I’m back from Minneapolis where I had the pleasure of being a presenter at Innovation 2008, the brainchild of Science Debate 2008 and the University of Minnesota.

Here’s a post I wrote for Discover Magazine.com

Or, click the links below and watch the webcast at your leisure.  As Science Debate CEO Shawn Otto put it “Whether you’re faculty, student, researcher, blogger, or concerned citizen there’s something you’re going to value in these remarkable and educational sessions.  Get Smart!”

SESSIONS (90 min each)
1. Innovation – Some of America’s leading science policy experts discuss the current challenges and opportunities
2. Education – Evolution versus creationism is just one snippet of the politics of renewing STEM in America
3. Health – A deeply spirited and stimulating discussion of public health, pandemics, and science policy
4. News & Culture – A sizzling hot look at the problems we uncovered in American science policy reporting  (this is where you will find my presentation)
5. Energy – What’s missing from the current energy debate?  A look at sustainability issues.
6. Peter Agre on the human side of science – A Nobel laureate’s inspirational talk on crisis and innovation
7. Ira Flatow on science in America today – An outstanding discussion – coming soon!

Cheers!

I met many fascinating people in Minneapolis at Innovation 2008.  One of them is Lynn Fellman, an artist who creates personalized portraits–and I do mean personalized. Her portraits are based on DNA sequences and mutation markers.

I’m ordering one–choosing to ignore that nagging inner voice cautioning me against this. “Do you REALLY want your DNA information to end up in the hands of scientists, insurance agents, future employers or worse–marketers!?”  Lynn assures me my DNA will be kept top secret and remain nameless.

Hey, a couple of weeks ago, ten super smart people volunteered to donate their DNA to science. More from Scientific American:

Ten people  allowed their genetic maps to be publicly displayed on the Web in the name of research. The effort is part of Harvard Medical School’s Personal Genome Project (PGP), which aims to create a large public database of human DNA to aid researchers in their quest to find the causes and cures for genetic maladies.   

One of the participants explains how relatively inexpensive DNA sequencing technology works and why he believes this project has the potential to change the face of medical research.

While another argues that privacy issues may be a concern but that it’s overshadowed by the fear that insurance companies will refuse to provide coverage or will charge sky-high rates if aware that someone has a pre-existing genetic condition or risk of developing a certain disease.

Interested in having your health history and genes published online for the benefit of science?  The project got approval this spring to expand the project to 100,000 people, and they’re looking for volunteers.

I ripped this entire post off from Sheril Kirshenbaum at The Intersection.com. (What can I say? She beat me to the punch. I was a speaker at the Innovation 2008 event, referenced below, and I’ll be right back with highlights from those juicy discussions!)

When Science And Politics Collide
Posted on: October 22, 2008 10:26 AM, by the interSeCtion

About a year ago, we had an idea to make science more prominent on the campaign trail this election cycle: ScienceDebate2008 was born.

It wasn’t long before a lot of folks took notice and the initiative grew rapidly. Eventually, the presidential candidates weighed in.

[left to right: Darlene Cavalier, Shawn Lawrence Otto, Matthew Chapman, Lawrence Krauss, Chris Mooney, Erik Beeler, Sheril Kirshenbaum]

This week, ScienceDebate2008 co-hosted Innovation 2008 with the Center for Science, Technology, and Public Policy at the University of Minnesota–a conference bringing together academics, policy makers, business leaders, scientists, educators, artists, students, and the public to discuss solutions to the major challenges facing the United States revolving around science and technology policy. It was an excellent forum inspiring all sorts of ideas and unique collaborative efforts. The 2008 election may be weeks away, but for ScienceDebate this is only the beginning...

Thanks, Sheril!

Delighted to have been invited to speak at this important event. Kindly join in the discussion, in person or online.

From Shawn Otto, CEO of ScienceDebate2008.com:

“The great press continues – we are affecting the presidential discussion. But now we need to take this conversation to a new level. Please tell friends, colleagues and associates interested in the future of America to join us in Minnesota on October 20-21st for a very exciting national discussion at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Science, Technology and Public Policy. Register now – space is limited.

Keynotes
Nobel laureate Peter Agre
Science broadcaster Ira Flatow

Topics
Our discussions will cover Innovation and the economy, Science and the Elections, STEM and the education crisis in America, Energy Security & Sustainability – what’s missing from the debate, and Rekindling America’s love affair with Science. Visit www.innovation2008.com for more details. We will also have some very special high-tech art presentations.”
Some of our confirmed speakers and panelists:

Some of our confirmed speakers and panelists:

•    Andrew Fire, Nobel laureate and Professor of Pathology and Genetics, Stanford University
•    Bill Bates, Vice President of the Council on Competitiveness
•    Darlene Cavalier, ScienceCheerleader.com
•    Kei Koizumi, Director, R&D Budget & Policy, American Assn for the Advancement of Science
•    Lawrence Krauss, astrophysicist, science policy speaker, and popular author
•    Chris Mooney, Washington Correspondent for Seed and popular author
•    Jan Morrison – Executive Director; TIES Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM
•    Michael T. Osterholm, Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP)
•    Shawn Lawrence Otto, screenwriter and CEO, Science Debate 2008
•    Eugenie Scott, Executive Director, National Center for Science Education
•    Alice Seagren, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Education
•    Susan Singer – Carlton College; Board on Science Education of the National Academies
•    Manil Suri, Professor of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Maryland, Baltimore and popular author
•    Susan  Wood, former FDA Director of Women’s Health and Research Professor, GWU
•    Mary Woolley,  President of Research!America,

and many more, along with a few very special surprises.

The Obama and McCain campaigns have been invited.

“Clearly, the fundamental drivers of the U.S. economy need attention,” said Shawn Lawrence Otto, CEO of Science Debate 2008, cosponsor of the event.  “Innovation in science and technology has driven half of America’s economic growth since WWII, but the global landscape is changing.  We need to forge a new path to remain a first rate economy.”   Otto said national experts will meet at the conference to explore strategies the United States needs to take to retain and renew its global leadership in innovation into the future.  “Most of the major challenges facing the U.S. revolve around 14 key questions of science and technology.”