

NOW, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN WONDERING IF I WAS EVER GOING TO DISCUSS

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.

AFTER ALL, THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON IN THIS

CONFERENCE.

WELL OUR NEW CAPACITY TO INVESTIGATE AND UNDERSTAND LEARNING IS

GOING TO BE VITAL TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT ALL

LEVELS.

OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS, MANY OF YOU WILL BE ADDRESSING STRATEGIES

FOR IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS AN

ISSUE OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE TO OUR NATION AND TO OUR WORLD.

BUT INADEQUACIES IN OUR CURRENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS COULD BE

SIGNIFICANT STUMBLING BLOCKS ON OUR PATH TO A SOUND ENVIRONMENTAL

FUTURE.

THE CHALLENGE IS FAR REACHING.

HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR CITIZENS, BOTH YOUNG AND OLD,

FROM ALL PROFESSIONS AND SECTORS, CAN MAKE THE INFORMED CHOICES

THAT WILL SHAPE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE?

LET ME GO STRAIGHT TO THE HEART OF THE ISSUE.

TODAY AND FOR THE FAR FUTURE, THE WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUALS, THE

WELL-BEING OF OUR NATION WILL DEPEND ON KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN

SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY.

HOW WELL WE PREPARE EACH OF OUR CITIZENS IN EACH OF THESE AREAS

IS GOING TO DETERMINE HOW WELL WE ARE PREPARED AS A NATION TO

CONFRONT THE OBSTINATE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE IN THE

NEW CENTURY.

NSF'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

RECENTLY COMPLETED AN IMPORTANT STUDY DETAILING A TEN-YEAR

RESEARCH AGENDA FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION.

AND THE TITLE I THINK IS VERY TELLING.

"COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS:

SYNTHESIS FOR EARTH, LIFE, AND SOCIETY IN THE 21ST CENTURY."

I THINK THAT SAYS IT VERY CONCISELY.

OUR UNDERSTANDING OF COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS DEPENDS UPON A

SET OF MUTUAL INTERACTIONS THAT INCLUDE NOT ONLY SCIENCE,

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, BUT ALSO SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND

ECONOMIC INTERACTIONS AS WELL.

THE EMPHASIS IS ON SYNTHESIS, AND IT REFLECTS THIS UNDERSTANDING.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR CHILDREN WILL NEED NOT ONLY INCREASING

LEVELS OF MATH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNICAL SKILLS, TO THRIVE IN THIS

COMPETITIVE KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY, BUT ALSO TO PREVAIL AS

INFORMED CITIZENS, SAFEGUARDING THE ENVIRONMENT.

ONE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT STUDY CONCLUDES THAT IN LESS THAN TWO DECADES,

LESS THAN 20 YEARS, 60% OF THE JOBS WILL REQUIRE TECHNICAL SKILLS

THAT ARE POSSESSED BY 22% OF TODAY'S WORKERS.

IN FACT, I HAVE BEEN TOLD AND HAVE READ THAT 40% OF OUR HIGH

SCHOOL GRADUATES DO NOT HAVE THE MATH SKILLS NEEDED FOR AN

APPRENTICE CARPENTER.

THIS IS A SERIOUS CHALLENGE TO OUR NATION'S PROSPERITY, TO OUR

NATION'S SECURITY, AND ALSO FOR THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OF THE

ENVIRONMENT.

IN ADDITION, WE NEED A ROBUST SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING WORK FORCE

TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM OF DISCOVERY AND INNOVATION.

IN FACT, WE NEED TO REEXAMINE OUR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT EDUCATION

ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE PUTTING ASIDE THE TATTERED AND WORN

FABRIC OF OLD IDENTITIES AND STALE ACADEMIC DIVISIONS AND BEGIN

WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND SOPHISTICATED SOLUTIONS.

AS YOU DISCUSS NEW STRATEGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, OVER

THE NEXT TWO DAYS, I URGE YOU TO THINK BEYOND TRADITIONAL

CATEGORIES AND SEARCH FOR INNOVATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE WAYS TO

ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.

MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS HARD WORK.

EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US MUST TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN ADDRESSING

THIS PROBLEM.

POINTING FINGERS IS JUST NOT ENOUGH.

AND I LIKE THE WAY MARCY GREENWOOD, THE CHANCELLOR AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IN SANTA CRUZ PUTS IT:

"YOU CAN'T WRING YOUR HANDS AND ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES AT THE SAME

TIME."

