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March 29, 2002

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CONTENTS

Click on links for more detailed information

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NEW RELEASES

"Capitalizing on New Needs and New Opportunities: Government-Industry

Partnershipsin Biotechnology and Information Technologies" - To capture

the benefits of substantial U.S. investments in biomedical R&D, parallel

investments in a wide range of seemingly unrelated disciplines are also

required. This report summarizes a major conference that reviewed our

nation's R&D support for biotechnology and information technologies.

The volume includes newly commissioned research and makes

recommendations and findings concerning the important relationship

between information technologies and biotechnology. It emphasizes

the fall off in R&D investments needed to sustain the growth of the U.S.

economy and to capitalize on the growing investments in biomedicine.

It also encourages greater support for inter-discipinary training to support

new areas such as bioinformatics and urges more emphasis on and

support for multi-disciplinary research centers. Can be read online at

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10281.html

Contact chayter@nas.edu for requests for this publication.

"Measuring and Sustaining the New Economy" - Starting in the mid-nineties,

the U.S. economy experienced an unprecedented upsurge in economic

productivity. Rapid technological change in communications, computing,

and information management continue apace. These developments, along

with associated structural changes and public policies, have coincided with

the sustained expansion of the U.S. economythrough much of the 1990s, and

auger well for its continued growth. The discussion of the "New Economy"

reported here, focuses on this increased productivity. It also captures the

dynamic of the U.S. economy as it continues to capitalize on new

technologies, new opportunities, and, in particular, on public investments in

the research that underpin the information technologies transforming the way

we live and work. Sustaining the New Economy will require policies that

remain relevant to the rapid technological changes that characterize it.

While data and its timely analysis are key to effective policy-making, we

do not yet have adequate statistical images capturing changes in

productivity and growth brought about by the information technology

revolution. This report on a STEP workshop highlights the need for

more information and the challenges faced in measuring the New Economy

and sustaining its growth. Can be read online at

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10282.html

Contact chayter@nas.edu for requests for this publication.

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