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Top News
- OMB reworking financial systems to focus on outcomes, not inputs
- Lew taps government retiree pension fund to avoid default
- OMB taps VanRoekel to lead management team
- PHOTOS: Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- Hagel: Accountability breakdown was leading factor in sexual assaults
- Former IRS commissioner faces questions about Tea Party
- SBA starting new lending program for veterans
- New Apple devices cleared to join DoD IT networks
- Army prioritizes access to data in fight over intelligence IT system
- DoD upends slow approval process for mobile devices
- Senior execs' bonuses under fire at agencies
- Gould moves the needle on many of VA's toughest challenges
- Tuesday federal headlines - May 21, 2013
NSF facing gov't branding challenge in hiring reform
In a hiring pool where NSF has to compete with academia and high-profile companies for staff from the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields, branding is everything, particularly the brand name of NSF and the federal government.
Big data gauntlet thrown down for agencies
Three agencies launched the Big Data Challenge Wednesday asking for ideas to bring together disparate data sets that help agencies meet their missions better. The contest is part of the administration's national big data development effort. The TechAmerica Foundation also released a new report to help agencies understand and use information more effectively.
Cyber bill tracker
The pressing need for cybersecurity legislation has led to widely divergent paths in the House and Senate. The House has opted for a more incremental approach, while the Senate has crafted comprehensive legislation
White House, agencies commit $200M to solving 'big data' quandary
Federal technology leaders unveiled an initiative to develop better ways of harnessing the rapidly growing volume of increasingly complicated data sets, known as big data. The push is led by a joint solicitation — from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health — to develop the core technologies for reigning in big data. All told, six federal departments and agencies will take part in the program — committing more than $200 million in research-and-development investments.
GSA website now offers 100 federal apps
In less than two years, the General Services Administration's mobile application website has grown from offering 15 apps to 100.
NSF launches online science radio station
Cliff Braverman, a multimedia group leader for the agency, joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Amy Morris to discuss why the foundation launched a radio station and how it fits in with national STEM initiatives.
Lessons from Lincoln: best practices from best leaders
You can learn a lot from Lincoln and other enduring leaders. Allan Schweyer of the Center for Human Capitol Innovation live at the Excellence in Government Conference.
Want to keep good talent? Hire good managers
Federal Managers are constantly striving to develop the best hiring and retention strategies. Learn some best practices from Jon Desenberg of the Performance Institute at the Excellence in Government Conference.
DOT IG: 'Mission first, people always'
Any great organization knows how to get the most out every employees. Ann Calvaresi Barr is the Deputy Inspector General for the Transportation Department. She joined the Federal Drive from the Excellence in Government conference for tips on how to do just that.
OSTP's role expanding under new law
The White House agency will help coordinate the process around prize competitions, science and technology education efforts and online access to government data. The America Competes law details several news policy directives for OSTP and other federal scientific agencies.
Congress gives NIST a clear set of priorities
The America Competes Reauthorization Act authorizes the agency's programs and sets a path toward the future. President Obama signed the bill into law Tuesday. Several other science and technology agencies receive marching orders from lawmakers.
Building secure systems out of insecure parts
Host Tom Temin discusses new, innovative ideas for dealing with computer viruses. His guest this week - Jeannette Wing, the chair of the Computer Science department at Carnegie Melon University and former employee at the National Science Foundation.
October 14, 2010
NSF helps explain the science behind football
"Science of NFL Football" is a 10-part video series funded by the National Science Foundation and produced in partnership with the National Football League. NSF's Jeff Nesbit joins our huddle with details.
OPM survey shaping future cyber workforce
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month officially kicks off today. In coming weeks, federal officials are expected to launch a number of public programs to raise awareness of the importance of securing the nation's computer networks for both government and private industry. But some officials also are using it as an opportunity to ask, "Where will the cybersecurity workers of tomorrow come from?"
Commerce's Locke promises changes
A new advisory council will provide Commerce and other agencies with ideas for how the government can help push federally-funded technologies into the commercial marketplace. Locke said his agency will do its part by speeding up the patent process to one year and get certain grant funding out in 30 days. Commerce also is working with NIH and NSF on the i6 Challenge where $12 million is available for companies to commercialize technologies.
Global cybersecurity threats at record levels
NSF awards million dollar cyber grants
Senate wants NSF to spend more on cyber personnel
Learn more in today's cybersecurity update.
$45M for cyber contests vanish
Senate Panel Tells NSF to Train More Cyber-Security Personnel
STAR METRICS Promises to Measure Federal Science Investments
A new initiative promises to monitor the impact of federal science investments on employment, the generation of knowledge, and health outcomes, to a degree not previously possible. The Science and Technology for America's Reinvestment: Measuring the Effect of Research on Innovation, Competitiveness and Science, or STAR METRICS, is a multi-agency venture that will be lead by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Together, NSF and NIH have committed $1 million for the program's first year. The first phase of the two-phase program will use university administrative records to calculate the employment impact of federal science spending through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and agencies' existing budgets.
Agencies create a STAR to guide science policy
The STAR METRICS will create a reliable and consistent inter-agency mechanism to account for the number of scientists and support staff that are on research institution payrolls supported by federal funds. Details from Julia Lane, program director with the National Science Foundation.