SO WE NEED A FRESH AND VIGOROUS COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL

EDUCATION TO LEAD THE NATION IN THIS EFFORT.

WELL, YOU CAN SEE CLEARLY I'M BULLISH ON THE PROSPECTS THAT

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROMISED FOR THE FUTURE.

BUT THE GREAT POTENTIAL -- THE NEW TOOLS, NEW KNOWLEDGE PROMISED

SHOULD NOT BLIND US TO THE POSSIBILITY OF MISSTEPS.

THE GREATEST QUESTION OF OUR TIMES MAY BE HOW CAN WE AVOID THE

PITFALLS AND STILL GRASP THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY OFFER.

WE NEED BALANCED AND THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES

OF DEPLOYING OUR NEW KNOWLEDGE.

BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN STOPPING DEAD IN OUR TRACKS.

UNLESS WE ANTICIPATE AND SHAPE THE TERRITORY OF THE FUTURE, WE

ARE IN DANGER OF ARRIVING IN A STRANGE LAND NOT TO OUR LIKING --

THE VICTIMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND OF ITS UNINTENDED

CONSEQUENCES.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE CAN MAKE IS

PROVIDING OUR CITIZENS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE SKILLS THEY

NEED TO MAKE THE WISE ENVIRONMENTAL CHOICES.

HISTORICALLY THE VALUE WE PLACE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS

BEEN FRAMED WITHIN THE LARGER CONTEXT OF SOCIETY'S NEEDS.

IN OUR TIMES, A MOST FUNDAMENTAL SOCIETAL NEED MUST BE

UNDERSTANDING AND SAFEGUARDING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND

STABILITY.

OUR LARGER VISION AS A NATION MUST INCLUDE THIS FUNDAMENTAL

COMMITMENT.

AND I BELIEVE THAT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ARE STILL OUR VERY BEST

HELPMATES AND EDUCATION, OUR VERY BEST MEANS TO THAT END.

THE GREAT 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN POET, EMILY DICKINSON, ONCE SAID,

"TO LIVE IS SO STARTLING, IT LEAVES VERY LITTLE TIME FOR ANYTHING

ELSE."

WE CAN SAY IN THE SAME SPIRIT, "TO LEARN IS SO STARTLING, IT

LEAVES VERY LITTLE TIME FOR ANYTHING ELSE."

AND THIS IS THE WAY OF PROGRESS,

THE WAY OF WISDOM,

AND AN ASSURED PATH TO SURVIVAL AND PROSPERITY.

LEARNING IS HUMANITY'S QUINTESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE GREAT

UNFOLDING STORY OF LIFE'S EVOLUTION ON EARTH.

WE HAVE LEARNED ENOUGH IN OUR BRIEF HUMAN JOURNEY ACROSS THE

PAGES OF TIME TO KNOW WHERE WE WANT TO GO.

WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, THE TOOLS, IN HAND IF NOT TODAY, THEN SOON

IN THE FUTURE TO HELP US ALONG THE WAY.

BUT, OUR JOURNEY WILL FALTER, EVEN FAIL IF WE DO NOT SERIOUSLY

TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.

OUR COLLECTIVE CONCERN AND RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TEACH A NEW

GENERATION OF CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND OUR INTERDEPENDENCE WITH ALL

LIFE ON EARTH --

TO RECOGNIZE THE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESSES THROUGH WHICH WE ARRIVED

ON THE SCENE,

TO PRESERVE THE ECOLOGICAL BALANCES THAT SUSTAIN US, AND TO SEE

THE VULNERABILITY OF THE PLANET IN OUR CO-INHABITANTS ON IT AS OUR

VULNERABILITY.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

YES.

I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS NOW.

>> RITA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS BRILLIANT AND FAR SIGHTED

AND TRULY MULTIDISCIPLINARY VISION THAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED.

I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE FACILITIES FOR THE

VISUAL MATERIAL THAT I KNOW YOU PROVIDED, BUT WE HAVE A

PUBLICATION, A TRADITION NOW, I THINK ALL OF YOU HAVE RECEIVED

FROM THE SECOND CHAFEE LECTURE, THE PUBLICATION, A HANDSOME

PUBLICATION AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO INCLUDE AT LEAST

SOME OF THE VISUALS IN THIS THIRD VERSION OF THIS PUBLICATION.

