Archive for the 'OTA on the net' Category

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Two videos about OTA discovered

I’ve been doing some browsing through Wikipedia, YouTube and Google Video and have come across two videos about OTA. Both include excellent summaries of OTA’s mission and explain how reports were created. Both also feature cutting edge video and audio effects and plenty of examples of sweet fashion from the 1980s and early 1990s.

Which one is your favorite? Does anyone know who originally posted these videos on Google Video?

OTA on OTA (1983)

Office of Technology Assessment (early 1990s)

Weekend wrap-up of OTA Archive coverage

A few more websites have mentioned the OTA Archive-

Total WonKerr

Atomic Archive

TEDBlog

More posts about OTA and the OTA Archive

A few more blogs have discussed the OTA since our launch Wednesday…

From The Great Beyond, a blog hosted by Nature:

“Washington is full of science-policy wonks who bemoan the loss of the Office of Technology Assessment, which between 1972 and 1995 was the go-to place for smart independent advice for policymakers on science and technology topics. Fortunately, OTA junkies now have an online fix for all their needs.”

From Rhetoric and Rockets:

“Before OTA is reborn I would want to know the following:

  • How, exactly, would a revived OTA would function?
  • How big would it be?
  • Who would participate?
  • More importantly (from my semi-mistrustful point of view) who DECIDES who gets to participate?
  • What would the new OTA charter look like?
  • What steps would be taken to prevent the real or perceived irrelevance of the agency?
  • What provisions will be made to ensure that OTA remains a “lean and mean,” think tank type of organization?
  • In short, what will OTA supporters do to assure budget hawks that the agency deserves to be reborn when there is already a call to decrease the deficit, balance the budget, and eliminate a great deal of waste elsewhere in the federal government?”

Exploring Interdisciplinarity:

“The Agency, which we as staffers labeled “Congress’ Own Think Tank,” had become official in 1972, and was tasked with taking a long-term look at the implications of technology on all aspects of society. By most accounts, we did a phenomenal job.”

OTA Archive coverage around the web

Here’s a sampling of some of the coverage the OTA Archive launch received around the internet.

Science Progress / Science Cheerleader

OMB Watch

Sunlight Foundation

George Dimitriou

Bioephemera blog

Bored Science blog

Scientists and Engineers for America

Secrecy News

A Call for a Citizen Scientist Role in Federal Government

By Terrie Miller | Citizen Science Projects Blog | July 15, 2008

Here’s a blog post that mentions Darlene Cavalier’s recent Science Progress editorial on creating a very public Office of Technology Assessment. Ms. Miller says,

“I’m a firm believer in citizen science as one path to increasing science literacy. Cavalier takes the next step and insists that we begin to take a more prominent role in policy making ourselves. After all, isn’t that what citizens of a democracy are supposed to do?”

If they build it, will you come?

By Darlene Cavalier | Science Cheerleader Blog | July 14, 2008

Darlene Cavalier, AKA “The Science Cheerleader”, released two new articles about the OTA. The first appeared last week in Science Progress, and argues the OTA should reopen, but with a twist. She says:

It is time to have a new OTA, but one with citizen participation. Scientists and Congress should trust the public’s capacity to learn, draw conclusions, and contribute. Invite the public to do more, and put a process in place so citizens and researchers can work together to impart sound policy advice to Congress. In short, they should help bridge the divide.

The second post appears today on the blog Science Cheerleader as a direct challenge to citizen scientists- “This question is for you (the public). If Congress opens an OTA with citizen inclusion, will you answer the call to participate?”