White House advisers soliciting ideas for 'golden triangle' technologies

The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology is turning toward the Web for input from the public about how federal agencies can support the “golden triangle” of information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology.

“Each side of the golden triangle represents one of three areas of research that together are transforming the technology landscape today,” council members Shirley Ann Jackson and Eric Schmidt wrote in a post on the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy blog June 15.

“In combination, through what some have called the nano-bio-info convergence, the potential for these fields to transform society is even greater,” they added.

The President’s Innovation and Technology Advisory Committee, which is part of the advisers’ council, has created a Web platform for the public to submit ideas about federal critical infrastructures that are needed to best support the golden triangle. To date, 395 of the platform's users have posted 194 ideas. More than 2,000 votes have been cast on those ideas.

The committee is seeking ideas on opportunities at the intersections of these three fields, identifying gaps in research and impediments to commercialization. Ideas also are being sought on where the federal government should create policies and investments.

The committee is scheduled to hold a live webcast discussion of the golden triangle technologies June 22 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Members of the public may submit comments through Facebook and Twitter during the webcast.