PITTSBURGH - Dr. Cherry A. Murray, principal assocociate director for science and technology, Lawrence Livermore Ntl Lab, and team member, Ntl Academies "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" Panel, will deliver this year's keynote address at the Materials Science & Technology (MS&T) conference.

Against a background of increasing globalization, a blue ribbon panel was charged with recommending actions policy makers should take to enhance the science and technology enterprise so the United States could compete, prosper and be secure in the global community of the 21st century. The result of that work is the highly acclaimed report "Rising Above the Gathering Storm."

In this keynote address, entitled "The Role of Science and Engineering in U.S. Competitiveness," Dr. Murray, a member of the panel, will discuss the significant findings as well as the response to them that is shaping tomorrow's science, engineering and technology policy.