>> LET ME INTERRUPT TO SAY I WAS GRUMBLING TO MY HUSBAND TONIGHT

ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO SHOW VISUALS AND HE SAID OH, HE SAID

REMINDS ME OF THE CARTOON, OF A PHYSICIAN WHO WAS TREATING A

PATIENT, A BALD PATIENT, AND HE PUT THE STETHOSCOPE ON HIS HEAD

AND HE SAID, I CAN HEAR HOW YOU ARE THINKING.

AND HE MOVED THE STETHOSCOPE OVER THE BALD PATEAND THEN HE SAYS TO

THE PATIENT, YOU MUST THINK I'M CRAZY AND THE PATIENT SAID,

AMAZING.

-- SO I WAS HOPING THAT YOU COULD VISUALIZE WHAT I WAS TELLING

YOU.

>> SINCE THE BRAIN IS LARGER THAN PEA SIZE I THINK WE DID BUT WE

WILL LOOK FORWARD TO THE PUBLICATION.

I THINK TO SAY YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE SECOND ONE, THE FIRST WAS

NOBEL LAUREATE SHERWOOD ROWLAND AND MARIO MOLINA ON THE CFC OZONE PUZZLE.

LAST YEAR WAS E.O. WILSON ON THE FUTURE OF LIFE.

THAT'S THE ONE I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE.

I THINK THEY ARE HANDSOME PUBLICATIONS AND THIS YEAR WILL BE A

WORTHY ADDITION TO THAT AND ALSO FOR THE FIRST TIME, I AM

PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT RITA COLWELL'S SPEECH, LECTURE HAS BEEN

BROADCAST, HAS BEEN HEARD AROUND THE WORLD VIA WEB CAST.

ANOTHER ONE OF THESE TECHNOLOGICAL MARVELS.

I'M ABSOLUTELY PLEASED AND PRIVILEGED TO PRESENT TO YOU ON BEHALF

OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT, THIS

PLAQUE OF APPRECIATION FOR THIS THIRD ANNUAL JOHN H. CHAFEE

MEMORIAL LECTURE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND DR. COLWELL HAS ALSO GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO RESPOND OR REPLY

TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY HAVE ARISEN OR YOU MAY HAVE FOR HER AND

SO THE FLOOR IS OPEN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOR QUESTIONS.

(FIRST QUESTION - NOT AT MICROPHONE)

>> WELL, I'M DELIGHTED TO HEAR THE EXUBERANT RESPONSE TO THE

REPORT.

IN FACT, MARGE CAVANAUGH WHO HAS COORDINATED THIS WITH MARGARET LEININ, REPORTS THIS

WE HAVE HAD SOMETHING BETWEEN 1600 AND 1800 E-MAILS REQUESTING

THE REPORT.

SO, OCCURRING FROM OVERSEAS.

THE -- THE -- THIS PROVIDES A BLUEPRINT FOR US TO BE WORKING OVER

THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.

AND IT'S BEING INTERWOVEN WITH BIOCOMPLEXITY IN THE ENVIRONMENT

SO THE EVOLUTION OF THE BE PROGRAM, AND WE SEE IT DEVELOPING IN

THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

AND WHAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT IT INCLUDES THE ENTIRE

FOUNDATION.

WE HAVE -- WE HAVE EVOLVED OURSELVES WITHIN NSF FROM THE STOVE

PIPEING OF THE INDIVIDUAL DIRECTORATES TO DEVELOPING INITIATIVES

SUCH AS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, NANOTECHNOLOGY, BIOCOMPLEXITY, MATHEMATIC, WORK

FORCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE SOCIAL BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

INITIATIVE ON HUMANITY, HUMANS AND SOCIETY AND CHANGE.

THESE CUT ACROSS ALL OF THE DIRECTORATES SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO

DEVELOP THESE INITIATIVES AND WE'LL DO IT MUCH THE SAME WAY.

WE FIND THAT WE CAN COORDINATE THIS THROUGH THE FOUNDATION WITH

COORDINATING COMMITTEES RATHER THAN ESTABLISHING NEW ENTITIES

WHICH BECOME ENCRUSTED AND WE WANT TO KEEP THIS DYNAMIC.

