Science Policy Bootcamp

Calendar

TOPICS	DESCRIPTIONS
Day 1
Class 1: Economic drivers behind S&T support (3 hours)	This class will focus on the drivers behind science and technology support since they are part of an economic system: growth economics, direct and indirect innovation factors, innovation systems theory, and the “valley of death” between R&D and public-private partnership models.
Class 2: The organizing framework behind US science agencies (2 hours)	This class will posit the argument that Sci/Tech organization is a third direct innovation factor and examine the organizational framework behind the mix of U.S. science agencies, their missions and research organizational models. It will examine the DARPA model as an organizational alternative. This class will look at the innovation system at the institutional level, emphasizing the organization of federal science support.
Day 2
Class 3: The organization of innovation systems at the face-to-face level (3 hours)	This class will cover the people- and team- driven nature of the innovation stage, and the rule sets that influence innovation success. The class will be discussion-based and led by students.
Class 4: The competitiveness challenge in advanced technologies, production and services (2 hours)	This class will focus on the upcoming competitiveness challenge in advanced technologies production and services, looking closely at U.S. manufacturing, the translator for most physical science related advances into societal economic gain, and the emerging global competition to the U.S. services sector.
Day 3
Class 5: The structure of an energy technology revolution (3 hours)	This class will review the challenges to the energy innovation system including both institutional organizational challenges and underlying economic challenges affecting energy technology advance. Given the political collapse of “cap and trade” proposals for pricing carbon, the class will look at alternative pathways by which an energy transformation could evolve.
Day 4
Discussion panel: The university role in technology commercialization – the MIT model (2 hours)	This session will feature a panel of MIT faculty and experts, who will discuss the commercialization of university technologies. The MIT Model will be used as an example.