The United States, and perhaps the world face a new era as the first federally backed Chief Technology Officer (CTO) position is pondered by the incoming administration. Perhaps a new acronym is in the making now that the largest economy in the World will have someone steering its technology. The new cabinet position could easily take on the role of: Chief Technological Omnipotent.  Merrit (2008) suggests that the new U.S. CTO could provide hope for the Nation’s degrading contributions into new research. Even further beyond this,  the new CTO could bring unity to our nation’s technological resources much like the Department of Homeland Security brought increased integration to our nation’s law enforcement agencies, Justice Department, military, Customs, and the intelligence community.

During the glory days of new research in the U.S., great things were brought to fruition— most notably the Internet.  This is an example of how U.S. ingenuity and economic backing have created a worldwide phenomenon. In 1996, over 1/2 of all Internet users were in the U.S.—in 2007 Americans only made up about 1/7th of all users (ITU, 2008).  Certainly, there are many other technicalogical areas that the United States has led the way in, to be subsequently adopted by the rest of the world.  The U.S. was the first to generate electricity from a nuclear fisson power plant in 1951 (ASM, 2001). Today, 15% of the electricity used globally is generated by nuclear power plants (IAEA, 2008).

The list could go on and on, but it is clear that the U.S. has contributed greatly to the global adoption of numerous revolutionary technologies.  The Chief Technological Omnipotent could set the tone and pace for emerging technology development globally, as the U.S. has been doing indirectly over the last several decades. The current ratio of Federal funds devoted to R&D, as a percentage of GDP,  is at the lowest level since the National Science Foundation started measuring this data in 1951 at just .71% in 2006 (NSF, 2008). If the U.S. has been shaping global technology adoption with a blunt instrument, imagine what could be done with a sharp instrument. 

References

ASM Landmark offers summer tours.  (August 2000).  Advanced materials & processes, 158, 2. p.69.

International Atomic Energy Agency. (2007, October 27 ). Nuclear power worldwide: status and outlook: A report from the IAEA. Retrieved December 23, 2008, from http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/PressReleases/2007/prn200719.html

International Telecommunications Union. (2008). Internet indicators: subscribers, users and broadband subscribers. Retrieved December 23, 2008, from http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/icteye/Reporting/ShowReportFrame.aspx?ReportName=/WTI/BasicIndicatorsPublic&RP_intYear=2007&RP_intLanguageID=1

Merritt, R. (Nov 10, 2008). Wanted: America’s top tech exec.(U.S. CTO). Electronic Engineering Times, 1549. p.7. 

National Science Foundation. (2008, January). Division of Science Resources Statistics. National patterns of R&D resources (annual series). Appendix tables 4-1 and 4-3. Figure 4-17. Retrieved December 23, 2008, from http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind08/c4/c4s5.htm