Senator Coons livetweets Cosmos episode about greenhouse effect and climate change

Senator Coons, who earned an undergraduate degree in chemistry, live-tweeted Sunday night's episode of the Fox science show, Cosmos, which focused on the greenhouse effect and its impact on our climate. Take a look at what he had to say:

Looking forward to tonight’s important episode of @COSMOSonTV at 9pm on FOX. The science of climate change and the impacts of inaction.

— Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) June 1, 2014

“The earth has seen nothing like it in 3 million years.” - @neiltyson on co2 levels in earth’s atmosphere. Watch @COSMOSonTV on Fox now.

— Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) June 2, 2014

"It’s a pretty tight case. Our fingerprints are all over this one.” - @neiltyson on source of increase in co2. Watch @COSMOSonTV on Fox now.

— Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) June 2, 2014

"All over the world, the oceans are getting warmer.” - @neiltyson on #cosmos on Fox now.

— Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) June 2, 2014

"The air, the water, and the land are all getting warmer. Global warming is really happening.”- @neiltyson talking science on #cosmos on Fox

— Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) June 2, 2014

“It’s not too late. There’s a future worth fighting for.” - @neiltyson on #cosmos on Fox.

— Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) June 2, 2014

“More solar energy falls on earth in 1 hour than all the energy our civilization consumes in 1 year.” - @neiltyson on #cosmos.

— Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) June 2, 2014

“It all depends on what we truly value and if we can summon the will to act.” - @neiltyson on climate change on #Cosmos

— Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) June 2, 2014

When’s the last time climate change received an hour of air time on network TV? Good for @COSMOSonTV, @neiltyson, @SethMacFarlane and @FOXTV

— Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) June 2, 2014

Sen. Coons talks manufacturing, innovation with Delaware MIT alums and American Chemical Society members

Local scientists, chemists and engineers packed the dining room at Brantwyn Estate on Friday to engage in open discussion with Sen. Coons about his recent work in Washington to promote advanced manufacturing and innovation. The event was the sixth joint meeting of the MIT Club of the Delaware Valley and the Delaware Section of the American Chemical Society.

Chris, who holds a B.A. in Chemistry from Amherst College and worked for eight years for a materials-based science company, shared his genuine excitement about invention and innovation, as well as his keen understanding of the financing challenges materials-based science companies face. He discussed his efforts in the Senate around these issues, including leading the Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign to grow our nation’s manufacturing sector, introducing the America INNOVATES Act to modernize aspects of our national lab system, and working on new bipartisan legislation to reauthorize investments in basic science and technology through innovative programs like the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). 

 “I’m trying to help make the connection in the Senate between advanced manufacturing, research and development, and job opportunities,” said Chris. “America is and can continue to be one of the most productive manufacturing countries in the world, but manufacturing relies very heavily on R&D, on patents, and on continuous innovation.”

“At a time of scarce public resources, science is a critical investment,” Chris continued. “Right now, I need your voice, because there are very few in Congress who understand the compounding value of investment in basic and applied science, about the risks we face in intellectual property, and the importance of getting STEM education at the elementary school level right. We've got huge challenges ahead but also great opportunities – in green chemistry, in reimagining advanced polymers, in advanced manufacturing – and I'm looking forward to working with you to ensure our nation remains a leader in science.”

Delaware company demonstrates value of federally funded scientific research

Delaware’s ET International, Inc. was among 100 companies profiled in a new report released today by the Science Coalition – a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of more than 50 of the nation’s leading public and private research universities, including the University of Delaware. The report, titled, “Sparking Economic Growth 2.0: Companies Created from Federally Funded University Research, Fueling Innovation and Economic Growth” highlights companies that trace their roots to federally funded university research. The companies in the report were self-selected by the member universities of the Science Coalition and are illustrative of how federal research can spur the creation of companies that bring innovations to market, create jobs, and contribute to economic growth.

