C. Judson King Council Chair Karl S. Pister Board Chair

California has changed a great deal in the sixteen years since CCST was founded, and we have worked hard to ensure that we have kept pace. The Legislature's original intent in founding CCST was to create a nonpartisan, impartial organization that could offer expert advice and provide recommendations for addressing science and technology-related public policy issues as they arose. Over time, we have built an organization capable of meeting this mandate, and we are now embarking on an ambitious plan to increase our capabilities significantly by partnering with the National Academies.

In the past year, CCST has responded to requests for information on nanoscience and nanotechnology, intellectual property, stem cell research, counter-terrorism, opportunities for collaboration with Mexican research universities and school systems, and energy research programs - and there is plenty more to come. We have already identified a new set of key issues facing California: shortfalls in the science and technology education system; the need to place science and technology experts in the state government to provide their expertise on matters of current importance; the need to identify science and technology opportunities and challenges facing California; and the need to put California issues in perspective with national issues.

The needs are clear, and we're working on developing solutions. We are increasing active connections with policymakers in Sacramento, many of whom attend our Council meetings. We are tracking science and technology legislation and related policy events in a new feature in our newsletter, "Capital Happenings."

Most important, we are now also tapping into the best of the nation's scientific community with a new, far-reaching agreement with the National Academies. This multi-faceted collaboration will bring about new ways for CCST to leverage the considerable resources and expertise of the National Research Council in a manner relevant and accessible to California policymakers. As well, this tie will provide the National Academies with an important new window on matters of science and technology at the state level. In addition to building expert capacity to advise state leaders and provide time-sensitive information and policy reports much more comprehensively and rapidly, we will also be working to expand CCST's staff and facilities.

We are honored to be the first state-level organization to enter into such a collaboration with the National Academies, and anticipate that this will serve as a prototype for possible future Academies' collaborations with other states. The net result for California will be a level of science and technology policy knowledge and wisdom unparalleled at the state level, a fitting position for the nation's leading science and technology state.

C. Judson King, Council Chair