Originally posted on Facebook by Steven Chu on Monday, November 29, 2010
“In case you missed it, here’s the video of my presentation at the National Press Club today and the slides that go along with it.
http://press.org/news-multimedia/videos/cspan/296768-1http://www.energy.gov/media/Chu_NationalPressClub112910.pdf
I believe that recent major clean technology advances by China and other countries represent a true “Sputnik Moment” for the United States and because I know that this country’s global scientific leadership in innovation cannot be taken for granted.
When I was young, I benefitted from the investments this country placed on science education and research in order to catch up with the Soviet Union in the the space race, and I believe that if the United States places that same amount of focus, ingenuity and resources behind clean energy, we can lead in creating the clean energy technology and clean energy economies that are so clearly central to the 21st century.
When America is behind something, we’re the best innovation machine in the world. And we’re at our best, not clutching to the past and the old ways of doing things, but forging ahead to the bright new future ahead.
This Sputnik Moment is about making long-sustained investments in our future, in our scientists and engineers, so we can once again be a world leader in clean energy innovation.
But we gotta get moving.”