In wartime, Nashville sci-tech's fate lies inside Beltway

If you didn't catch Ken Galloway's update on patchwork Federal funding for science and technology when it was originally published in The Tennessean, it's now available here on the dean's website at the School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University. In saying that the congressional delegation 'gets it', Dean Galloway (at left) may be right. As reported by VNC earlier, U.S. Representatives Bart Gordon and Zach Wamp, as well as Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker have been taking important steps to keep the spotlight on War-delayed funding for America COMPETES, basic research, Science Technology Engineering & Math (STEM) education and other vital interests, much as Rep. Jim Cooper has long championed dealing aggressively with our calamitous federal budget situation. What still seems missing, however, is a cohesive pro-science and technology alliance at the heart of Metro Nashville/Davidson County. But, maybe there's more going on behind the scenes than we know. Hope so.