Recent news
July 2010
Conference examines how science and technology can revitalize USAID
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) last week hosted a two-day conference to examine how science and technology can revitalize the agency and solve major challenges in international development. USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah opened the conference by calling on attendees to think strategically about how to better leverage science, technology, and innovation to advance high-impact development. He also said that there is a need to quickly move advancements “out of the lab and on the ground.”
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Holdren, President Obama’s science advisor and head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, also spoke at the conference about USAID’s new science and technology strategy. “Innovation, science, technology must again become fundamental components of how we conduct development work,” Secretary Clinton said, adding, “And the reality of the world we live in today is that technology and innovation are the great equalizers and can be used to create opportunity where there is very little of that commodity.” See the links below for more information.
- USAID’s “Impact” blog with video of Secretary Clinton’s comments
- USAID’s “Impact” blog with details of Administrator Shah’s opening remarks
- Post by Administrator Shah on the “Impact” blog regarding the conference
- Science magazine’s “Science Insider” blog
