CCST Newsroom

In a not too distant California future, students experience classrooms as a rich, multimedia virtual concept instead of a physical space. They graduate into a workforce and marketplace that thrives on the seamless, constant conversion of intellectual ability into economic power. Part of that workforce successfully applies the latest technology solutions to ensure water quality, […]

CCST’s report California’s Energy Future – The View to 2050 was released at the end of May 2011. The report was discussed in the following: Fusion Power Report (6/13/11) CheckBioTech.org (6/10/11) Bio Refining Magazine (6/9/11) Bio Diesel Magazine (6/9/11) Environmental Energy Technologies Division (6/8/11) Capital Public Radio, Insight (6/7/11) Climate Change Solutions (6/7/11) Energy Efficiency News (6/6/11) Capitol Morning Report (6/5/11) North American […]

A report by the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) released today examines the potential and challenges in developing enough nuclear power to meet a large fraction of California’s electricity demand in the year 2050. “California’s Energy Future – Powering California with Nuclear Energy” was produced as input to the CCST report, “California’s Energy […]

California Council on Science and Technology Report Looks Ahead to 80 Percent Reduction in Carbon Fuel Emissions from 1990 Level “California’s Energy Future – The View to 2050” looks a generation ahead at what’s required to reach that goal and answers the call of S-3-05, the executive order from 2005 to reduce the state’s emissions […]

The final version of “Health Impacts of Radio Frequency from Smart Meters” has been released. This version has been finalized taking into account input and reviews received during the public comment period in January. Comments received as part of this process have also been released. At the request of Assembly Member Jared Huffman (Marin) and […]

California’s innovation ecosystem achieved world leadership in the last century because of its system of higher education, high-talent workforce, advanced technical infrastructure, and enlightened policies. The state must take action if it is to maintain its status as the nation’s high-tech leader, according to a preliminary assessment from CCST. “In the face of a statewide […]

CCST’s analysis of the safety of smart meters was prepared in a matter of months thanks to the many experts who came together to work on the project under the direction of project team chair and CCST Board member Rollin Richmond, president of Humboldt State University. “It was a pleasure to be part of a […]

CCST’s Personalized Healthcare Information Technology (pHIT) Task Force has completed a major component of the pHIT pilot study project, gathering all needed input from a four-member Ontology Panel assembled last Spring based on Panel member expertise in oncology, ontology and information technology. The pHIT pilot study focuses on personalized oncology through development of a clinical […]

The October 2010 CCST Council meeting focused on trust and accountability in science and technology. Two summary documents are now available, with overviews of the discussions from October 18 and 19, respectively. “Issues of trust and accountability in science are both timely and long-standing,” CCST Past Chair Charles Kennel said in his opening remarks at […]

Miriam John, former Vice President of the California Division of the Sandia National Laboratories, has been named the new Chair of the California Council on Science and Technology effective January 1. Council member Peter Cowhey has been named the new Vice Chair. “Mim brings to the position a depth and breadth of experience as a […]

Innovative entrepreneurs are critical to California’s economic well-being. In order to encourage their success, CCST Council Member Fariborz Maseeh has donated $1.03 million to fund the creation of the Maseeh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition (MEPC) for engineering students at the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering. “There is no other field like engineering where […]

California must dramatically overhaul its energy systems if the state is to achieve its ambitious goals of reducing total greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and even lower by 2050, according to the California’s Energy Future (CEF) project report being released this fall. “Effective mitigation is going to require that we get down […]

On October 21st, the California Teacher Advisory Council (Cal TAC) brought together teachers and educational experts from around the state to discuss assessment systems in California. The symposium at the Sacramento Convention Center, “Working Towards an Assessment System with Value: Informing and Strengthening STEM Teaching and Learning”, focused on innovative formative assessments both in the […]

CCST’s Personalized Healthcare Information Technology (pHIT) Task Force has completed a major component of the pHIT pilot study project, gathering all needed input from a four-member Ontology Panel assembled last Spring by the pHIT Task Force based on their expertise in oncology, ontology and information technology. The pHIT Task Force is chaired by Ramesh Rao, […]

California State University East Bay President Mohammad Quayoumi hosted the first in what will be a series of meetings exploring aspects of California’s innovation ‘ecosystem.’ The meeting on October 14, “A Call to Action: Advancing California’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Innovation Ecosystem,” brought together industry and education leaders to discuss reinventing K-12 education, […]

During the summer, CCST, in consultation with its Federal Laboratory Affiliates, conducted a round of outreach meetings with California politicians in Washington D.C. Meetings were scheduled with both California Senators and Members on Appropriations and House Science Committees, and focused on NASA, in order to leverage JPL sponsored events celebrating the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s […]

CCST Council Member Susan Bryant, former vice chancellor for research at UC Irvine (UCI), has been named as a recipient of UCI’s most prestigious honor. The UCI Medal, awarded annually, recognizes those who have made exceptional contributions to the university’s mission of teaching, research and public service over the course of their careers. The honor […]

CCST Senior Fellow Ralph Cicerone, President of the National Academy of Sciences, is among those appointed to the newly reestablished Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB).  The twelve member board, which includes scientists, business executives, academics and former government officials, will serve as an independent advisory committee to Secretary Steven Chu, also a CCST Senior […]

On April 15, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, President Obama outlined a strategy for human spaceflight that increases NASA’s budget by $6 billion over the next five years. His plan represents an ambitious effort to foster the development of path-breaking technologies; increase the number, scope, and pace of manned and unmanned space missions; […]

CCST’s Personalized Healthcare Information Technology (pHIT) Task Force has assembled a panel of clinical oncologists as part of its pilot study to develop a scalable prototype healthcare decision support system designed to integrate de-identified patient records with genetic/ genomic test results. This system will be built upon an expertly developed personalized clinical ontology for breast […]

The Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) recently published a draft of a report entitled “A Nanotechnology Policy Framework: Policy Recommendations for Addressing Potential Health Risks from Nanomaterials in California.” The draft nanotechnology policy framework will be presented to Cal/EPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard […]