Investigations and Innovations
In 2018, then Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced an effort to counter what he described as an increase in Chinese economic espionage that threatened US competitiveness and national security. “We are here today to say: enough is enough,” Sessions proclaimed. “We’re not going to take it anymore.”
With its China Initiative, the Department of Justice reached beyond defense and intelligence agencies to research labs and universities, aiming to root out “non-traditional collectors” of trade secrets among academic scientists and engineers. But critics saw a darker side: potential anti-Asian bias and racial profiling. In our cover story, former Prism editor Mark Matthews chronicles the initiative and its toll on academics’ lives and careers. The Biden administration ended the program earlier this year and instead is pursuing a broader strategy against “nation-state threats” (see sidebar), but legal cases from the initial effort are still pending—and some worry about enduring effects.
Congress also has taken steps intended to protect research intellectual property and enhance vetting. The United States Innovation and Competition Act, which would authorize a new National Science Foundation technology directorate and increase NSF’s funding, includes provisions on disclosing foreign gifts and documenting financial transactions with any entity directly or indirectly funded by the Chinese government. ASEE and the higher education community have expressed concern about these provisions to members of Congress and their staff—citing in particular the difficulty of implementation, administrative burdens for universities and faculty, and disincentives for international research collaborations.
Also in this issue: Prism chief correspondent Tom Grose highlights groundbreaking materials that could help reduce the building and construction industry’s substantial share of greenhouse gas emissions. New ingredients, such as biomineralizing bacteria used in concrete, and processes, such as nano-engineered “superwood,” are beginning to move from research to commercialization.
Our teaching feature, by Deputy Editor Mary Lord, investigates the burgeoning impact of Big Data on virtually every field and the increasing need for engineering programs to equip graduates to navigate a flood of digital information. Boston University’s College of Engineering is leading the way both by embedding data science in the core curriculum and expanding upper-level courses, such as in machine learning. The goal: produce innovators who understand and can apply large-scale computing techniques to tackle global challenges from improving medical care to designing sustainable cities.
Finally, we are excited to announce innovations for Prism itself, with an aim to better serve readers. Fall will bring enhanced digital features (we are particularly excited about the new option to listen to individual articles and full issues), additional career-related offerings, closer ties between Prism and other ASEE content, and more. We can’t wait for you to see what we’re working on, and we welcome your feedback.
In the meantime, wishing you a restorative summer.
Eva Miller
e.miller@asee.org