SO WE HAVE EVOLVED FROM BIOCOMPLEXITY IN THE ENVIRONMENT TO OUR

NEW SETS OF DIRECTIVES, AND THAT IN TURN WILL EVOLVE AND

THAT'S THE WAY SCIENCE IS.

AND THAT'S HOW WE ARE TRYING TO ORGANIZE IT AT THE NATIONAL

SCIENCE FOUNDATION.

YES?

(SECOND QUESTION - NOT AT MICROPHONE)

>> I SEE THIS AS KIND OF A DUAL ANSWER REQUIRED FOR YOUR

QUESTION.

FIRST OF ALL, I TAKE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE I HAVE

WORKED FOR 25 YEARS IN BANGLADESH.

MY RESEARCH HAS BEEN ON TRACKING THE ORIGINS OF CHOLERA.

AND I HAVE SEEN THAT COUNTRY PROGRESS EXTREMELY WELL THROUGH

EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES.

AND IN FACT, THE FERTILITY RATE HAS DROPPED FROM SOMETHING LIKE

7.8 TO 2.7.

AND HOW IS THAT DONE?

THROUGH EDUCATING GIRLS AND PROVIDING TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES TO

THE SOCIETY SO IN FACT, THE GROWTH HAS BEEN IN KNOWLEDGE AND IT

HAS BEEN A SLOWING DOWN OF A POPULATION INCREASE.

THAT'S ONE SORT OF APPROACH TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

THE OTHER IS, THAT I THINK WE MUST HAVE DIALOGUE.

DIALOGUE LIKE THIS, BUT ALSO EACH OF US MUST BE WHAT MY

PREDECESSOR NEAL LANE URGED US TO BE AND THAT IS THE CIVIC

SCIENTIST, TO SPEAK AT KIWANIS CLUBS, TO SPEAK AT CHAMBERS OF

COMMERCE, TO INTERACT WITH CITIZENS AND TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT

TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT IT CAN DO AND WHAT IT MIGHT NOT -- SHOULD NOT

PERHAPS BE USED TO DO.

AND I USE THE CONFERENCE OF SCIENTISTS AS A GOOD EXAMPLE.

OF WHEN THE FIRST CLONING WAS DONE AND THAT WAS VERY SIMPLE

CLONING IN RETROSPECT OF JUST PUTTING A GENE IN A BACTERIUM THAT

FROM A DIFFERENT SPECIES BUT A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND IT WAS A

VOLUNTARY MORATORIUM FOR A YEAR WHILE THE SCIENTISTS WORKED

OUT THE EXPERIMENTS THAT THEY THOUGHT SHOULD NOT BE DONE, THE

KIND OF WORK THAT SHOULD BE SET ASIDE AND COMMITTEES AND

INSTITUTIONS WERE SET OUT TO MONITOR THE KINDS OF RESEARCH THAT

SHOULD BE DONE.

THAT IS INTELLIGENT, THOUGHTFUL, WAY TO ADOPT AND INCORPORATE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

WE SHOULDN'T ATTEMPT TO TRY TO JUST STOP IT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T

STOP IT.

THE GENIE CANNOT BE PUT BACK IN THE BOTTLE BUT YOU MUST LEARN TO

-- WE MUST ALL DISCUSS AND PLAN HOW WE WANT TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY

FOR THE BETTERMENT OF SOCIETY.

AND IT IS THE COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND I THINK CONSTANT

DIALOGUE.

>> LET ME JUST SAY THERE ARE MICROPHONES ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT

AISLES.

I SEE ONE GENTLEMAN HAS ALREADY FOUND THEM.

SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION AND IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO REACH THE

MICROPHONE IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE TO DO THAT.

YES, SIR?

>> THANK YOU.

I REALLY APPRECIATED VERY MUCH YOUR HIGHLIGHTING THE POTENTIAL

AND THE BEGINNINGS INTEGRATION OF COGNITIVE SCIENCE AND

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

CAN YOU GIVE US SOME SUCCESS STORIES AND IF NOT, CAN YOU SAY

WHERE THOSE SUCCESS STORIES MAY BE COMING UP TO MAKE US MORE

HUMANE AND SMARTER?

>> ONE OF THE SUCCESS STORIES THAT IS UNFOLDING IS THE

RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SOCIAL BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES.

