CCST Board member Bruce Darling, vice president for laboratory management at the University of California, has been selected as Executive Officer of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council. Darling will transition to his new position over the next several months. "I cannot think of a better choice for the position of Executive Officer," said CCST Board Chair Karl Pister.

This study is part of the California's Energy Future (CEF) project, a study designed to help inform the decisions California state and local governments must make in order to achieve California's ambitious goals of significantly reducing total greenhouse gas emissions over the next four decades. This study shows how a combination of electrification and increase in vehicle efficiency could significantly lower emissions from this sector.

CCST is accepting applications for the 2012-2013 California Science and Technology Policy Fellowships between December 1, 2011 and 5:00 pm, PDT, February 29, 2012. The program places professional scientists and engineers in the California State Legislature for one-year appointments.

The speaker at the February 2012 CCST Council meeting will be Robert Kaplan, Director of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research at the NIH and NIH Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research. OBSSR's work focuses on how behavioral and social factors often influence illness and health. The office stimulates and integrates behavioral and social sciences research across NIH's institutes and centers to improve the understanding, treatment, and prevention of disease.

The conversion of municipal waste to energy holds potentially significant environmental benefits for California, although more information is needed on real emissions and performance data from operating waste to energy systems in California, according to a report recently presented to the Governor's office.

The California's Energy Future projects explore what's needed meet the state's goal, answering the call of S-3-05 - the executive order from 2005 mandating the reduction of the state's emissions to 80 percent below the 1990 level by 2050.

Reports released to date include "California's Energy Future - The View to 2050" and "Possibilities, Problems And Potential Envisioned For Nuclear-Powered California in 2050". Other reports in progress will cover issues such as the transportation infrastructure. Click the link below for access to all related projects and resources.