Board Member Bruce Darling Named Executive Officer of NAS and NRC

(02/02/12) CCST Board member Bruce Darling, vice president for laboratory management at the University of California, has been selected as Executive Officer of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council. Darling will transition to his new position over the next several months. "I cannot think of a better choice for the position of Executive Officer," said CCST Board Chair Karl Pister.

Council Member Funds New Autism Institute

(01/26/12) Parents of autistic children often have trouble finding suitable schooling and treatment providers for their children, and are left perplexed and exhausted by managing all of the separate services for their children's care. CCST Council member, Fariborz Maseeh, was one such parent. When he wasn't able to find the combination of services that his son required, he took a different approach, founding a new school dedicated to the education and treatment of children with autism.

California Energy Futures Project Member Wins Fermi Award

(01/19/12) Nobel laureate Burton Richter, a member of the CCST California's Energy Future (CEF) team and lead author of the 2011 CEF subreport on nuclear energy, has been awarded the Enrico Fermi Award, one of the nation's most prestigious science awards, in recognition of his eminent career in particle physics and his notable contributions in energy and public policy.

Former Cal TAC Member Brings Classroom Experience to Nation's Capitol

(01/12/12) Successful education reform, particularly in STEM disciplines, (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), has been a major concern both for California and the nation in general. The gap between education policy and practice can, however, at times be significant. For educator Peg Cagle, a former member of the California Teacher Advisory Council (Cal TAC), this is a gap that needs to be addressed at every policy level.

Policy Fellows Bring S&T Expertise to Legislature

(01/05/12) As 2012 gets underway, lawmakers in Sacramento are returning to confront the difficult fiscal challenges of the State. In addition they will continue to navigate California's ever-evolving science and technology related policy issues. Thanks to a small group of dedicated experts, they have a little extra help. The California Science and Technology Policy Fellowship program is in its third year, and has placed ten professional scientists in yearlong appointments in the California state legislature.

CCST Releases Studies on Waste-to-Energy Technologies and Transportation Energy Use

(12/15/11) CCST has released two separate studies related to energy use and emissions in California. "Transportation Energy Use in California" is part of the California's Energy Future group of projects, which is designed to help inform the decisions California state and local governments must make in order to achieve California's ambitious goals of significantly reducing total greenhouse gas emissions over the next four decades. The transportation study shows how a combination of electrification and increase in vehicle efficiency could significantly lower emissions from this sector.

The second report, "Waste-to-Energy in California: Technology, Issues, and Context," is a document designed to serve as a starting point for discussions concerning the conversion of post-recycled urban-derived biomass and municipal waste to energy. The report concludes that waste-to-energy technologies could have positive environmental impacts in California.

Cell Phone Safety Study Suggests No Risk of Cancer

(10/29/11) A major study in Denmark found no increased risks of cancer among cell phone users, suggesting that there is little evidence that exposure to cell phones is related to tumors of the central nervous system. The study, however, is unlikely to settle the ongoing public policy debate over the safety of electromagnetic emissions from wireless devices.

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