I DO KNOW THERE ARE CHAMPIONS IN CONGRESS FOR AND MORE

IMPORTANTLY THEY HAPPEN TO BE ON OUR APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, IT

IS ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A CHAMPION WHO IS AN YOUR APPROPRIATIONS

COMMITTEE, WHO ARE STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES AND FOR

RESEARCH AND INVESTMENT IN SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL -- SCIENCES.

AND I FEEL THAT THAT IS -- THAT IS CRITICAL BECAUSE MORE THAN

EVER, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND WE NEED TO

UNDERSTAND HUMAN LEARNING.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE INVESTMENT THAT WE ARE MAKING IN THE

SCIENCE OF LEARNING CENTERS.

WE HOPE TO MAKE THE AWARDS, IF WE CAN GET OUR '03 BUDGET PASSED

AND I'M TOLD THAT WE PROBABLY WILL, THERE WE WOULD HOPE TO MAKE

THREE OR FOUR AWARDS FOR CENTERS THAT ARE VERY MUCH LIKE

ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTERS.

IN FACT, THEY ARE MODELED AFTER THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

CENTERS.

THAT WILL BRING TOGETHER THE ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM

WITH UNIVERSITIES, WITH MEDICAL SCHOOLS, WHERE RESEARCH ON THE

MIND AND ON CHEMISTRY AND FUNCTIONING OF THE BRAIN, OR FUNCTIONAL

MRI RESEARCH IS BEING DONE, TYING THAT TOGETHER WITH INDUSTRY,

WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT IN THE CENTERS WE WILL APPROACH THE

STUDY OF HOW CHILDREN LEARN, HOW INFORMATION IS RETAINED, HOW TO

TEACH BETTER, AND HOW TO MORE EFFECTIVELY EDUCATE.

AND I THINK THIS WILL BE A VERY IMPORTANT ACTIVITY ON THE PART OF

THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.

IT IS BEING COORDINATED BY THE SOCIAL BEHAVIORAL AND ECONOMIC

SCIENCES DIRECTORATE BUT IT INCLUDES THE ENTIRE FOUNDATION SO WE

ARE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF PETER UNDERSTANDING.

LET ME ALSO GIVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE.

POST 9-11, THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION I'M SURE TO SOME OF

YOU WILL BE SURPRISED TO LEARN, WAS THE FIRST SCIENCE AGENCY TO

BE AMONG OF THE FIRST ON GROUND ZERO.

WE ARE -- OUR ENGINEER TEAMS WERE THERE.

ANALYZING THE RUBBLE BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN AWAY AND HAVE DEVELOPED

A MODEL, COMPUTER MODEL OF THE EVENT AND HAVE ALREADY BEGUN

PLANNING NEW MATERIALS THAT CAN BE USED TO BUILD SKYSCRAPERS.

BUT ALSO WITHIN THAT WEEK, WE HAD SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL

SCIENTISTS ON THE GROUND.

THEY WERE THERE ANALYZING THE PUBLIC RESPONSE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE

TO ADVISE THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAYOR.

WE HAD ECONOMIC SCIENTISTS THERE, ASSESSING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT

OF THAT EVENT.

AND WE ALSO HAD BEGUN STUDIES BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SMALL GRANTS

FOR EXPLORATORY RESEARCH WHICH WE CAN MAKE ALMOST WITHIN 24

HOURS.

WE HAD SCIENTISTS THERE BEGINNING TO ANALYZE TERRORISM AND

BEGINNING TO DEVELOP RESEARCH TECHNIQUES TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND

BEHAVIOR OF TERRORISTS.

SO, WE SEE THIS FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH IS VERY IMPORTANT IN THE

SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENTIST AS PART OF THE RESEARCH TEAM.

SO I THINK THAT THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES THAT ONE COULD GIVE AND

THESE ARE JUST A FEW.

>> CAN YOU TALK AT ALL ABOUT HOW NANOTECHNOLOGY OR BIOTECHNOLOGY

MIGHT MAKE US ABLE TO MONITOR NATURAL SYSTEMS IN ALMOST IN REAL

TIME?

>> WELL, YOU HAVE GIVEN ME THE CHANCE AND I DIDN'T PLANT THIS

QUESTION.

YOU HAVE GIVE ME THE CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT NEON -- THE NATIONAL ECOLOGICAL

OBSERVATORY NETWORK THAT HAS BEEN IN THE PLANNING STAGE FOR

SEVERAL YEARS NOW.

