UMBI's President, Dr. Jennie Hunter-Cevera, co-chaired discussions on science and technology at the National Press Club. The event, held on September 26, was sponsored by the Center for Policy on Emerging Technologies (C-PET) and brought together national leaders in the fields of science and technology policy including David Goldston (former staff director of the House Science Committee), Jonathan Moreno (University of Pennsylvania and Center for American Progress) and Nigel Cameron (C-PET President and Illinois Institute of Technology Research Professor).The goals of the discussions were to focus attention on the general importance of technology and science, the current state of science, technology and engineering in the U.S., and to address areas where policies regarding these fields can be improved. Dr. Hunter-Cevera participated in an informal panel discussion addressing changes that are needed in our policies on science, education, and technology. This panel included Dr. Cynthia Schneider, Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, and former US ambassador to the Netherlands; and Dr. George Atkinson, Director of the Institute on Science for Global Policy at the University of California, and former Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State. Each of the three panelists has served on the C-PET Board of Directors or Advisory Board. A second panel discussion focused on the federal role in science and technology policy, and was led by David Goldston, Phillip Bond (former Undersecretary of Commerce and currently president of a lead technology trade group) and Reece Rushing (Center for American Progress). A third panel discussed emerging fields such as biotechnology and nanotechnology, and was led by experts including former CEO of AVANTI Immunotherapeutics Una Ryan and Intellectual Property lawyer Jennifer Camacho.President Hunter-Cevera reflected on the need for further dialogue, and said, "It is very timely to have our leaders in the country discuss the current needs and gaps in education, science and technology to keep our country competitive at the global level. Science on the front end of discovery is moving ahead very fast, while the back end on regulatory and policy issues is still catching up and presenting barriers to moving the technology out to end users."