Federation of American Scientists
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) [1]is a non-profit organization formed in 1945 by scientists from the Manhattan Project who felt that scientists, engineers and other innovators had an ethical obligation to bring their knowledge and experience to bear on critical national decisions. Their first projects focused on controlling nuclear weapons and research on civilian nuclear power, issues that remain prominent to FAS today.
Endorsed by 67 Nobel Laureates [2]in chemistry, economics, medicine and physics, FAS now addresses a range of issues where science and technology analysis is critical. FAS members build on a long history of insisting that rational, evidence-based arguments form the basis of national policy.
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[edit] Projects
The Strategic Security Program pursues projects that can reduce the threat to the United States, and the world, from biological, chemical, conventional and nuclear weapons. The U.S. confronts a broad range of threats in a security environment that has changed dramatically since the end of the Cold War. Policymakers working on security issues must master an increasingly sophisticated set of technical issues and need ready access to the relevant facts and analysis. FAS continues to give high priority to projects designed to reducing the number and role of nuclear weapons, securing existing weapons and materials, strengthening international nonproliferation regimes and guarding against the spread of dangerous technologies to unreliable states and terrorist groups.
In nuclear weapons, FAS played a key role in helping a bipartisan Congressional effort block funding for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) or “bunker buster.”[3] Using public data, FAS was able to show that the device could not achieve its mission without creating catastrophic collateral damage. FAS inserted this analysis into the debate using printed reports, a computer animation, and numerous briefings for members of Congress and Congressional staff. The work was cited in the Congressional debate.
FAS is currently engaged in efforts to block dangerous plutonium reprocessing efforts. Three decades ago, the U.S. government opposed civilian nuclear reprocessing because of nuclear proliferation dangers. Recently, however, the Congress reversed this policy by requiring an accelerated schedule of decisions to use unproven reprocessing technologies. FAS will lead the debate and works toward informing policymakers and the public of this foolhardy plan.
FAS is also completing a comprehensive technical and scientific review of the reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. This report will be important to upcoming debates about nuclear testing and the role of the Reliable Replacement Warhead, or RRW.
In late 2005, the Nuclear Information Project (NIP)[4] called attention to a new emphasis by the Bush administration on preemption in a revised nuclear doctrine. FAS analysis received worldwide press coverage. Sixteen members of Congress subsequently submitted a letter to the administration objecting to the nuclear doctrine and asking the President for clarification. NIP also co-authors the Nuclear Notebook column in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and the overview of world nuclear forces published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook. Both publications are among the most often cited for current numbers of nuclear weapons in the world.
A new project will research and document operations of the U.S. nuclear attack submarine fleet. The objective will be to increase scrutiny of the military’s most secretive service and challenge assumptions about the need for a large and expensive nuclear attack submarine force. Of all the Cold War legacy programs, the continued build-up of Virginia class submarines is probably the most egregious, with virtually no congressional or public oversight of the Navy’s claims to the performance and virtues of the submarine fleet. With a cost of more than $2.4 billion per boat, this scrutiny is long overdue.
FAS’ most recent biosecurity projects include the development of a comprehensive resource for biosecurity on the web and the development of interactive, web-based course materials designed to raise awareness of the dangers of dual use research. This first-of-a-kind curriculum will be released in the next few months.
The FAS Government Secrecy Project has worked for many years to ensure that critical national secrets are protected and also that Americans have access to information they need to participate in the democratic process. The American Library Association recognized the FAS Government Secrecy Project early this year with the prestigious James Madison Award for championing, protecting, and promoting public access to government information and the public's right to know.
The Arms Sales Monitoring project works to block the flow of dangerous weapons to unstable states and terrorist groups. It has had major successes in the past few years securing funding for a federal program to destroy weapons seized from illegal traffickers and ensuring that data on arms trade is easily available to the public.
The Information Technologies Program works to intensify and focus research and development to improve how we teach and learn. FAS recognizes that the United States is facing an education crisis in formal schooling and workforce training. Even in the contentious political atmosphere in Washington, no one doubts that a world-class U.S. workforce -- skilled in math, science, and technology -- is needed to maintain or improve the competitiveness of U.S. companies and ensure national security.
Advanced information technologies offer real hope to reshape learning through interactive simulations, “question management” systems that combine automated and human responses, and powerful continuous assessments.
Information technology has fundamentally changed the way we work and play—–instant messaging, sophisticated software that helps firms personalize online shopping, efficient systems for answering consumer questions, eye-popping simulations on inexpensive computer game consoles. Now FAS programs demonstrate how information technologies can revolutionize learning.
Current projects include development of three experimental educational games. Discover Babylon, set in ancient Mesopotamia introduces 8 year olds to the fundamentals of literacy by following the introduction of writing. Immune Attack, aimed at high school and first year college students, teaches immunology in a game where players train immune cells to repel ever more sophisticated invaders. Multi Casualty Incident Response, developed in partnership with the Fire Department of New York, trains chiefs to manage complex events involving many deployed units. The educational games are currently being tested with their targeted audiences, which include biology classrooms around the country, museums and New York City fire chiefs.
FAS is also working to create a national education trust fund called the Digital Opportunity Investment Trust (DOIT). DOIT is a bold initiative that will help transform education, training, and lifelong learning by unleashing the potential of the Internet and other new information technologies while stimulating public and private sector research into the development and use of new learning techniques.