IT IS FAIRLY TYPICAL OF MAJOR EFFORTS AT THE NSF TO GO THROUGH VERY

INTENSIVE WORKSHOPS PLANNING AND TO BE PROPOSED AND SEVERAL TIMES

BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY GET FUNDED AND NEON IS MUCH LIKE THIS.

THIS IS GOING TO PROVIDE OBSERVATORIES AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT

WILL BE USING THE MOST SOPHISTICATED OF TECHNOLOGY, WHAT WE CALL

THE E-NOSE AND THE E-TONGUE.

THESE ARE NANOSTRUCTURES WITH VERY SOPHISTICATED SENSORS THAT

WILL ALLOW US TO COLLECT INFORMATION ON WEATHER PATTERNS ON

CHEMICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT, TO DO DNA PROFILES OF THE MICROBIAL

POPULATIONS IN THE SOIL, IN THE WATER, AND ON THE BIOTA AND TO BE

ABLE TO INTEGRATE THIS SO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO HAVE THIS

ENORMOUS DATABASE THAT'S CONSTANT AND ABLE TO BE -- TO BE TAPPED

AND THE DATA TO BE ANALYZED SO THAT WE CAN TEASE OUT THE

FUNDAMENTAL PROPERTIES OF ALL ECOSYSTEMS AND TO BE ABLE TO

DETERMINE THOSE SPECIFIC TO GIVEN ECOSYSTEMS AND TO SERVE AS AN

EARLY WARNING SYSTEM LET'S SAY FOR AN EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASE

AND REMEMBER, THAT THREAT IS NOT JUST TO US AS HUMANS, BUT IT IS

TO US THROUGH OUR CROPS.

AGRICULTURE CROPS, THROUGH -- LET'S SAY AN UNTOWARD EVENT OF FOOT

AND MOUTH DISEASE, IN -- IN SOME OF OUR CATTLE RAISING AREAS.

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE VERY RAPID DETECTION OF THESE KINDS OF

EVENTS AND TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER IN FACT THEY ARE

NATURAL AS PART OF THE OSCILLATIONS AND CYCLES OF NATURE, WHETHER THEY ARE

MALEVOLENTLY INTRODUCED.

SO YES, WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER THESE -- THIS NETWORK OF

OBSERVATORIES AND IT IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THE

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT WE HAVE MADE, PARTICULARLY IN

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

SO IT IS A VERY EXCITING TIME AND A VERY EXCITING FUTURE FOR THE

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND IT IS VERY NICE TO SEE THE BUDGET SLOPE

AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE.

>> THERE ARE ANY OTHER -- YES, I SEE ON THIS SIDE.

YES, SIR.

>> THANK YOU, DR. COLWELL.

I FOUND TODAY IN THE COURSE OF OUR DISCUSSIONS IN THE GREENING OF

THE CAMPUSES A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN WITH THE OVERLOAD OF

INFORMATION AND HOW TO PROCESS THAT WITH THE OLD JOKE ABOUT

KNOWING MORE AND MORE ABOUT LESS AND LESS AND SO KNOW EVERYTHING

ABOUT NOTHING AT ALL.

I THINK I WOULD POSE THIS QUESTION TO YOU IN THIS FASHION, IT IS

CLEAR THAT THERE ARE TRANSFORMTIVE THRESHOLDS IN THE PROCESSING

OF INFORMATION.

IF YOU GET IT RIGHT, WE'RE CAPABLE OF CREATING PARTNERSHIPS TO

DELIVER EXCEPTIONAL VALUE TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.

THERE ARE SOME STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS IN THE ECONOMY WHICH WE REFER

TO AS THE TRAPPED EQUITY PROBLEM.

WE ALL OWN THE WRONG HARDWARE WE'VE GOT HERE BEHIND FOSSILY

SUNLIGHT WHERE WE ALL WOULD UNQUESTIONABLY HAVE PREFERRED TO COME

HERE BEHIND CURRENT SUNLIGHT BUDGETS.

COULD YOU GIVE US SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW THE FOUNDATION PROPOSES

TO ENCOURAGE OUR SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES AND THE BUSINESS

COMMUNITIES WHICH WILL RECEIVE THE TALENT FROM THOSE

INSTITUTIONS, TO BEGIN TO DEVELOP A -- A VISION FOR TEACHING

ABOUT WHOLE SYSTEMS?