ET International, Inc. (ETI) was founded in 2000 by Dr.Guang Rong Gao, a distinguished professor in computer and electrical engineering at the University of Delaware. The company originated in the university’s scientific labs and is now a leading provider of system software for advanced many-core computing systems ranging from supercomputers for highly scientific research to high-performance portable devices for smart phones. In a statement to the Science Coalition, the company noted that “Federally supported research completed at the University of Delaware and ETI” by Dr. Gao “allowed his deep-rooted belief in fundamental dataflow principles technologies to be successfully explored, designed and implemented…”

Indeed, ETI’s first phase of growth generated over $22 million in investments from the industry’s most renowned High Performance Computing organizations including The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, IBM, Intel, Cray, and Samsung. ETI’s software solutions increase performance, computing power, and efficiency to allow users to fully realize the power of many-core architectures. Built on a decade of highly complex research, ETI currently provides software, applications and custom engineering services for the energy, defense, semiconductor, digital media, and financial markets.

During a time when federal funding for R&D has been on the decline, with funding levels in 2013 at historic lows, ETI and the other companies highlighted in the report show the high return on investment yielded by federal funding of basic scientific research. Senator Coons is committed to ensuring that our nation continues to support innovative research and companies like ETI that create jobs and keep America on the cutting edge of technological innovation. 

Senator Coons Designates American Technological Innovation Day

A bipartisan resolution sponsored by Senator Coons declaring October 29, 2013 to be “National Technological Innovation Day” was adopted by the Senate Monday. The declaration recognizes the important role of technological innovation in job creation and the U.S. economy, and was timed to celebrate the anniversary of ARPANET, the Internet’s precursor, created on October 29, 1969. The resolution was led by Senator Coons and co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of senators, including Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga).

“America has produced some of the world’s most transformative technological innovations that have helped our economy prosper while advancing societies across the globe,” Senator Coons said. “I hope that National Technological Innovation Day will encourage Americans across the country to pause to appreciate the great work of those who came before, and rise to the challenge of becoming the next generation of inspirational American thinkers and inventors.”

A significant portion of our economy’s growth can be traced to new innovations. Since our nation’s founding, American innovators have produced the light bulb, the polio vaccine, the transistor (the main component of a computer chip), communications satellites, Global Positioning System, and the Internet, to name just a few. National Technological Innovation Day recognizes the role of America’s innovative spirit in individuals who have started successful companies and pushed the frontiers of science in the lab. More than one-third of Nobel prizes awarded, 347 in total, have gone to American citizens, reflecting the domestic culture of achievement we have created.

The resolution designating National Technological Innovation Day calls on individuals to observe the day by participating in activities that celebrate the history of innovation in the US, such as educational events and exploration of how modern devices work. It also encourages American youth to continue to enhance the future by pursuing invention and entrepreneurship.

Senator Coons sponsors bill to secure critical minerals

Most Americans are familiar with the importance of oil for gasoline and diesel, copper for electric wiring and motors, and aluminum for packing and vehicles.  However, we do not often hear about the importance of yttrium, cerium, neodymium, or lanthanum for consumer uses.  These basic elements are critical for more efficient light bulbs, oil refinery catalysts, lasers, and batteries respectively.  

To help secure the continued supply of minerals vital to our national defense, domestic energy, electronics production, and medical industry technologies, Senator Coons recently joined a bipartisan group of 16 senators to introduce the Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2013 (S. 1600). The legislation includes a number of provisions that would help revitalize the domestic supply of these precious minerals, many of which are in short supply domestically and come from overseas.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the United States is currently 100 percent dependent on foreign sources for 17 key mineral commodities and 50 percent dependent on overseas suppliers for some 24 additional minerals. The goal of the Critical Minerals Policy Act is to secure a more stable supply of mineral commodities by developing domestic sources, recycling existing supplies, and researching alternatives for critical minerals. Chris is also a strong supporter of efforts at the University of Delaware to develop alternatives to the use of rare earth elements, a subset of critical minerals.   

Through the establishment of a federal register in the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Critical Minerals Policy Act will help officials pinpoint which minerals are subject to potential supply restrictions and develop strategies to prevent price shocks and balance market demand. Other agencies, including the Department of Energy (DOE) and USGS, will join the DOI to strengthen educational research and workforce training critical to the development of domestic mineral supply chains. The legislation would also streamline the permit and review process of critical mineral mining on public lands to reduce costs and facilitate the environmentally responsible production of domestic resources.       

