I like Caltech's involvement in Alternative Energy.
Dr. Steven Koonin (PhD Nuclear Physics, MIT) is ex-provost @Caltech, who I believe has been "planted" in Oil Industry to act as a "catalyst" for a paradigm shift. In this case, chief-scientist @BP. Remember the 60's? "Down with the Establishment" which was a direct frontal approach to change ("We just knocked the Establishment on its Status Quo", from Hawaii Five-O episode where a bunch of hippies rob a bank), the hippies from that generation (mine & Martin's) have been replaced by insiders who are inducing change from "within the system".
Dr. David Goodstein (Feynman's protege) is Caltech's ex-vice provost, who wrote the alarmist book "Out of Gas". He was involved with Physics Education & he used to come to our JPL/Computer Graphics Lab when he was working with Jim Blinn (famed Computer Graphics researcher, the field Loren Carpenter/PIXAR..Roadster client..is in).
Both of the above guys are Physicists (Caltech has traditionally been run by physicists), but there was an interesting move when they hired Dr. David Baltimore (Nobelist in Medicine) for President several yrs ago. There's a big movement in Biology sector (especially Bio-Tech, which is relevant to Alternative Energy), so that's why he was brought in to stimulate R&D. (e.g., the Broad Inst was created/built, next to Beckman Inst). The current Caltech President is a former GaTech colleague of Dr. Steve Cross (early 80's contemporary of myself & Martin at UIUC/Coordinated Science Laboratory/AARG). Caltech has an impressive track-record in Automotive (Racing & EV), with Jim Hall (inventor of Ground-Effects, used in F1 & Indycar, currently on Caltech Mechanical Eng Advisory Board) & A. Cocconi/W. Rippel (Aerovironment engineers, who were involved in pionerring GM EV1 development).
What needs to happen, is to get Leadership (Academia, Industry, Govt) organized, as per Judy Estrin's comments (& mine) in regards to R&D (what Judy refers to as "Innovation Ecosystem")
Judy Estrin: Innovation: Crucial to Our Future
Scobleizer — Tech geek blogger Blog Archive The political topic that must not be discussed in USA
It seems like innovation in many fields -- from Web 2.0 to personalized medicine -- is accelerating at a rapid pace in the United States, right?
Wrong. In fact, the underlying infrastructure of research, development, and application that produced these marvels -- as well as world-changing innovations like the Internet -- has drastically deteriorated in the U.S. in recent years. The decline of what I call our "Innovation Ecosystem" poses a grave threat to both the economic prosperity of our country and the security of our children's future. The state of innovation is a critical issue that should be getting more attention in the days leading up to the presidential election.
Leading-edge science and technology have been at the foundation of our country's economic growth for more than a century. Significant inventions like the personal computer, cell phones, and the Net have all driven major cycles of our economic growth. Today, more than ever, our role in the future depends on our ability to sustain a culture that supports and promotes the ability to innovate. Along with the rest of the world, the U.S. faces major challenges -- climate change, national security, dependence on oil, and the need for affordable health care -- that threaten our future. Each of these challenges also brings opportunities - if we give innovation the attention it deserves.
All this frenzied entrepeneurial activity in the Alternative Energy sector (incl EV, hydrogen powered cars, biofuels, solar power, etc) needs to be structured within the above. As I posted earlier, just as the Japanese have designed a Collaborative/Cooperative system involving Govt & Industry for their Auto Sector, & the Germans have done with Fraunhofer Inst (Applied Research directed to assist German Industry, not just Auto).
"A GOOD PLAN, will beat a Good Idea anyday..10 to 1"
-- xx, offroad racing marketing guru (friend of mine)
Otherwise, you will have more snafus like TM experienced last year with the transmission: leading to manufacturing delays, domino effect (Stealth Bloodbath at TM), etc.
"It's not the lazy American worker, which is a myth. It's the fault of American management in auto companies"
-- xx, famous auto-write ("Voyages" 1hr episode on Honda)
"General Motors is a DINOSAUR. They pay executives to DO NOTHING [ maintain the status-quo, not innovate ]"
-- xx, ex HS classmate, U. of Michigan Law School grad
The Technology is one issue (establishing "Innovation Ecosystem", as per J. Estrin), the other (possibly greater) issue is Organization/Infrastructure/Management to allow Technology to flourish (I like J. Estrin's terminology "ecosystem" which implies inter-connectedness, Biology origins).
