Washington — Many industries would like increased federal support and freedom from government regulation.
After three years of study, a panel appointed by the National Academy of Sciences has concluded that the nation’s information-technology industry is no different.
The academy’s National Research Council commissioned the study, beginning in 2006, to look at how U.S. leadership in information technology — from the development of the Internet to the expansion of broadband phone service — has fueled the growth of the overall economy, and what should be done to sustain that growth.
The council formed the 12-member panel of industry and academic leaders — including experts from the University of California, Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Washington — that today issued a 166-page report on its findings.
Their recommendations: Increase government spending on educational opportunities and on research and development in the field of information technology; consider easing regulations affecting information technology; and grant more visas to foreign students entering the field.
“The globalization of the world’s economy,” the panel of august experts warns, “is a fact that cannot be ignored.” —Paul Basken