To further public understanding of critical mineral solutions, the Critical Minerals Policy Act would expand research programs aimed at promoting efficient mineral use and recycling across various U.S. industries. The DOE would also submit an assessment of domestically trained workers capable of carrying out critical mineral research, analysis, manufacturing, and production to enhance the domestic availability of critical minerals.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, more than 25,000 pounds of new minerals are needed every year for each person in the United States in order to make the items we use every day for infrastructure, energy, transportation, communications, health care and defense. By coordinating efforts across federal agencies, the Critical Minerals Policy Act will help to update mineral policy for the 21^st century and ensure our position in the world as both an economic and technological leader.     

Senator Coons supports bill to protect U.S. helium supply

Though most Americans associate helium with balloons, a potential shortage of this critical element would mean more than just the loss of a popular party fixture – it would do real damage to our economy. That’s because helium has important applications in our everyday lives, with uses in arc welding, scientific research, microchip production, MRI scans, fire extinguishers, and tires. It is also used in nuclear reactors, space exploration, superconducting magnets….and yes, blimps and birthday parties. That’s why Senator Coons was proud to support legislation that passed the Senate on September 19th to ensure that a stable supply remains available for critical industrial, medical, and scientific activities dependent on the gas. 

On October 2nd, President Obama signed the Helium Stewardship Act to guarantee the continued federal management of the nation’s helium reserves, located in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The program was set to expire on October 7th. Chris is pleased that both the House and Senate were able to act in time to provide continued management of this critical resource.

The existing Federal Helium Reserve (FHR), managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, stores 42 percent of the nation’s supply, about one-third of global helium reserves. The FHR is the world’s only helium gas stockpile, and is located just outside of Amarillo, Texas. The Helium Stewardship Act permits the BLM to continue to sell helium from the national reserve to the private sector, relieving Delaware’s many industrial, medical, and university users of the fear of a national helium shortage.

The Federal Helium Program was created in 1925 to secure supplies of a safer, non-combustible alternative to hydrogen for use in buoyant aircraft for the military. As further uses were discovered for the gas in the post-WWII period, the U.S. Government began to purchase helium and store it in an empty gas reserve in Texas. The stockpile of unrefined “crude” helium has been stored at the Bush Dome Reservoir in Amarillo, Texas since the establishment of the conservation program with the passage of the Helium Act Amendments of 1960.  The FHR was established as part of the country’s cold war efforts, recognizing helium’s historic strategic importance in lighter-than-air aviation in the 1920’s. The FHR was intended to provide a ready supply of helium for the rapidly expanding needs of defense, the space program, and scientific research.

Senator Coons congratulates Delaware EPSCoR on launch of climate change project

Senator Coons congratulated Delaware’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Thursday on the launch of its third grant project, and commended the program’s accomplishments over its ten-year history in the state. The National Science Foundation awarded a five-year, $20-million Research Infrastructure Improvement grant to Delaware EPSCoR in June for research focused on sea level rise and renewable energy.

“For ten years, the EPSCoR program has brought Delaware’s best and brightest scientists and educators together to pioneer innovative technologies and train the next generation of experts in rapidly growing fields,” Senator Coons said. “Each successive grant project has expanded our universities’ capacity to produce cutting-edge research, and helped Delaware become a leading hub for science and technology education. This grant will allow Delaware EPSCoR to continue supporting its successful programs and address the critical effects of climate change on our coastal areas.”

Delaware’s project will focus on water quality and renewable-energy use in vulnerable coastal areas subject to pressures from land use and climate changes. The research employs natural, physical, and social science approaches to examine the effects of rising sea levels on the cycling of soil-bound contaminants. The project will also investigate coupled land use and climate change impacts on water and natural systems ranging from tidal wetlands to agricultural land, to densely populated and polluted urban areas. Novel sensors will be developed for environmental monitoring. The project will also address renewable energy, including offshore wind.

The University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Wesley College, and Delaware Technical Community College will collaboratively address these themes using innovative research approaches and educational programs. The project includes public outreach activities and partnerships with private industry and government.

