COMPUTING RESEARCH NEWS The News Journal of the Computing Research Association March 1997 Vol. 9/No. 2 Budget message mixed for computing research BY Fred W. Weingarten Table 1. CISE Program Funding (in millions of dollars) computing research tended to CRA Staff increase significantly each year, 1996 1997 1998 President Clinton’s fiscal 1998 budget pushed in part by the HPCC initia- Actual Planned Request request was released February 6. As tive. Over the last two years, the C2omputer & Computation Res. 492.442.46. has been the case in recent years, it Computer and Information Science I9nfo.,Robotics&IntelligentSys.312.385.39. contained a mixed message for the and Engineering Directorate as a M3icroelec.Info.ProcessingSys.216.248.30. computing research community. Of whole saw much smaller increments. A4dvancedScientificComputing800.800.80. the modest increments in funding In 1996 the CISE budget increased a N0et.&Commun.Res.Infrastruc.575.535.62. proposed, computing research mere $4 million, and it increased only received a higher than average share, C5ross-DisciplinaryActivities267.351.27. $11 million (4%) for 1997. This year, which indicates its steady rise in T2otalCISEFunding 23624729the above-average upward trend has importance within the government’s resumed, with a proposed $21 million R&D portfolio. Although it may Also, education and educational education at all levels, including increase. This 7.6% increase is more seem ungracious to carp in the face of technology have become major adult job training and literacy. Aside than twice the 3.4% overall increase such endorsement, many observers themes of the administration. And, at from serving as an educational tool in NSF’s research line. still ask whether the budget reflects least in Washington, computers and across many disciplines, experience The three research divisions of the importance of R&D to the the Internet have loomed large in any with IT in and of itself is of educa- CISE—Computer and Computation nation’s future economic health. discussion of education. The adminis- tional value. Research (CCR), Microelectronic Some question whether the budget tration has for a long time extolled The problem with NGI and Information Processing Systems even reflects the president’s political the benefits to education of access to educational technology is not simply (MIPS), and Information, Robotics rhetoric. information technology (IT), one of implementing or deploying and Intelligent Systems (IRIS)—are In terms of political rhetoric, particularly the World Wide Web. better existing technology. To build a this would seem to be a promising There was a major push last year to faster, more reliable and more capable budgeted for increases. budget year for computer science get the Federal Communications Internet will require substantial According to NSF plans, CCR and engineering. Last October the Commission to direct deeply dis- research, as will making IT a power- plans increased emphasis in two president announced the Next- counted or in some case free commu- ful tool for education. areas: distributed, multi-agent Generation Internet (NGI) pro- nication services to schools and It seems reasonable to ask computing systems capable of gram, a new initiative of the libraries. whether, in the face of those two adapting to changing conditions of National Science and Technology The administration also argued priorities, the $100 million increase use and configuration; and high- Council (NSTC). Clinton repeated that technological change, in in High-Performance Computing confidence systems capable of reliable his support of the new initiative in particular the information revolution, and Communications (HPCC) and secure operation in an open, his State of the Union Address. is creating new challenges for funding is appropriate. And regard- networked computing environment. less of funding levels, does the (In these examples, budget Inside CRN distribution of these funds makes information is sketchy at best. Expanding the Pipeline .................. 2 CRA Taulbee Survey ...................... 5-9 sense in terms of the goals? Researchers thinking about submitting proposals should visit the CISE home Association News ........................... 3 Professional Opportunities ............. 10-12 NSF Washington Update ........................ 