The technological literacy of policymakers is a principal concern for both the National Academies and CCST. A high degree of technological literacy is necessary for policymakers to understand the nature of science and technology problems they are confronted with, such as counter-terrorism.

Ensuring that California's leaders remain informed and aware about issues pertaining to science and technology is part of CCST's original mandate. And indeed, the Council has succeeded in effectively analyzing vital S&T related issues for the state, ranging from the electricity crisis to genetically modified foods to education. But the scope of the knowledge required for policymakers to make informed decisions has expanded considerably in recent years, and CCST's members are addressing this issue before it becomes a significant problem.

The National Academies share this goal. National Academy of Engineering (NAE) President William Wulf, who has championed the cause of technological literacy throughout his tenure at the Academies, addressed the Council in February and helped explore ways for CCST to leverage research already done by the Academies for the benefit of the state. The NAE and the National Research Council have set forth a cogent argument on why and how to accomplish this in "Technically Speaking: Why All Americans Need to Know More About Technology" (2002).

Individuals and the country as a whole would benefit greatly from a higher level of technological literacy. For one thing, people at all levels of society would be better prepared to make well-informed decisions on matters that affect, or are affected by, technology. Discussions on constructing new power plants, for example - an important issue for California - require an understanding of the technological concepts of trade-offs, constraints, and systems, as well as an ability to sort through conflicting claims from utility companies, environmentalists, and other stakeholder groups.

CCST's members from industry and academia alike have actively promoted technological literacy since the inception of the Council. In fact, the Fellows program was designed specifically to make some of California's top scientific expertise accessible to state leaders on short notice, and CCST's Fellows directory is sorted by subject area to facilitate this process. As CCST moves forward in designing even more effective ways to fulfill its mandate and keep California informed on everything from genetically modified foods to counter-terrorism measures, the vital importance of this mandate becomes ever more apparent.

Robots built by California high school teams competed in the quarterfinal matches at the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Regional Robotics Competition in Los Angeles.