Panel Session

August 10, 2009, Monday

4:00-6:00 PM

Panel Title: Critical Need for Funding of Basic and Applied Research in Large-Scale Computing

Panelists: Lotfi Zadeh, Bhavani Thursingham, Dan Smith, Stuart Rubin, Jon Rokne, Shu-Ching Chen, Gary Boettinger

(Board Room)

Forum: Open to all conference registrants

Abstract

Funding for the basic and even applied sciences is currently in a state of disarray. Researchers are working in mideaval cottage industries and without any kind of insurance. Tackle the hard problems and fail and your reputation goes with it. Work on easy problems and one is not recognized (or fullfilled). The problem seems to be that there is no recognition of societal impact until after the fact. Couple that with the increasing policiticizing of funding for science and you have a recipe for deleterious competition. If sponsors don't recognize what problems need to be worked on, then progress is necessarily impeded. There is no shortage of money, only one of wisdom as to where to best invest it. Our conferences and journals appear to the outside world as boisterous propositions with the few exceptions being the papers that translate into recognizable products or services. Thus, there is a need to reach the public and thereby the funding agencies via the medium of the public press. These days, more than ever, good work implies good marketing. This panel will convene for two-hours and address everything from public (sponsor) relations to what large-scale computing projects need to be pushed to the forefront because they create wealth for the world, rather than consume it (and us along with it).