A) Technology Program
R&D to develop New Technology, application of Technology to Product (e.g., EV manufacture)
B) Business Program
VC, Govt subsidies, good business-model by companies
C) Political Program
making alliances, fighting off enemies. Washington contacts are crucial (to setup an overall R&D infrastructure to be the "turbocharger" for the "engine" of Alternative Energy sector), as are leaders in Academia (e.g., Caltech, UIUC, Georgia-Tech) & Industry (TM, Intel, Northrop-Grumman, Fraunhofer Inst, etc)
If you can do the A/B/C's, then you can be an effective player in Alternative Energy. Look at the Japanese, how they became Automotive superpowers (Toyota is now #1 market-share, leaping over GM) from the depths of WWII. Same thing with Germany (Fraunhofer was created after WWII to boost German industry). Both Germans & Japanese had GOOD PLANS, triggered by the crisis of WWII. America is currently in a crisis (not as bad as losing a war, but close), & they better start moving. It's begining to look like "Too little, too late"
"Increasingly, it's a race between Education [ failing US education system & failing R&D "Innovation Ecosystem" ] & DISASTER"
-- H.G. Welles
The current Stock Market crisis is based on "stupid money", bad risk invesments & flaws in the system. Legalized crookery. Washington better can those idiotic bailouts ("You can't fix STUPID!"), & spend that money more wisely as per above.
"Invest in Technology, & the intellectual-property [ people & Education ] of USA"
Alternative Energy is a hot Tech sector, where America has always shined (J. Estrin points this out). USA has arguably the best collection of universities in the World, look at the lists of Nobelists (slew of Americans). People like Martin, A. Cocconi (his parents were CERN physicists) are part of the "best & brightest" intellectual property that gravitates to top-tier universities like UIUC (2nd ranked engineering univ, tied w/Stanford when Martin & I were at UIUC) & Caltech. To have A. Cocconi "walk away in discust" (that was my impression when I met him @Rose Bowl while R/C flying in 2006) & Martin ejected as part of that kooky Stealth Bloodbath (now recovering emotionally & physically), is INSANE. You can trace all the problems to issues with implementing A/B/C. In Alan's case, it was "C) Political Program" which was the dominant factor: Oil/Auto companies "ganged" the innovators & stifled EV sector. In Martin's case, it was "A/B/C overall" where the powers-to-be didn't put in place an R&D infrastructure like a Germany/Fraunhofer Inst (which would have overcome that transmission snafu smoothly) to act as a "turbocharger" to the emerging Alternative Energy sector.
Going back to the Caltech modus-operanda. Here is what my HS classmate (Stanford Geophysics PhD, his dad was a UIUC Prof in particle physics) told me:
"The Caltech people are really smart, they argue a lot, but in the end..THEY DO THE RIGHT THING"
Steven Koonin on that panel is no accident, I believe there is a Plan by Caltech higher-ups to plant him as a "catalyst" (chief scientist @BP) Other universities (UIUC, Georgia-Tech, etc) should follow that lead, & better yet.. team up w/Caltech to do the same. Go in as Single Cohesive Program. UIUC President (Dr. Joseph White) has a business background, so he would most definitely be interested in being an Academic parnter in an NCSA-like NCEA/Nat'l Center for Energy Applications (virtual R&D infrastructure, spanning Universities & Industry). Same thing, for Georgia-Tech whose GTRI/GaTech Research Inst already is heavily involved with Alternative Energy (Center for Innovative Fuel Cell and Battery Technologies). Both have UIUC connections, & furthermore the ex-Gatech colleague of S. Cross (Gatech VP) is now President of Caltech. Obviously, based on the UIUC alumni thread, you have a situation where UIUC, Caltech, Georgia-Tech could form a triumvirate Academic team. Stanford, MIT are also notable universities with strong records in Tech.
Last edited: