Information Technology

Introduction

Information technology contributed greatly to the economic growth of the United States over the past decade and continues to be a driving force behind the American economy.

American leadership in information technology (computers, telecommunications, multimedia) and in microtechnology (microelectronics, microsystems) continues to prevail in various ways:

 technological and scientific advancements, in particular those tied to the expansion of the Internet
 dominant, nearly monopolistic, industrial players headquartered in the United States : Intel, Microsoft, AOL, Cisco, et cetera
 presence of the best research centers in the world,
 concentration of an important number of venture capital businesses and start-ups, notably in California,
 the ability to attract high-tech experts from other countries
 a high level of Internet use in private homes, companies and educational establishments

After having seen a strong increase under the influence of PITAC (President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee), the funds in the federal budget dedicated to research in information technology have continued to increase more rapidly than the rest of the private research budget.

Information Technology has seen an exceptional development in the United States, thanks to a continual investment in R&D by American federal agencies and equally important contributions from the private sector. Since the Internet bubble burst, and in despite of the difficult economic context, authorities in the US have sought to maintain the United State’s leadership in IT. The government has also begun an activist policy, focused notably on supercomputing, within the frame of the America Competitiveness Initiative (which became a law as the America Competes Act). More recently the policy has focused on computer security, and another key point has been computer research connected to health, a major federal priority since the 1990s. The federal budget set aside to coordinate the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD), which represents the greatest portion of federal funding devoted to computer research, excluding development) has grown from 2 billion dollars in earlier years to 3 billion dollars for fiscal years 2007 and 2008. It is not by chance—according to the philosophy of research competitiveness—that the title of the NITRD evaluation report issued in August 2007 is “Leadership Under Challenge: Information Technology R&D in a Competitive World.” Private investment in R&D is estimated at 65 billion per year, with a group of investors giving more than 5 billion dollars (Microsoft, IBM, INTEL) or more than a million (notably Google).

In this context, developing partnerships with leading American IT and microtechnology centers is vital for French laboratories and businesses, if they are to seize the numerous opportunities offered by rapid technological developments and the emergence of new markets.

Priorities in IT

The strategic priorities of the team in Washington, D.C., are :
 Simulation and modeling, supercomputing
 Security and computer science
 Health and computer science

From a technical point of view, other domains include imaging, massively parallel systems, logic and proof, data bases and data fusion, etc.

The strategic priorities for work being done in San Francisco are :
 Microelectronics
 Telecommunications,
 Computer science,
 Photonics,
 Nanotechnologies
 Energy
 Micromechanics

These goals were defined in consensus with the IT staff in Washington, so as to ensure the Office of Science and Technology optimal geographic and thematic coverage. These research priorities focus on very diverse technological advances that merit special mention: plasmonics, nano-imprints, photolithography, electromechanical micro-nano-systems (NEMS, MEMS), RFID, semiconductor materials, simulation, grid computing, architecture processors, quantum cryptography, light emitting diodes, semiconductor lasers, molecular electronics, carbon nanotubes, thin layer photovoltaics, etc.

Examples of Actions and Activities

 Organization of monthly Science Breakfasts,
 Participation in the organization in the organization of a bilateral seminar between the National Institutes of Health and INRIA (1st NIH-INRIA Biomedical and Life Sciences Computing Workshop),
 Coordination of a symposium Frontiers of Engineering for young researchers focused on multidisciplinary themes related to engineering, in October 2007, in collaboration with the attachés for environment and life sciences. This symposium brought together more than 80 people for two and a half days in group sessions as well as themed workshops organized by experienced researchers ,
 Arrangement of a workshop on electronic microscopy (January 4-5, 2007),
 Implementation of a mission on nanophotonics (March 19-23, 2007) for a group of nine French specialists
 Coordination of a mission on electronics POST-CMOS (December 3-7, 2007) for a delegation of five French specialists.

Information Sheet

Download the information sheet here :

Information Technology - Information Sheet

Contacts

Daniel OCHOA
Attaché for Science and Technology
San Francisco
Specialty : IT - Microtechnologies
attache.stic.mst consulfrance-sanfrancisco.org
Tel : +1 (415) 397-4440
Fax : +1 (415) 591-4830

Jean-Baptiste KEMPF
Deputy Attaché for Science and Technology
San Francisco
Specialty : IT - Microtechnologies
deputy-stic.mst consulfrance-sanfrancisco.org
Tel : +1 (415) 591-4834
Fax : +1 (415) 591-4830

Franz DELPONT
Deputy Attaché for Science and Technology
Washington, D.C.
Specialty : IT
deputy-stic.mst ambafrance-us.org
Tel : +1 (202) 944-6582
Fax :+1 (202) 944-6244

Alison ANDERSON
Assistant
San Francisco
aa.science consulfrance-sanfrancisco.org
Tel : +1 (415) 591-4833
Fax : +1 (415) 591-4830

Raegan SALAIS
Assistant
San Francisco
raegen.salais consulfrance-sanfrancisco.org
Tel : +1 (415) 591-4835
Fax : +1 (415) 591-4830

Kim RINEHIMER
Assistant
Washington, D.C.
assistant-stic.mst ambafrance-us.org
Tel : +1 (202) 944 6247
Fax : +1 (202) 944 6244