Obama Outlines Tech Goals in State of the Union Address

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Did you catch the State of the Union address last night? The full transcript can be found here or you can watch the video here.

I’m by no means qualified to comment on the political aspects of the President’s speech, but the address outlined several goals for the future as far as technology is concerned.

Here they are in order, with their accompanying quotes:

Increase Research and Development in the Tech Sector:

“Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven’t seen since the height of the Space Race.  And in a few weeks, I will be sending a budget to Congress that helps us meet that goal.  We’ll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology -– (applause) — an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people.”

One Million Electric Cars by 2015:

“At the California Institute of Technology, they’re developing a way to turn sunlight and water into fuel for our cars.  At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, they’re using supercomputers to get a lot more power out of our nuclear facilities.  With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.”

Clean Energy to Make Up 80% of U.S. Electricity by 2035:

“Now, clean energy breakthroughs will only translate into clean energy jobs if businesses know there will be a market for what they’re selling.  So tonight, I challenge you to join me in setting a new goal:  By 2035, 80 percent of America’s electricity will come from clean energy sources.”

Train 100,000 New Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Teachers Over the Next 10 Years:

“In South Korea, teachers are known as ‘nation builders.’  Here in America, it’s time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect. We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones. And over the next 10 years, with so many baby boomers retiring from our classrooms, we want to prepare 100,000 new teachers in the fields of science and technology and engineering and math.”

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