This report highlights some of the projects supported by the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) Branch of the Center for Research for Mothers and Children at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development since its last report in January 1997. The MRDD Branch provides support for research, research training,…

This essay examines the ways in which biology, as a discipline, has been influenced by feminist scholarship and research into the areas of gender and sexuality, focusing on the validity, limits, and gender bias of scientific objectivity. It explains that gender bias exists not only in who traditionally has been expected to do science (namely white…

Discusses industry-sponsored programs in semiconductor research, focusing on Stanford University's Center for Integrated Systems (CIS). CIS, while pursuing research in semiconductor very-large-scale integration, is merging the fields of computer science, information science, and physical science. Issues related to these university/industry…

A course in scientific English for science researchers and advanced civil engineering students in Belgium has a central problem--the heterogeneous nature of the group and lack of common research experience around which to build a curriculum. An attempt to overcome this difficulty by using two logical problems for discussion is presented. (MSE)

Presents an overview of the field of industrial microbiology, providing historical backgrounds of scientific discoveries in the field and descriptions of industrially important microorganisms. Applied research in industry is also detailed, with mention of gene amplification, DNA recombination, pharmaceutical approaches, and detoxification and…

Traces the development of the field of industrial microbial genetics, describing a range of techniques for genetic programing. Includes a discussion of site-directed mutagenesis, protoplast fusion, and recombinant DNA manipulations. (CS)

Describes the history of the American research university. Discusses the origin of university-industry ties (1920s), transformation of the university research economy (late 1960s), and university-industry research relationships (1980s). (YP)

Requests for federal aid from the Department of Education and other agencies are tabulated by category and are compared with actual fiscal 1988 budgets and estimated fiscal 1989 figures. (MSE)

Various forms of technology transfer in Europe and North America are discussed including research contracts, cooperative research centers, and personnel transfer. Examples of approaches to technology transfer are given and the establishment of personnel transfer is discussed. Preconditions for successful technology transfer in the future are…

Fiscal 1993 appropriations for Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor, signed by President George Bush, include cuts in maximum Pell Grants, first in a decade, and little increase in funding for National Institutes of Health (NIH), among others. Requests and appropriations for student aid, institutional assistance,…

The National Science Foundation practice of using scientifically qualified program directors, some from university laboratories, to make grant-giving recommendations independent of external peer reviewers is compared with the practice of other agencies. A recent policy of allowing program directors to make some small grants without external peer…

This article suggests ways that the Purdue Three-Stage Model, which nurtures cognitive skills of highly able students, can be applied at the secondary level. The article examines the structure of secondary schools; characteristics of gifted adolescents; program design; and three specific applications in Honors English, middle school seminars, and…

A Harvard School of Dental Medicine introductory course in computer basics and providing computer-assisted instruction in scientific research methodology is described and evaluated. Most students found the coursework difficult, and only one-quarter found it relevant. Integration of computer science into content-area courses is recommended. (MSE)

Reports on efforts in France to reshape science education through a focus on primary and secondary education, higher education, and research and development. (DDR)

Caught up in the entrepreneurial thrill of launching a new industry, high-school students in an economically distressed fishing village in Maine are playing a vital research-and-development role in partnership with their community. The result is a sophisticated aquaculture center for raising several species of fish in a laboratory setting. (MLH)