strength of local economy
organizational culture + social expectations
hard to change overnight
What will be the most attractive places-- geographical or institutional-- for doing science in the next 20 years?
2. Geographies of Science: 
Singapore and South Asia
place, country, region, city
new institutional forms for organizing research
life sciences
engineering
bangalore, india
university - interdisciplinary research
proteins and plasmid DNA
genetically diverse pool
institute for integrative sciences
south -east asia
ANYWHERE
research in cyberspace
websites, discussion groups
modena, italy
center for regenerative medicine
commercial, directed, precisely focused research
l'oreal cosmetics
paris --> singapore
extend model to study of disease
intellectual property
singapore, taiwan
commericalization requires supporting 
industry infrastructure
university / research institutes
freedom vs. administrative cost
Europe - "works hard & plays hard"
offshore structures
norwegian model - sea, 
research council funded by oil money
private IP generation
singapore, geneva
public + private funding
support family life to retain talent
boston
self-sustaining ecosystem of science
pipeline balance commercial applications and cutting edge research
livable local environment
chicago, united states
top faculty in nanoparticles + molecular elec.
different kinds of expertise needed
multidisciplinary research university
materials science needs a medical school
driven by infrastructure + people rather than location
location is irrelevant today
China - cost control  outsourcing
university
foster intersection of physical sciences, math, philosophy
better idea generation
infrastructure matters more than location
"institute for free exchange of ideas"
no patent laws!
particular diseases + building devices
boundaryless - doctor + nurse + engg + life scientist
taiwan
cross-disciplinary research
applied research - industry connect
long - term projects
heidelberg, germany / kyoto, tsukuba, japan /A-star
borderless insitution - all kinds of sciences talk to each other
centralized management of limited resources
Bio-X stanford, boston etc. favor smaller groups
industry interaction critical
engineers + scientist + clinicians
spinoffs
eg. pathogens in a particular location
local ecosystems
louis pasteur institute, paris (tropical disease focus)
focus on social concerns
cross disciplinary
grants + commercializable
research institutes in singapore
integrate device, module and system
institutional efficiency of research & 
distribution of work
hierarchy-free
silicon valley, japan
singapore - good funding
comprehensive university
co-located with equipment manufacturers
Amsterdam
multidisciplinary research institution
like airports 
architectural transparency 
promotes cross-lab interactions
world biomaterials congress
Taiwan, Japan
NUS - "research-intensive university"?
Interdisciplinary research
Industry support for research
e.g. microinstrumentation
stanford / mit / cambridge
research universities still key
research tradition + track records
foster individual passion
Science in Singapore and South Asia, 2025
FOCUS. Mobile energy involves off-grid technologies, embedded devices, cars, etc. The objective of this center is to develop technologies that would make mobile devices energy self-sufficient.

In addition to working on extending conventional technologies, these systems might draw energy from environment, or employ regenerative / parasitic power (e.g., implantable devices that interface with bodily motion).

PEOPLE. The center would need people who can conduct research in 1)  physics, 2) integrative research, 3) and application areas (e.g. medical devices, mobile devices).

LOCATION. The center would be located in Singapore. Singapore has developed a high standard of living despite having few natural resources, so the country is used to thinking hard about, and encouraging, energy efficiency. The NRF also already offers grants to promote energy research.  However, the country's small size means that any research has to be globally-oriented. India and Indonesia could be useful bases for research, as well as important markets.

STRUCTURE. The center would be free-standing. Government would not be a big player in the center-- industry connections would be more important.
Biomimicry + Biomodeling
biological systems inform engineering
 biomimicry - how much can we mimc?
hybrid insect engineering device
multi-generational memory in butterflies
"designer genetics"
from disease management to gene correction
plant genetics - real time models
simulation a la robotics
statistical models for disease monitoring within populations
-- exponentially expensive computationally to increase accuracy
in silico drug discovery - simulations
in silico models insufficiently accurate to replace animal/ human trials; may take 50 - 100 years
too many cells, too many interactions
simulation models empirical rather than deductive
Scenario 3: Center for Energy Infrastructures
FOCUS. Energy infrastuctures are critical for the operation of modern civilization and commerce. But they face profound crisises in the next 20 years, at all points in the energy supply chain-- generation, transmisison, storage, and consumption. It's a globally relevant problem, not one specific to Singapore-- though as a country that depends heavily on imported energy, it hits home.

The center would have a focus on renewable energy: solar, ocean, and thermal power generation.

PEOPLE. The center would require the combined efforts of civil, mechanical, and electrical, along with marine biologists, physical oceanographers, and others.

LOCATION. The center would be located in Singapore, with prototyping in Hawaii or Japan, and Indonesia as an early market.