EPSCoR is designed to fulfill the National Science Foundation's (NSF) mandate to promote scientific progress nationwide. Twenty-eight states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam are currently eligible to participate. Through the program, NSF establishes regional partnerships with governments, higher education, and industry that strengthen states’ research and development capacities and boost academic competitiveness. Delaware was designated an EPSCoR state in January 2003, and program grants awarded in 2005 and 2008 have supported two previous projects focused on enhancing environmental science, complex environmental systems, and ecosystem health research.

Delaware was one of only five states awarded an NSF grant for science and engineering academic research.

Delaware students headed to International Science Fair

Senator Coons congratulated four Delaware students who earned medals at the 65th Delaware Valley Science Fair and are now headed to the International Science Fair. Two of the students are from Sussex County and two are from New Castle County.

Chris is a passionate supporter of science education, and loves attending Delaware science fairs to talk with students about their projects. He believes that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are critical subjects for the next generation of American innovators. One of the first bills Chris cosponsored as a U.S. senator was the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, which extended investments in cutting-edge research and STEM education. This legislation was signed into law in January 2011.

The Delaware students participating in the International Science Fair are:

• Bansri Patel, Sussex Technical High School
• Mikayla Ockels, Sussex Central High School
• Martin Kurian, The Charter School of Wilmington
• Edward Bao, The Charter School of Wilmington

For a complete list of winners, click here.

Senator Coons also congratulated four middle school students from Kent County who earned honorable mentions at the Delaware Valley Science Fair. They are: 

• Jordan Tribbett, Milford Middle School
• Carson Rios, Milford Middle School
• Joseph Dean, Milford Middle School
• Ashish D'Souza, William Henry Middle School

What We’re Reading: President unveils brain mapping project

The News Journal ran a story Tuesday covering President Obama’s announcement of a new investment in scientific research, aimed at mapping the human brain. This project could unlock cures for diseases like epilepsy, autism and Alzheimer’s.

Senator Coons is a strong supporter of scientific research, and believes we must invest in basic and applied science in order to keep our economy competitive and drive innovation forward.

The “BRAIN Initiative” – the acronym stands for “Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies” – will look into ways people think, learn and remember, Obama said.

Its goal is developing new technologies that can record the activities of individual cells and neurons within the brain.

Obama cast the brain project as an example of how scientific research can generate economic growth.

Click here to read the full story on the News Journal's website.

SOTU Analysis: Leading the way in energy innovation

In this series of blog posts, Senator Coons’ legislative staff shares their analysis of the President’s State of the Union address with Delawareans.

In his State of the Union Address, President Obama emphasized the importance of scientific research and development, praising innovation and declaring that “we need to invest in the best ideas.” Senator Coons is a passionate believer in the importance of basic and applied science and is a strong supporter of innovative products being developed in Delaware.

President Obama called attention to innovative 3D printing that “has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything.” In Delaware, the revolution has already begun. At the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, scientists such as Tariq Rahman and Whitney Sample have used 3D printing to create customizable assistive devices to help children overcome mobility challenges. These cutting edge innovations gave five-year-old Emma Lavelle plastic appendages that allowed her to play and hug her mother for the first time.

Last night, President Obama called for “a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race.” He specified that today, no area holds more promise than investments in American energy. Delaware is once again leading the way, with energy research that is truly paradigm-shifting.

The University of Delaware was named as an Energy Frontier Research Center by the U.S. Department of Energy. An award of more than $17 million dollars will be used to find more efficient ways to convert complex molecules from biomass into chemicals and fuels. UD is also at work fueling innovation in partnership with Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation with transformational projects like super-strong magnets and hydrogen-fuel cells.  As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a leading champion of ARPA-E, Chris will continue to support these game-changing initiatives.    

During a recent visit to the University of Delaware’s STAR campus, Chris test-drove a car built by a joint project between the UD and NRG Energy. The car allows rechargeable battery-operated vehicles to also serve as a source of power to the electrical grid. With scientists such as UD professor Willett Kempton leading the way, Delaware at the forefront of realizing the President’s vision.