Government as Innovator
Take a look at a just published NYTimes letter from an old friend
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/business/28backpage-GOVERNMENTAS_LETTERS.htm?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1246190656-P7n3Pwsk3VDcFxZptE5V/A
(reprinted for your convenience here)
Re “Can Government Till the Fields of Innovation?” (Unboxed, June 21), which examined national efforts around the world to turn ideas into products and services:
The United States government, far from just “wading into” innovation today, has a tradition of great success in its own laboratories.
I was at the National Bureau of Standards in the early 1950s, where we designed and built SEAC, or the Standards Electronic Automatic Computer. It set into motion ideas leading to today’s computer industry. The National Institutes of Health also performs public-domain research in addition to supporting innovation.
History shows that an important way for government to encourage innovation is for government employees to do research themselves.
Russell A. Kirsch
Portland, Ore., June 22
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/business/28backpage-GOVERNMENTAS_LETTERS.htm?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1246190656-P7n3Pwsk3VDcFxZptE5V/A
(reprinted for your convenience here)
Re “Can Government Till the Fields of Innovation?” (Unboxed, June 21), which examined national efforts around the world to turn ideas into products and services:
The United States government, far from just “wading into” innovation today, has a tradition of great success in its own laboratories.
I was at the National Bureau of Standards in the early 1950s, where we designed and built SEAC, or the Standards Electronic Automatic Computer. It set into motion ideas leading to today’s computer industry. The National Institutes of Health also performs public-domain research in addition to supporting innovation.
History shows that an important way for government to encourage innovation is for government employees to do research themselves.
Russell A. Kirsch
Portland, Ore., June 22
Comment
-
Comment by Sandy Ressler on June 28, 2009 at 9:09pm -
Russ failed to mention another little detail that on the SEAC he and created the FIRST EVER digital image... scanned in via a drum scanner they made! See:
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/techbeat/tb2007_0524.htm#image
-
Comment by GovLoop on June 28, 2009 at 1:39pm -
Cool note. Government has a history of innovation from the Internet to GPS. We need to continue to foster innovations both in our government laboratories and across agencies.
Latest Infographic
Cyber Infographic
Upcoming Training
© 2013 Created by GovLoop.
You need to be a member of GovLoop - Knowledge Network for Government to add comments!
Join GovLoop - Knowledge Network for Government