Singapore gets a lot of sun, and it has a well-developed shipbuilding industry, and a lot of expertise in building ocean-based large industrial infrastructures like oil and chemical processing facilities. There's an existing research and government infrastructure, as well as support for environmental research

STRUCTURE. It would be a global, multi-agency institution, akin to the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. No government administration. An
unbiased global expert panel runs things. It would also work to promote an international agency that advocates for more equal global distribution of energy resources unequal.
Energy sources
wireless power transmission
microbial fuel cells will power appliances within 15 years
ocean-based renewable energy sources-- a big investment but far away from humans
"artificial islands"-- temperature differential between surface and deep ocean as energy source
We had lengthy discussions about the growing importance of sensors in biomedical research and engineering, and the growing use of biomimicry. In both cases, energy-- in particular energy storage-- emerged as a major limiting factor in their growth. The consensus of the group was that this was a problem that would require some radical solutions-- parasitic power, storage and conversion systems based on metabolic rather than chemical systems, or wireless power transmission.
NOTE
NOTE

During the discussion of in silico drug development, several people who work on whole system biological simulations and other complex computer simulations were very skeptical that we would build simulations that could replace animal models or human clinical trials in the next 50-100 years. They emphasized a couple things. First, the incredible complexity of these systems makes this a daunting problem. Second, the models that do exist of chemical or signal pathways, cells, etc., are created inductively, rather than deductively: they're not implementations of physical models or chemical formulae, but are hand-crafted around real data. This means that integrating separate models into larger models-- creating the pharmaceutical equivalent of a grand unified theory-- is impossible. Finally, the accuracy rates of these simulations is lower than drug development requires: they're around 70-80%, but clinical trials need 99.5% reliability.
ABOUT X2
Future of global science and innovation
What ideas, instruments, discoveries, or new fields could revolutionize science?
Where will cutting-edge science be done?
What will scientific careers look like in the future?
What social innovations in science will influence us all?
This is a ZuiPrezi map developed during a workshop with young scientists and engineers in Singapore. The workshop was co-organized by the Institute for the Future, a Silicon Valley think-tank, the U.S. Office of Naval Research, and National University of Singapore, as part of IFTF's X2 project (http://sciencex2.org) studying the future of global science and innovation.

This is one of an ongoing series of workshops being held around the world to explore the future of science and innovation. Other workshops have been held in Silicon Valley; Washington, DC; Penang, Malaysia; Shah Alam, Malaysia; Delhi, India; Budapest, Hungary; and Laxenburg, Austria.

The workshop was held on July 24, 2008, at National University of Singapore. About 20 people from NUS and Nanyang Technological University attended; they included faculty from computer science, civil and mechanical engineering, stem cell research, biomechanics, intellectual property and technology transfer, plant biology, marine and ocean engineering, drug development, and AI. 

The group also had a significant number of people who were involved interdisciplinary research programs, or had moved from one discipline to another during their careers.
ABOUT THIS EVENT
This workshop was organized around three big sessions:

Scientific ideas and discoveries to 2030. In this section we build a roadmap of the future of scientific ideas. We start by asking participants to think about this question: "What will be the most important innovations or disruptions—or roadblocks—in your field in the next 20 years?" We then collect their ideas, and create a base map for the rest of the day.

Places supporting world-class science. In this section we map the new geography of science—both its physical/national geography, and its geography in terms of distribution of researchers and collaborators. We ask people to suggest 1) a kind of institution that will be important in their field; or 2) a specific location where they think really cutting-edge stuff could happen.

Scenarios for the future of science. This is organized around a hypothetical: "Imagine a major philanthropy has declared that they want to endow a set of institutions that will foster transformative discoveries or innovations in science. Your group has been invited to submit a proposal to create one of these institutions. These institutions can be located anywhere, and can attack any major problem or set of problems. Further, because they want to support paradigm-changing and transformative science, rather than incremental advances, they're willing to let you spend up to ten years building the program." Their proposals include 1) the research area or field you want to focus on; 2) the kinds of people do you want to involve; 3) where in the world the institution would it be located; and 4) what kind of institution it will be.
THE WORKSHOP
ABOUT WORKSHOPS
Be bold-- it's better to be interesting that right
Be prolific
Build on the ideas of others
One conversation at a time
No one will know you're wrong for 20 years
convert plant biomass into usable fuel
microbes?
Molecular Engineering
precise nanotech drug delivery in 15-20 years
self assembly as solution?
customized embryonic stem cells in 20 years
ex vivo expansion of human stem cells
molecular assembly problems block large scale production of molecular electronics
flexible display OLED
interface engineering between organic + inorganic substrate
reusable, biodegradable biopolymer diode from biopoly electrolytes
organic solar cells?
"Energy research naturally brings multiple disciplines together."
Fundamental Theoretical
 Advances
postmodern human communication
Twins communicate nonverbally
can experiences be downloaded?
ToE for biological systems?
"understand my subject as a subject"
quantum teleportation becomes real?
"theory of everthing" GUT
Supercharge the human learning process?
what is a living organism?
theory of irrationality?
can all types of human knowledge be encoded?
big new theories
at the speed of light, time is irrelevant
"faster-than-light" particles
Scenario 2: National Institute of Happiness
FOCUS. The National Institute of Happiness recognizes that happiness is serious business. By 2020, experts estimate that depression will be the #2 killer in the developed world; we know already that depression has huge social and economic costs. So understanding depression, and understanding how to better encourage and sustain happiness, coudl have substantial benefits.