During the past year FAS hosted a “Summit on Educational Games” [5]that explored the innovations in game technology that might be useful in educational applications. The resulting policy recommendations have attracted widespread interest in the Congress and legislation implementing them has been drafted.
FAS also hosted a workshop on the “virtual patient” [http://www.fas.org/resource/05172006091455.pdf ]that explored the state of the art in systems for training medical personnel using computer-based tools. It resulted in a report that has influenced national thinking on research priorities in this critical area.
The Housing Technology Program combines the talents of engineers, energy efficiency specialists and other experts in the field of housing to develop new materials and design methods that can lead to safe, energy efficient, affordable homes in the U.S. and abroad. Plans are underway to construct model homes using these new technologies in the hurricane-plagued zones of Baton Rouge, LA, and Mobile County, AL; in a residential area of Houston, TX; and in an upscale, earthquake-prone neighborhood of Istanbul, Turkey. FAS will compare these homes with stick-built houses that use traditional construction methods and monitor the energy usage of each.
FAS provides separate free email alerts on nuclear security, small arms, biodefense, housing technology and learning technologies.
[edit] Strategic Security
[edit] Government Secrecy
This project challenges unwarranted secrecy in general and promotes reform of national security information policy and practice. Since 2000, this project has published Secrecy News, a free newsletter about the handling, withholding and release of information by governments and armed forces. Edited by Steven Aftergood, the newsletter is distributed by email, generally two to three times per week and is available online in blog format. It replaces the prior publication, Secrecy & Government Bulletin, which has issues archived on the website going back to Issue 30, of January, 1994. [6]
[edit] Arms Sales Monitoring Project
This project studies the global arms trade and analyzes the effects of both legal and black market sales.
[edit] Biological and Chemical Weapons
This project informs scientists and the general public about biological and chemical weapons and their control.
[edit] Nuclear Weapons
FAS has focused on nuclear weapons since its founding in 1945 by scientists concerned about control of the technology they had helped create. It now studies modern day uses and deterents for nuclear weapons and monitors United States military decisions regarding their development.
FAS provides speakers on the dangers of radiological weapons known as dirty bombs and of nuclear weapons proliferation by individuals, non-state terrorists, and states. It follows next generation nuclear weapons development including proposed “bunker busters.”
It tracks the debate over resuming nuclear weapons testing and provides Congress with hard-to-find reports and analyzes Administration policy.
The project provides a document archive to educate the general public about Administration policy and Congressional reports. It advocates that individuals and groups contact members of Congress to urge them to stop work on next generation nuclear weapons provide a calm, accurate tracking of proliferation issues concerning North Korea, Iran, Pakistan and others.
The project provides a Bomb-A-City Calculator to calculate the radius within which most buildings would be destroyed.
It published "Missions for Nuclear Weapons after the Cold War" which found that, of 15 missions claimed for US nuclear forces, only one justified its size and structure: a first strike capability against Russia’s nuclear arsenal, which in turn, Russian maintains to deter our attack.
[edit] America's War on Terrorism
This project provides information and analysis on the War on Terrorism, as well as the United States security policy.
[edit] United States Weapon Systems
This project compiles a detailed multimedia guide to United States military systems and hardware.
[edit] United States Munitions
This project compiles a detailed guide about non-nuclear, biologic and chemical NBC ammunition currently in use in the United States military ranging from bullets to bombs.
[edit] Rest of World Military Equipment
This project compiles a guide to non-US military systems and hardware.
[edit] Information Technology
[edit] Learning Federation
The Learning Federation is a partnership of companies, universities, government agencies and private foundations to promote a national research plan that uses information technology to improve upon traditional approaches to teaching and learning. New technologies will speed the introduction of tools to make learning more engaging, more effective, and more accessible.
[edit] The Digital Promise [7]
This project will create a major national educational trust fund, the Digital Opportunity Investment Trust (DO IT), to help transform education, workforce training, and lifelong learning.
[edit] Serious Games
FAS has developed three prototypes of educational games.
Immune Attack -- an advanced educational video game that teaches human immunology for 9th grade – college level students. [8]
Discover Babylon – a cultural game that incorporates artifacts from exhibits at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, MD, and transports the player to a virtual reality of ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). [9]
Multi Casualty Incident Responder – a high-stress, real-time training simulation for firefighters to serve as a national model for first-responder training. [10]
[edit] Biomedical Computing Requirements
This project analyzes the impact of advanced computers on biomedical systems and issues.
[edit] Digital Human
This project creates and promotes a community of information and biological scientists working on biomedical research simulations.
[edit] Housing Technology Program
The Housing Technology project addresses the growing need for safe and inexpensive housing in the U.S. and abroad. FAS collaborated with scientists and engineers that specialize in building materials, structural engineering, architectural design, indoor air quality and energy-efficiency to create safe and affordable housing.
These experts found a material that withstands earthquakes and hurricane force winds to be an essential component to the FAS Housing Technology project. The ThermaSAVE structurally-insulated panel constructed of expanded polystyrene is precut to the architect’s design. After a foundation is laid, a home can be constructed in a matter of days. Unskilled local labor is used as part of the construction team. In addition, the homes vary in size and design, and can be used for both emergency and permanent use (the panels are reusable).
FAS’s research can be instrumental in solving the extraordinary need for housing for the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by providing safe, inexpensive housing and schools.