AND TO SEEK OUT THOSE TRANSFORMTIVE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WILL CREATE

LONG-TERM VALUE CREATION PARTNERSHIPS AND GIVE THOSE TO THE

BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN A FORM IN WHICH THEY CAN BECOME NEW MARKETS

ELSE, BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP WITH POSTERITY?

>> WE IN FACT SPONSORED A VERY INTERESTING CONFERENCE TWO-DAY

CONFERENCE JUST THIS WEEK OR I GUESS IT WAS LAST THURSDAY,

FRIDAY.

FOCUSED REALLY ON THE TRANSFORMING SCIENCES.

AND ESSENTIALLY THE SUBJECT OF YOUR QUESTION.

LET ME SAY THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING AT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE

FOUNDATION IS BUILDING DIGITAL LIBRARIES, AND THAT'S A MAJOR EFFORT IN THE

EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTORATE IN ORDER TO MAKE

INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN MANY FORMS FOR MANY CHILDREN THAT IS TO

ALLOW THEM TO ACTUALLY WALK THROUGH THE LOUVRE AND TO SEE THE ART

EXHIBITS WITHOUT LEAVING ANY SMALL TOWN IN AMERICA AND AT THE

SAME TIME, TO TRANSFORM THE HUGE MASSES OF DATA LIKE THE CENSUS

-- CENSUS DATA INTO WISDOM.

HOW HAVE WE TRANSFORMED OURSELVES AS A SOCIETY?

AND WE ARE LAUNCHING AN INITIATIVE ON THE CYBER INFRASTRUCTURE

AND THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CONNECTING ALL OF OUR

COMPUTER CAPABILITIES TO HIGH-END COMPUTING SO THAT EVERY

INSTITUTION, WHETHER IT IS EDUCATIONAL OR INDUSTRY, OR

GOVERNMENT, WILL BE ABLE TO USE THE TOOLS OF INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY TO DO THE WISDOM EXTRACTION FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF

DATA.

AND WE ARE FUNDING RESEARCH AND HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST THREE OR

FOUR YEARS, VERY EXTENSIVELY OVER 200 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.

AND WE'RE INTO OUR FOURTH YEAR NOW.

REALLY A BILLION DOLLARS BY THE TIME WE FINISH.

AND A GOOD HALF BILLION HAS BEEN ON SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER

TO HAVE THE TOOLS TO DO THIS KIND OF INFORMATION REDUCTION TO

WISDOM.

SO I THINK WE ARE MOVING VERY APPROPRIATELY, VERY THOUGHTFULLY

AND VERY DELIBERATELY IN MAKING THE INVESTMENTS THAT CONGRESS IS

PROVIDING US FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING AND I THINK THE MOST

IMPORTANT INVESTMENT IS THIS CONNECTION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

AS A TOOL NOT AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEARNING AND TEACHING.

BUT, ADVANCING LEARNING AND TEACHING INTO THE 21ST CENTURY.

AND I LIKEN IT TO A SLIDE I OFTEN LIKE TO SHOW WHICH SHOWS A

CLASSROOM IN 1900, 1950 AND 2003.

IT HASN'T CHANGED.

WHEREAS IN TRANSPORTATION WE'VE GONE SINCE 1900 FROM HORSE AND

BUGGY TO SPACE STATION, IN MEDICINE WE'VE GONE FROM IF YOU HAD

DIABETES, YOU WERE SYMPTOMATICALLY TREATED TO THE '30S WHEN WE

WERE ABLE TO EXTRACT INSULIN, TO THE '70S WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO

CLONE GENE INTO A BACTERIUM SO THAT WE COULD PRODUCE CLEAN AND

PROTEIN-FREE THAT IS EXOGENOUS PROTEIN-FREE INSULIN TO THE POINT

WHERE WE'RE NEARLY READY TO BE ABLE TO DO A BIOPSY IN THE PANCREAS OF THE

VICTIM OF THE DIABETES, CORRECT THE UNBORN ERROR OF METABOLISM,

REINTRODUCE THE CELL SO THE VICTIM OF THE DIABETES CAN THEN BE

CURED.

WE NEED TO DO THIS KIND OF TRANSFORMATION FOR EDUCATION.

SO THE QUESTION THAT YOU RAISED IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE AND

THAT'S WHY THE TASK THAT YOU HAVE PUT YOURSELVES TO ON

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IS A PART OF IT.