June 30, 2011

NSPE Encourages Federal Employees to Serve as Professional Society Leaders
NSPE sent a letter with approximately 30 other professional and scientific organizations to the Office of Government Ethics supporting a proposed rule that would ease the way for federal employees to hold leadership positions in professional societies. The rule would clarify that serving in such roles was not a conflict of interest with federal employees' duties to the government, removing the legal concern that has prevented federal employees from holding leadership positions in the past. 

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June 24, 2011

NSPE Urges Senate Committee to Fund STEM Education
NSPE sent a letter with the STEM Education Coalition to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee leadership recommending that the Elementary and Secondary Education Act be reauthorized with a focus on improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. NSPE is a member of the STEM Education Coalition, which supports STEM programs for teachers and students at the Department of Education, National Science Foundation, and other agencies that offer STEM-related programs. The coalition is composed of more than 1,000 diverse groups representing all sectors of the technological workforce.

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June 23, 2011

Government and Industry Leaders Discuss Innovation Policy
Senior Manager of Government Relations Sarah Ogden attended the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation policy forum, where a panel of government and industry leaders discussed the future of innovation policy. Panelists included White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA-49), Business Roundtable President John Engler, and Eli Lilly President and CEO John Lechleiter.

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June 21, 2011

NSPE Supports National Science Funding
Senior Manager of Government Relations Sarah Ogden attended a Coalition for National Science Funding meeting, where National Science Foundation Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate Assistant Director Myron Gutmann outlined the directorate's mission and goals. The directorate oversees the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, which publishes Science and Engineering Indicators.
 
NSPE is a member of CNSF, an alliance of more than 125 organizations united by a concern for the future of the national science, mathematics, and engineering professions. CNSF supports increasing national investment in the National Science Foundation's research and education programs.

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June 20, 2011

GSA Establishes Green Building Committee
The General Services Administration announced the establishment of the Green Building Advisory Committee. Formed in accordance with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (PL 110-140), the committee will review strategic plans, products, and activities of the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings and provide advice and expertise on how the office can most effectively accomplish its mission.
 
NSPE supports high-performance building through its membership in the High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition, a coalition of more than 100 associations and corporations that seeks to heighten awareness and inform policymakers about high-performance building issues, including new building technologies, enhanced U.S. economic competitiveness, and increased energy efficiency. The coalition provides guidance and support to the congressional High-Performance Buildings Caucus.

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June 15, 2011

NSPE Attends Naval Forum on STEM Education
NSPE President-Elect Chris Stone, P.E., F.NSPE, NSPE Executive Director Larry Jacobson, and Senior Manager of Government Relations Sarah Ogden participated in the U.S. Naval STEM Education Forum, where government, private industry, academic, and nonprofit professionals gathered to discuss best practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and learn about state-of-the-art educational technology research. Speakers included Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, National Academy of Engineering President Charles Vest, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Clifford Stanley, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Associate Director for Science Carl Wieman, Chief of Naval Research Rear Admiral Nevin Carr Jr., Space Warfare Systems Commander Rear Admiral Patrick Brady, Department of Education Office of Education Technology Director Karen Cator, DEKA Research and Development Corporation CEO Dean Kamen, and Bill Nye "the Science Guy," P.E.

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June 8, 2011

NSPE and ACEC Seek Nominations for QBS Awards
NSPE and ACEC are seeking nominations for the 2011 QBS Awards, which honor public and private entities that make exemplary use of the qualifications-based selection process at the state and local levels. One award is given in each of two categories: the nongovernmental sector and the governmental sector. QBS Award recipients will receive an engraved trophy and will be honored during the ACEC Fall Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada in October 2011. The deadline for nominations is Friday, July 15, 2011. For more information, please contact NSPE Senior Manager of Government Relations Sarah Ogden.

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June 2, 2011

NSPE Coalition Sponsors Federal A&E Forum
The Coalition for the Federal Procurement of Architectural and Engineering Services held its semi-annual Federal Architecture and Engineering Forum, where speakers engaged an audience of federal contracting specialists and private-sector design professionals in a lively discussion of procurement issues. Speakers included Bret Manley, legislative director for House Transportation and Infrastructure Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Denham (R-CA-19); and Small Business Administration Chief Counsel for Advocacy Winslow Sargeant, who holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering.

NSPE Senior Manager of Government Relations Sarah Ogden and NSPE Delegate to COFPAES Kent Buehrer, P.E., F.NSPE, attended the forum. NSPE is a founding member of COFPAES, an organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the Brooks Act (PL 92-582) and the use of qualifications-based selection.

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