Science and Technology Mission

OST: Who we are
===============

The Office of Science and Technology, a team of 33 faculty members, senior researchers and staff, located in the Embassy (Washington DC) and 6 consular offices (Atlanta-Boston-Chicago-Houston-Los Angeles-San Francisco) is dedicated to bilateral FR-US collaborations in Science and Technology.

The OST is tasked with:

 Monitoring and reporting advances in Science and Technology in the US.
 Promoting bilateral partnerships in science, technology and innovation via various programs and initiatives, such as Chateaubriand[1].
 Fostering exchanges of researchers, doctoral students and entrepreneurs.

The OST is supporting co-operative programs between France and the US, organizing events, issuing reports[2] and newsletters[3] to the science community. OST is liaising with most of the academic and scientific organizations of both countries as well as the central governments.
OST hosts representatives of the following French agencies: CNES, CNRS[4] and INSERM, in Washington.

OST success stories
===================

 YESS, annual Young Engineering Scientists Symposium, dedicated to young scientists from France and the US: YESS08 was focused on NanoTech[5], and YESS09 on Identity Management[6].
 FAID: the yearly French-American Innovation Day, since 2002. FAID 2009, in partnership with the Institut Mérieux, generated 24 innovative projects from all over the US through a call for proposals ($400,000)
 YEI, since 2005, the Young Entrepreneurs Initiative[7], has generated 177 US-based start-ups planning to develop in France. YEI has assisted 34 companies in settling in France.
 FABS: the French-American Biotech Symposium aims to foster cooperation between R&D and academic experts from France and the US (between 2008 and 2010, the focus was on New therapeutic and vaccine approaches in infectious diseases).
 Science Breakfasts of the Science Diplomat Club[8]: this monthly event brings prominent members of the US community, to address science advisors from foreign embassies. Recent speakers include: under secretaries for S&T of DHS and DOE, directors of NOAA, NIH, DARPA, USGS, or from OSTP, NAS, etc.
 Joint Laboratories established in Chemistry, Environment, Molecular Biology, etc. with the French institutes CNRS, INSERM, INRIA.
 France-USA Bilateral agreements:
- in S&T, oct. 2008,
- in S&T for Security, dec. 2008.

What’s new in French S&T?
=========================
France is introducing major changes to its research, higher education and innovation systems:
- New competitive funding agencies: the National Research Agency (ANR) provides nearly $3 billion to research projects.
- A decentralization process: the universities have been granted more autonomy, to design their strategies, engage in international partnerships.
- 2010 Investments worth $40 billion: University endowments, campuses of excellence, seed funds for innovation, research in life sciences, etc.
- Clustering programs:
 "Instituts Carnot" to strengthen academic-industry partnerships
 "PRES": research & higher education clusters to enhance the international visibility of universities, engineering schools, etc. - "Poles de Competitivite": 17 clusters with technological roadmaps at the global level are currently in operation.

Recent International prizes and distinctions:
================================
 Recent French Nobel Prize laureates :
2007 (Physics): Albert Fert (with P. Grünberg, Germany)
2008 (Medicine): Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier (with H. zur Hausen, Germany)
 Recent Field Medal laureates (Mathematics):
2002 Laurent Lafforgue;
2006 Wendelin Werner;
2010 Ngô Bảo Châu ; Cédric Villani
 Turing Prize (Computer Science) 2008: Joseph Sifakis.

For more information:
=====================
[1] Bourses Chateaubriand
[2] les rapports
[3] les breves

[4] CNRS
[5] YESS nonatech
[6] YESS identity management
[7] YEI
[8] Science Breakfast