PEOPLE. The are biological and social aspects of depression, so the Institute would bring together psychologists, neuroscientists, sociologist, religious experts, and engineers, and designers (the latter focused on interventions) in interdisciplinary research groups.

LOCATION. The  Institute would be based in Singapore. The country has well-established research in cognitive imaging and sleep disorders, and also recently legalized gambling (though its casino is called an "integrated resort"). It's also a pretty diverse place, with permanent residents from around South Asia, Australia, Europe and the U.S. So there's a substantial patient population.

STRUCTURE. The Institute woul dbe external to the university but closely linked to it, in a science park. It would have links to similar research institutions.

Its internal culture would balance individual creativity with central resource allocation. It would have a flat hierarchy, with small research groups focused around discrete problem structures (a model inspired by the the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (located in Janelia Farms, Va.)). It would adopt the "Google model" in which 20% of a scientist's time can be spent doing whatever he/she wants.

The Institute would work on a 10-year deliverable timescale. It would rely on demonstrated leadership promoted from within, rather than appointed leaders.

Gore-Tex Model 
Happy pills! GNH - gross national happiness?
Risk of misdiagnosis?
 BUT also contribute to characterizing & diagnosing depression accurately
electric eel cell biology
requires energy efficient biofuels
microbes that consume toxic waste
urban underground pipe systems
NOTE

Singaporean scientists and entrepreneurs face a challenge because of the country's small size: all R&D and startups have to be export oriented from an early stage. Startups in India, China or the U.S. have a few years before they need to think about moving overseas, and this gives them the ability to focus more fully on product development, internal capabilities-building, etc.. The Singaporean market, in contrast, is too small to support tech companies.
Futures of Science in Singapore:
Ideas, Innovations and New Institutions
What will be the most important innovations or disruptions in your field in the next 20 years?
Infrastructure Challenges
Interdisciplinary research drives breakthroughs
Global problems direct science & technology, esp. inthe developing world
Restructing educational requirements
"Where are our energy resources coming from?"
International watchdog for health of earth + human race
"Do away with departments!"
Evolution of law needs to speed up-- to catch up with technological innovation
Sustainable development
Outreach efforts for subjects traditionally neglected
Scientific publications change from journals to articles
"Are we going to be extinct in 20 years?"
Real-time Monitoring + Control 
of and by Biological Systems
integrated sensing platform
long lasting in vivo quantum dots
devices for real time non invasive sensing of biological processes
"how is my cholesterol building up"
non-invasive in-vivo flow measurement at submicron level
cellular level activity. 100s - 1000s of microns. within 10 years?
wearable nanotech devices
problems of assembly
3d live imaging of biological tissues at cell level
within 10 years?
external vs internal sensing
actuating mechanisms
customized healthcare
nanotech disruptive
"surgeons not accurate at nano level"
in-vivo vs non-invasive signals transmitted by human body
eg blood vessels in retina, biomarkers in saliva
issues: speed, resolution?
real time control as well as monitoring-- can fix cholesterol levels, adjust blood chemistry, attack nascent diseases at the cellular level
distributed cheap sensor nets
power, packaging?
oilfield monitoring for 
optimization of production
"e-fields" on seabed
data overload?
Scenario 1: Center for Mobile Energy
Real-time Monitoring + Control 
of and by Biological Systems
integrated sensing platform
long lasting in vivo quantum dots
devices for real time non invasive sensing of biological processes
"how is my cholesterol building up"
non-invasive in-vivo flow measurement at submicron level
cellular level activity. 100s - 1000s of microns. within 10 years?
wearable nanotech devices
problems of assembly
3d live imaging of biological tissues at cell level
within 10 years?
external vs internal sensing
actuating mechanisms
customized healthcare
nanotech disruptive
"surgeons not accurate at nano level"
in-vivo vs non-invasive signals transmitted by human body
eg blood vessels in retina, biomarkers in saliva
issues: speed, resolution?
real time control as well as monitoring-- can fix cholesterol levels, adjust blood chemistry, attack nascent diseases at the cellular level
distributed cheap sensor nets
power, packaging?
oilfield monitoring for 
optimization of production
"e-fields" on seabed
data overload?
Scenario 1: Center for Mobile Energy
technologies will understand and adjust to humans, rather than the other way round
organic polymers become critical in desiging interfaces between humans and technologies
"There's no ideal human"
Every individual has different reactions to drugs
Even the same person has different reactions at different times
Helmet data collector monitors brainwaves
Can determine which media make people happy
Scientific basis for personal / taste choices
Humans and Machines
"learn to game, game to learn"
Has AI failed?
"Is McDonald's different from a French restaurant"
machines make too many decisions for us!
human emotions interfere with logical decisions
"what is the human race living for?" scientific development = happiness?
humans too complex currently 20 -3 0 years
NOTE

Across OLEDs and organic polymers, natural language processing, etc., there's a trend away from creating machines that humans have to conform to to use, to creating machines with the capacity for understanding humans. Some of these technologies, like natural language processing, understand formal human communication. Others monitor and make sense of informal or biological communication: they decode cell signals, monitor brainwaves to tell what kinds of things make you happy, or use at involuntary cues-- e.g. eye tracking-- to deduce human behavior.