4 Until fiscal 1996, NSF funding for Continued on Page 12 Copyright treaty not discussed by WIPO BY Louise Arnheim From December 2-20, delegates legal scholars, among others—that The last time representatives to the from 160 countries, including the already opposed the treaty. PAID United States, considered three As it turned out, the controver- United Nation’s World Intellectual U.S. POSTAGE PERMIT NO. 993 NONPROFIT ORG. Property Organization (WIPO) treaty proposals covering books, sial treaty, although on the agenda, WASHINGTON, DC gathered—in 1971—the Star Wars electronic databases, sound record- was never discussed. But member trilogy had yet to debut in movie ings and other creative works. Of the nations did pass a resolution suggest- theaters, much less materialize in three proposals, the one generating the ing that “an extraordinary session of videocassette form. In fact, videocas- most controversy in the United States the competent WIPO Governing settes—as a home entertainment was the Treaty on Intellectual Property Bodies” be convened in early 1997 to staple—had yet to materialize. Rights in Respect of Databases. decide on a work schedule for And in 1971, neither John Approval of the treaty would developing such a treaty. Toland, who won the Pulitzer Prize have given database owners the right Was there not enough time to for nonfiction that year, nor his to control “utilization and extraction” discuss the treaty? Was the absence publisher were losing much sleep over of their material. (Currently, copy- of discussion essentially a defeat? widespread electronic distribution right protection is extended only to “The treaty was not defeated. It and reproduction of his work, The databases where the owner has wasn’t even considered,” said Dan Rising Sun. exerted a creative effort either in the Duncan, vice president of govern- Back then the Bell System was selection or compilation of data.) ment relations for the Information still whole, and the ARPAnet was Parties contesting the treaty argued Industry Association. still a long way from evolving into the that basic “facts” now in the public However, Adam Eisgrau, legisla- Internet as we know it today. domain would no longer be acces- tive counsel for the American Library So, when delegates to the 1996 sible. Concern ranged from mild Association, viewed the outcome WIPO met in Geneva, Switzerland, alarm over the possible unavailability differently. According to Eisgrau, last December, much of the intellec- of certain sports statistics to consider- member nations deliberately avoided discussion of the treaty, thus sending a tual property (software, CDs, able anxiety regarding the future of clear message to treaty sponsors. “The videocassettes and so on) as well as scientific research. world put its foot down” with regard to the actual or potential means of A few months before WIPO, the the electronic database treaty, he said, redistributing that intellectual US Patent and Trademark Office had “and it didn’t happen.” Eisgrau property had never been discussed at circulated a draft proposal for public attended the meeting on behalf of two a full diplomatic conference of this comment. But Congress did not have nongovernment organizations that UN agency. the opportunity to consider the opposed the treaty. And given the 25-year interval proposal, a matter which further The fact that WIPO meets so between WIPO meetings, the stakes incensed many parties—library groups, were high for many players. the scientific research community and Continued on Page 3 CRA NW Ave. 1875 Connecticut Suite 718 DC 20009-5728 Washington, COMPUTING RESEARCH NEWS March 1997 Expanding the Pipeline Computing Research Association Fair for minority students at ADMI 97 school students, notably Jesse June 1 at the Hyatt Regency near Board Officers BY Robert “Corky” Cartwright Bemley’s Joint Educational Facilities Capitol Hill. The program will include: David A. Patterson The Association of Computer and Chair Information Science and Engineering program. Last year, four students • The HUFAST Information University of California, Berkeley Departments at Minority Institutions from JEF published the only papers Exchange, a forum presenting the Mary Jane Irwin (ADMI) has invited the Computing written by high school students in the research programs and capabilities at Vice Chair Research Association to organize a ADMI 96 symposium. minority institutions. The exchange Pennsylvania State University fair on “Opportunities in Computing CRA member institutions are is sponsored by Howard University in Nancy G. Leveson Research” at the ADMI 97 sympo- encouraged to send minority gradu- cooperation with the Air Force Office Secretary sium on May 31 in Washington, DC. ate students and departmental of Scientific Research. University of Washington The fair will offer programs for minority representatives to participate in the • A workshop for minority Michael R. Garey students at the graduate, undergradu- fair. Each participating department undergraduate students encouraging Treasurer ate and high school levels. will staff a table where prospective them to attend graduate school. Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies • Minority graduate students will undergraduate