Influencing Government Decisions from the Ivory Tower

1
Influencing Government Decisions from the Ivory
Tower

• Terry A. Ring
• Ch.E.
• University of Utah

2
How Did I get Started?

• Volunteerism
• High School Football
• Neighborhood Association Board of Directors
• Influence Zoning in Neighborhood
• Ran International ACS meeting
• CCR
• Administration Committee
• Government Relations Committee

3
Curiosity in Government

• Student Offices
• High School
• University
• Boys State
• Politics in UK
• Politics of RD Funding in England, Switzerland
  and Japan
• CCR - Government Relations Committee

4
An investment in knowledge always pays the best
interest.

• Benjamin Franklin

5
CCR Government Relations Committee

• Agency Visits
• Budget Position Papers
• Congressional Visits Day
• Tell them the importance of Chemical RD on
  Utahs Economy
• Give Awards to Congressmen
• Science Technology Town Meetings
• Rep. Chris Cannon
• Rep. Merril Cook

6
RD Funding History

• 1996 - Newt Gingrichs Contract With America
• NIH 2x over 7 years
• Much of new medical technology is built on
  traditional science and engineering!
• Where is the equivalent funding increase for
  traditional science and engineering?
• Government funding of RD over the years has
  decreased significantly.

7
Government Funding of RD as GDP
8
Different Perspective

• Science and Engineering Funding in Europe is
  Strong and Stable.
• Each country has its strengths that are being
  maintained.
• Japanese Funding for Science and Engineering is
  directed to areas where Japan will control the
  market.
• USA thinks that it can do it all well and win
  them all.

9
Richard Gross, CTO Dow ChemicalCCR President

• Move from anecdotes to statistical backed
  knowledge
• Commission a Study of the Situation with respect
  to Chemical RD and its effectiveness.
• Council for Chemical Research as vehicle.

10
CCR Study-Phase I (2001)

• History of Technology
• Literature/Patent Analysis
• Financial Analysis
• Overview

• David Sicilia
• U. of MD
• Francis Narin
• CHI Research
• Barouch Lev
• NYU
• Ashish Arora
• Carnegie-Mellon U.

11
CCR Study

• History of Economic Impact
• Follow Research to Patents
• Importance of Research on Chemical Patents
• Exploitation delay
• Follow RD spent to Corporate Profitability to
  Tax Revenue
• Chemical Technology Enables other Industries. It
  is the most enabling of all industries!

12
What to do with the Study?

• Rollout (my job)
• Make this Public at the Highest Levels!

13
Study Rollout Team

• Jim Albertine, Albertine Enterprises
• M. Smith, A. Rickard, Association Vision
• P. J. Garfinkel, Imagemaker Speeches
• CCR Staff
• CCR Action Network
• W. Wachob, Dow

• Govt. Relations
• Press Relations
• Report Editing/Writing
• Layout Printing Coordination
• Coordination/Overview
• Study Manager

14
Study Rollout

• Combine studies into one coherent document
• Publish Report
• Press Release Documentation
• Press Contacts
• Meetings with
• Business Week, Wall Street Journal
• Chemical Week, CE News
• Government Release
• Congressional Briefing
• HB 153 Dear Colleague Letter
• Work with Lobbyist Congressional Staff

15
Study Findings

• History of Impressive Impact
• Balance of Trade
• 50 of GDP growth
• Can Follow RD spending to Profit
• Can Follow R to Patents and Products
  (exploitation delay)
• Papers lead to patents in the same states
• RD is good for the economy (so we should do more
  of it)

16
After Tax ROI17
TIME ?
Scientific Publication(s)
Proposal
0 1yr 2yr 3yr 4yr 5yr 6yr
7yr 8yr 9yr 10yr 11yr 12yr 13
yr 14yr 15
300k
Basic Research 1) National Lab Research 2)
University Research (29.5B in 2000) (87
Govt. Funded)
17
Research Drives EachInnovation Cycles
Profit
Sustaining RD
Fundamental RD
Applied RD
Taxes
Product Launch Patent License Invention
18
Patent Life
Fluorescent Lamp
Data from Birchall, J.D., Chemistry and Industry
7/18/1983.
19
Business Innovation Cycles long view
Business Cycles are Shortening!! International
Competition is heating up!
20
Chances of Innovation Success

• Innovation Activity Success Probability
• Proposal? Grant 1 in 10
• Research ? Publcn, 1 in 2
• Publcn ? Patent 1 in 100
• Patent ? Profit 1 in 25
• 1 in
  500,000
• Within TTO
• Invention ? Patent App. 1 in 2
• Patent App. ? Patent 1 in 2
• Patent ? License 1 in 1
• License ? Royalty 1 in 3
• License ? Start-up

21
Odds are like Napoleons Russian Campaign
22
Work After CCR Study

• CCR Study Phase II
• Chemistry is Enabling (2006)
• Government ROI
• 1B spent 8B Tax 20 years later
• Annual Congressional Visits
• Pushing for more RD
• Seed corn for the business in the next generation
• Work with Govt Relations Staffer in Washington
  DC
• NSF Doubling Bill
• Signed into Law in 2002

23
NSF Doubling Bill

• Initiated by calls by CCR Government Relations
  Staffer
• Precipitated an Avalance of Support
• ACS, APS, AAAS
• Success in politics is all about timing.
• Read the sentiment
• Needs bi-partisan support
• Many people need to look good
• Acting only when sentiment is behind the
  initiative

24
NSF Doubling Bill

• Signed into Law in 2002
• No money in 2003,2004,2005,2006
• What is going wrong??
• Two Types of Bills
• Authorization Bill
• This is a good idea
• Appropriations Bill
• Fund it at level

25
Making It Happen

• Rising Above the Gathering Storm Report 2005
• State of the Union 2006
• American Competitiveness Initiative
• Money in 2007
• NSF, DOE-OS, NIST

26
Measure for Measure Chemical RD Powers The US
Innovation Engine

• 2006 Report
• Chemical technology enables more industries than
  any other technology.

27
Measure for Measure Chemical RD Powers The US
Innovation Engine
28
What have I learned about Government?
29
Government is a study in dynamics!

• Issues are constantly changing
• The players are constantly changing
• Political power is never real nor constant.
• Political power is in the eye of the beholder.

30
What Have I learned about Government?

• You scratch my back, Ill scratch yours.
• Congressman Don Manzullo, Chair Small Business
  Committee
• Government is a mile wide and a micron thick.
• Kurt Markva, Chief of Staff for Don Manzullo
• For success on any issue, keep the drum beating!
• It does not matter how good the music is just
  keep the drum beating.

31
If you want government to do the right thing you
must be talking to your legislators.

• Help with campaign to get (re)elected
• Respond to questions from them about upcoming
  legislation
• Go to Town Meetings and express opinions

32

• It doesnt matter who you are, you can make a
  difference!
• But you must be persistent!