science
policy the membership into the decision pro cess of the academy," says Wulf. "In the past, the nominating committee was ap pointed by the council. This time we have asked each of our 12 sections to elect as members of the nominating com mittee two individuals: one from indus try, one from academia. The council will In June, by a tally of 1,179 to 179, the then select at least one of those from membership ejected Liebowitz from of each section. That process is just about fice (C&EN, July 1, page 7). He has pre complete. By the annual meeting we will pared a suit against the ΝΑΕ Council. know who the nominating committee Both sides are hoping for a settlement will be. We're going to appoint a bluethat will satisfy Liebowitzfinanciallyand ribbon panel to take a serious look at some difficult issues, such as should we put the matter to rest. So while ΝΑΕ was torn by the have two nominees for president and Liebowitz stint as president, it closed have a contested election." Wulf says in the past the sections had ranks when it became clear that Liebo witz was embarrassing the organization. too little to do. That is why they felt so Wulf is there to restore NAE's reputation, much like outsiders. "Their main job was build its $32 million endowment (little to convene people with similar profes money was raised from contributors dur sional interests," says Wulf, "so we de ing Liebowitz's stint), and change inter cided that we're going to assign them nal practices so that the members know some tasks." One is fuller liaison work they are wanted and needed by the with NRC. "If you want a quick way to get a description of some new technolo Washington leadership. One of the most important things gy, you will be able to call the ΝΑΕ to get Wulf has to do is to reestablish staff mo a name of a person who can explain to rale. "They went through a fairly rough you that technology. There will be a period," he says. "We also have to set handful of other such things." He says ΝΑΕ definitely does need some directions for the program office. We have to get [fund-raising] going more representation from people and again. Another thing we have to do is re places that have been overlooked. At establish confidence in the academy by tracting more women to engineering, and raising their percentage of member its members and its sponsors." This week's annual meeting will be ship within ΝΑΕ, is a priority. He ac important not so much for the public knowledged that most of NAE's industri program, a symposium on science and al members come from large, visible cor technology policy in a time of wrenching porations but knows that talented change, but for what will go on in the engineers can be found in small firms. He says he wants their participation. private, members-only sessions. Wulf sees an irony in the ΝΑΕ year "The issue at the annual meeting is to work out ways to get more input from long fiasco. "One of the things that has been learned is how interdependent the two organizations are. I think the NAS has a heightened sense of its depen dence on the ΝΑΕ." He also claims a close relationship with Alberts. "Bruce and I tend to work late at night and we spend time together. So there's a person al relationship that's every bit as impor tant in terms of actually getting things done as who sits where." As for accepting a presidential nomi nation, if offered, he says he is cautious. "Clearly, one of the messages of Liebo witz's election was that the ΝΑΕ ap peared to be a closed old-boys' network. I am obviously an appointed person. So if there is only a single nominee, and that person was me, that wouldn't look very good." But he leaves that option open. Wulf: reestablish confidence in ΝΑΕ Wil Lepkowski
Wutf Plans ΝΑΕ Reform
T
his week, members of the National Academy of Engineering (ΝΑΕ), deeply troubled by the angst of re cent months, will be gathering for what likely will be the most important annual meeting in their organization's 33-year history. Presiding will be interim Presi dent William A. Wulf, a University of Vir ginia computer scientist who was select ed by NAE's council in late June to re store order to the organization. Wulf is a nonclassical engineer; that is, one who walks the line between engineer ing and science through his chosen field of computer science. His wife already is a lofty Washington presence—Anita K. Jones, director of research and engineer ing at the Defense Department. Those who have followed NAE's tra vails over the past two years know the sto ry. The quick summary is that last year a protest candidate named Harold Liebowitz defeated the handpicked candidate of NAE's leadership in the academy's presi dential election. Liebowitz campaigned by telling NAE's members that they deserved fuller roles in ΝΑΕ operations, that the academy was too much under the control of an East Coast, Washington-centered ca bal. He said that, as a consequence, the academy's relevance to issues important to engineers was eroding. In addition, Liebowitz, along with many of his fellow ΝΑΕ members, be lieved ΝΑΕ functioned too deeply in the shadow of its better known sister organi zation the National Academy of Sciences, in part, because NAS has contractual control over the National Research Coun cil, the $200 million think tank that advises the federal government. He thought, basically, that ΝΑΕ should have its own NRC, despite NAE's strong role in deciding on and managing NRC stud ies and operations. Liebowitz's ideas and activities upset practically everyone in what is called the academy complex (which includes the Institute of Medicine), especially NAS President Bruce M. Alberts, who felt forced to remove Liebowitz from all NRC activities and duties. The ΝΑΕ Council then set about to engineer the removal of Liebowitz from office through a mem bership referendum. 34
SEPTEMBER 30, 1996 C&EN
