From The Editor-In-Chief
The Boy Scouts had it right when they chose "Be Prepared" as their motto in 1907. A century later, it's still difficult to imagine an activity that doesn't require at least some preparation-and not anticipating events can be disastrous. In the business world, for example, it is often fatal for an enterprise to overlook risks or lack a contingency plan. But nowhere is the cost of being unprepared more dear than in information technology development and implementation. Sensitive data must be protected, critical systems must be operational, stakeholders must be understood-the list of needs and expectations is endless.
It is safe to say, however, that information technology's role has expanded beyond the enterprise. As society grows more complex and information spreads across the world, staying technologically vigilant becomes a matter of economic survival. A report developed under the aegis of the National Academies Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy gave a sobering summation:
Without high-quality, knowledge-intensive jobs and the innovative enterprises that lead to discovery and new technology, our economy will suffer and our people will face a lower standard of living.-Executive Summary of "Rising Above the Gathering Storm"
For information technology decision-makers, this means asking some hard questions about what it means to be prepared. For some it means coming to the arena with the right education. For others, it means being cost-effective by choosing options that do the most with what's available. For still others, it means being innovative, pushing the normal just a little farther to meet growing expectations.
At Noblis, we believe that diversity is one of many paths to preparedness. Each of the authors in this Sigma issue has a story to tell of applications that used technology to reach innovation. Some applications were in response to user expectations, while others aimed to manage data associated with large-scale projects.
We also believe that education is essential to continuing our nation's worldwide competitiveness. Alarmingly, computer science student counts are down 50 percent in the last five years. To reverse that trend, companies must take an active interest in partnering with academic institutions. This month, we welcomed the 2008 class of Noblis interns in the hope that the interning experience will help further their science and technology education. Later this summer, we will also host the Weather Camp, which aims to instill in middle school students an excitement about science and mathematics and provide K-12 educators the opportunity to show their students where science and technology might take them.
Finally, the willingness to change and adapt is an important component of diversity. To that end, Sigma has embraced a new design to improve readability. We will continue to make Sigma available in a variety of formats-traditional, online, and audio-to best support our readers.
Innovation and diversity have many dimensions, and as this issue's articles make clear, the path to either is built on understanding and planning for a range of expectations. This foundation is our insurance that technology will continue to enrich lives and promote our national economy.
H. Gilbert Miller, Ph.D.
Corporate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
Noblis
hgmiller@noblis.org