Boehlert has been a proponent of scientific and engineering programs since joining Congress in 1982, but he expressed many concerns over the state of engineering today. "We've got to produce more engineers, we've got to have a better educational system, we've got to solve the visa problem," he said.
Though engineers are hunting for jobs in some regions, the inability to get talent in some areas is a big concern in some parts of New York. "It bothers me that the American business community, in some of the engineering disciplines, can't accommodate its needs with a homegrown workforce," Boehlert told IEEE-USA TODAY'S ENGINEER. Though he's in favor of creating jobs for Americans, Boehlert feels that employers should have access to foreign workers who now find it difficult to get visas.
Another hot scientific topic in Washington is the Hubble telescope. "I want to extend the life of Hubble, but not at all costs," Boehlert said. Expenses seem too high for a Shuttle mission, around $2 billion, while a robotic rescue can't be done in a timely manner, putting a dark cloud over Hubble's future.
The nation's tight finances have also led to a reduction of government funding for R&D. While NASA is seeing an increase, other budgets are "inadequate" after recent cuts. According to the House Science Committee chair, "Our future is largely dependent on our response to the challenge to invest more in R&D on the part of the government."
For the complete TODAY'S ENGINEER interview with Boehlert, go to http://www.todaysengineer.org/2005/Apr/interview.asp. A related article on the Hubble can be found at http://www.todaysengineer.org/2005/Apr/hubble.asp. To see the latest monthly TODAY'S ENGINEER, and to be added to the subscription list at no charge, go to http://www.todaysengineer.org/emailupdates.
IEEE-USA is an organizational unit of the IEEE, created in 1973 to advance the public good and promote the careers and public-policy interests of the more than 220,000 technologists who are U.S. members of the IEEE. The IEEE is the world's largest technical professional society. For more information, go to http://www.ieeeusa.org.