US embassy cable - 05PARIS7691

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 007691 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES A/AS ROCK, OES/PCI & STC, EUR/ERA (O'KEEFFE), 
EUR/WE and PA 
DEPT PASS NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL/GOMBAY 
DEPT PASS SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 
SBA PLS PASS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PROGRAM 
WHITE HOUSE FOR OSTP GARDNER 
DOE FOR SCIENCE & INTL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION 
HHS FOR NIH 
USDOC FOR TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION, PLS PASS NIST 
NIST FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: TSPL, TPHY, TNGD, KPAO, FR 
SUBJECT: FRENCH INNOVATION EVENT: SEEKING U.S. PARTICIPATION 
 
 
PLEASE DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE WIDELY IN USG INNOVATION 
COMMUNITY.  THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE.  PLEASE SEE PARA 11. 
 
1. Summary: Eminent scientist and former French presidential 
scientific advisor Professor Jean Audouze called on Embassy 
recently to urge U.S. participation in the second European 
Research and Innovation Exhibition and associated conference 
to be held June 8-11, 2006 in Paris.  The Embassy views this 
event as a unique opportunity for USG technology and 
innovation officials and representatives of U.S. scientific 
agencies, as well as private science institutions (e.g., 
AAAS, the National Academies), to gain a better 
understanding of the research and innovation developments 
underway in France and Europe.  In 2005, the Government of 
France in particular has dramatically re-oriented its 
research and innovation sector. 
 
2.  Summary continued: The Embassy herewith conveys 
Professor Audouze's request that a U.S. delegation 
participate in the June event to engage French and European 
counterparts and discuss developments on the U.S. front.  In 
addition to cementing U.S., French, and European research 
ties, U.S. participation would also present a public 
diplomacy opportunity, as U.S. research and innovation 
architecture and policies are widely envied and modeled in 
Europe.  A U.S. technology delegation might also visit the 
new French Agence Nationale de la Recherche, as well as 
revitalized poles of competitiveness.  End summary. 
 
Inviting in U.S. Participation 
------------------------------ 
 
3. On October 25, astrophysicist Jean Audouze called on 
Embassy officers to promote U.S. participation in the second 
European Research and Innovation Exhibition (ERIE), to be 
held in Paris on June 8-11, 2006.  A renowned scientist (see 
para 12), Audouze is the founder of this initiative, which 
first took place in June 2005. He is also Chairman of the 
Exhibition Scientific Committee that includes eighty 
distinguished members. 
 
What's it all about? 
-------------------- 
 
4. The exhibition and associated conference is designed to 
bring together the major players in scientific, 
entrepreneurial, and institutional circles: public and 
private research laboratories, innovative SMEs, start-ups, 
universities and elite colleges, technology centers, 
institutional players, legal, financial, and industrial 
partners, and associations.  ERIE also seeks to attract and 
inform the public and to "convince more young people that 
the R&D sector deserves their attention." 
 
5. The metrics of last year's event were impressive: It 
attracted 24,000 visitors (55% employed as science 
professionals; 36% associated with R&D; and 35% managers) 
during its three-day duration.  One hundred and thirty 
exhibitors came from 41 countries and 160 speakers 
participated in 90 conferences and round-table discussions. 
 
2006 - Special Year 
------------------- 
 
6.  The four-day event (June 8-11, 2006) will tackle a range 
of research, scientific, and innovation themes: mathematics 
and computer science; fundamental physics and chemistry; 
life sciences; earth and space sciences; engineering 
processes and science; political science, law and economics; 
human and social sciences; health; energy; land 
transportation; aeronautics and space; construction and 
habitat; materials; education; new information and media 
technologies; administration of research and innovation; 
funding research and innovation. Audouze said that the 2006 
event would also highlight the extensive institutional 
changes in research in France and Europe in 2005 and 2006. 
The event also hopes to focus attention on R&D developments 
in the energy sector, e.g., clean cars, hydrogen and fuel 
cells, nuclear fusion (ITER). 
India and beyond 
---------------- 
 
7.  Besides the almost 100 scheduled conferences and round- 
tables, visitors will be able to attend exhibitors' 
presentations (workshops, experiments, films, educational 
games).  The 2005 event featured Hungarian research.  Next 
year's guest-of-honor will be India, highlighting the 
organizers' intent to broaden its dimension beyond Europe. 
U.S. star performance 
--------------------- 
 
8.  Five levels of participation: 
 
-- U.S. speakers in conferences; 
-- Written contributions to the 2006 Exhibition Directory; 
-- Identification of U.S. leaders of the scientific 
community to join the Scientific Committee to help guide the 
organization of future events and the selection of guest 
speakers. (For more information on existing members of the 
scientific committee, see http://www.salon-de-la- 
recherche.com/UK-1/the-scientific-committee.h tml.) 
-- Presence of U.S. exhibitors (USG agencies, universities, 
and U.S. firms with research interests/capabilities); 
-- U.S. senior officials to participate in inaugural event 
and other key sessions.  (Organizers expect senior European 
and Indian research representation.) 
 
The right stuff 
--------------- 
 
9.  In France and in Europe the research mantra continues to 
resonate strongly.  At the EU level, the Commission sees 
2006 as a "critical year" for Lisbon action (aimed at 
increasing investment in European R&D to three percent of 
GDP by 2010).  In France, the long-awaited Research and 
Innovation Bill (see Paris 7023) should be adopted in early 
2006, leading to the implementation of new structures to 
reinforce France's strategic orientation capacities and 
increase the international competitiveness of research labs. 
U.S. Embassy Paris views the June 2006 ERIE as an unique 
opportunity for USG representatives to meet new, key players 
in the French and EU R&D field. 
 
10.  ERIE is also an opportunity to promote U.S. efforts and 
achievements in areas of worldwide interest and concern 
(climate change/environmental protection/earth observation, 
sustainable development, biomedical research/genetics, food 
safety, human health) and to highlight collaborative 
prospects offered by researchers and innovators in the U.S. 
French organizers consider participation wide open for any 
U.S. agency or association interested in innovation and 
science.  Audouze thought the following agencies or 
scientific associations might find participation valuable: 
OSTP, NSF, DOE, HHS, NIH, OES, NOAA, NIST, ATP, SBA, SBIR, 
AAAS, and NAS. 
 
11.  ACTION: The ERIE scientific committee plans to meet 
with French Ministry of Research officials during the second 
half of November to refine topics for the 2006 event. 
Professor Audouze has invited an Embassy representative to 
participate in the planning session. Embassy would 
appreciate feedback soonest whether addressee agencies might 
be interested in participating in the June event. 
(Regrettably, the Embassy would be unable to underwrite 
travel/per diem for U.S. participants.) For further 
information, see the bilingual website: www.european- 
research-exhibition.com; www.salon-de-la-recherche.com. 
 
12.  Biography: Jean Audouze, astrophysicist and senior 
researcher at the National Center for Scientific Research 
(CNRS), served as Scientific Advisor to the President from 
1989 to 1993, and Director of the Palais de la Decouverte 
(Paris' original science museum) from 1998 to 2004.  Earlier 
in his career (1974 to 1989), he lectured in physics at the 
Ecole Polytechnique.  A senior lecturer at the Institut des 
Sciences Politiques de Paris since 1990, he is also Vice- 
President of the French National Commission for UNESCO and 
French representative on the Committee on Space Research. 
Audouze has also taught at several major U.S. universities 
and is eager to promote French/U.S. synergies in the science 
and research sectors. 
 
STAPLETON