ACADEMY
PUBLICATIONS
09 June 2010
Biotechnologies and the environment. Academic communication. Ed. Le Manuscrit : Avril 2010
Biotechnologies and the Environment A NATF Academic Communication. Ed. Le Manuscrit : April 2010 Biotechnologies rely on certain properties of micro-organisms, animal or vegetable cells, cell constituents, notably enzymes, in order to create new products, new production processes or new services. Biotechnologies are usually exclusively associated with GMBs and carry a generally negative connotation in France, even though their impact in the domain of public health is generally seen as positive. This vision stems largely from the fact that the benefits are not clearly understood and therefore are not “visible”. Faced with the difficulty of appreciating the risk factors and […]
10 April 2010
Life expectancy for digital data supports: what is the risk that data we wish to save may one day be erased?
Edp Sciences : April 2010, 106 pp. Life expectancy for digital data supports: what is the risk that data we wish to save may one day be erased? Why should we pay any attention to long-term preservation of digital data, at a time when digital storage capacities have never been so abundant or so cheap? This question leads to a point that is becoming more and more relevant: our societies today generate ever-increasing amounts of information, while, at the same time, the expected operational life of the supports available has never been so short, relatively speaking. Short-term data storage or […]
26 March 2010
SMEs, Technologies and Development
SMEs, Technologies and Development An Academic Communication to NATF, by Christian MARBACH, former GM of SOFFINOVA PARTNERS and ANVAR How can we assist SMEs to take technological evolution into their stride, naturally with all the relevant consequences and even encourage them to play an important role in designing and developing major innovations? This Academic Communication to the Academy sets out certain answers to these questions. After an overview of the SME scene in France, diverse and important to the economy, the report touches on the innumerable possibilities to engage a dialogue with the SMEs, all the more so that these […]
01 February 2010
Bio-fuels
Bio-fuels An Academic Communication by the Standing Committee on Energy and Climate Change – Feb. 2010 01/02/2010 In a context where it is obvious that there will be a gradual rarefaction of fossil fuels, and hence a increased price for the fuels, biotechnologies present a dual advantage, that of renewable sources of production and a net gain in energy. Moreover, given the vegetable origins of the fuels, bio-fuels lead to a clear reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in comparison with equivalent fossil energy products. France’s Government has committed itself to a voluntarism stance since the outset of the […]
18 December 2009
Reducing exposure to mobile relay antenna radiation is not justified scientifically: the Academic position
Inter Academic Position Paper Reducing exposure to radiation from relay antennae is not scientifically justified The French National Academy of Medicine, the Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Technologies of France set up a group of experts with the remit to issue an Advice Note on the risks to health of exposure to radiofrequency radiation. The experts based their findings on a collective expertise conducted by the Afsset (French National Agency for Sanitary Safety questions related to the Environment and to the Work-place], the conclusions of which are agreed to by the French OPECST (Parliamentary Office for assessment […]
03 December 2009
Advice note on carbon credits
Academic Advice Note on Carbon Credits issued by the NATF Standing Committee on Energy and Climate Change, NATF, November 10, 2009 The so-called carbon market has demonstrated its capacity to change the behavioural pattern of certain economic actors in terms of their emission of GHGs. The so-called carbon market, measure decided at Kyoto, is a first step in this direction: the aim is to stop accumulation a “carbon debt” in terms of future generations. It primarily concerns major industry that burn fossil fuels. The test period, 2005-2007, was followed by a period for applications, viz., the period 2008-2012. This gradual […]
01 September 2009
“10 Questions about Robots”, addressed by Philippe Coiffet
“10 Questions about Robots”, addressed by Philippe COIFFET, Ed. Le Manuscrit,Paris, Sept. 2009 This booklet gives a rapid overview to the questions that the public at large raises most frequently when referring to Robots. It is a popular theme, in films, novels and even documentary reports … but we never actually meet a Robot. Why are they “absent”?, what is their specific ”intelligence”?, and what relationship do they have with human beings? – three questions that form the backdrop to most of those we hear and read. Given the rapid evolution of technologies, one question often relegated to science fiction […]
07 July 2009
Reform of teacher recruitment and training
NATF (the French National Academy of Technologies) ISSUES A RECOMMENDATION IN RESPECT TO RECRUITING AND TRAINING OF TEACHERS FOR FRANCE’S ‘PROFESSIONAL LYCEES The National Academy of Technologies of France wishes to draw public attention to the current situation in French ‘Professional’ Lycées that NATF is following closely. NATF strongly recommends that the majority of the teacher recruitment be carried out in the professional sectors, especially in those areas where the skill or trade does not have an academic or university base, inasmuch as the skills and know-how are acquired “hands on”. Arrangements should be made so that highly qualified and […]
14 January 2009
A century of nuclear power generation – Michel Hug
A Century of Nuclear Power Generation, by Michel HUG France occupies an extremely strong position in nuclear physics per se, and in its applications, notably in nuclear power generation. The monograph proposed by Michel HUG is an overview that non specialist readers can assimilate, i.e., if they are non specialists of the developments of the French nuclear generation industry. Michel HUG himself is one of the senior, prominent actors in the field, and he throws light on the issues and challenges of the technologies associated, of the hurdles that had to be overcome in terms of political and key-technology decisions. […]
14 October 2008
Ten questions about the relation between technology, growth and employment
“10 questions about the relation between technology, growth and employment”, addressed by Prof. Jacques LESOURNE 1. What are the long-term effects of technology on growth rates and job markets of a given national economy with few or no external exchange factors? Two definitions arise from the application of the first model How best can we describe growth? Understanding the concepts of labour, equipment and natural resources Based on this first model, is there an answer to the first question? 2. In this context, how has French growth compared with others over the past 15 years? First observable fact: unemployment sterilises […]