WELCOME TO C-PET!

The Center for Policy on Emerging Technologies (C-PET) is the first broad-based, free-standing think tank on science and technology policy in Washington, DC.

Emerging Technologies: Tomorrow's Agenda

Developments in such fields as information technology and biotechnology have already had profound effects on our lives as individuals and communities, and their impact continues to grow, especially in current and prospective applications to healthcare. The compounding effects of these and other "emerging technologies" will radically re-shape the future of human society. While there is uncertainty as to the speed, direction, and desirability of such change, no-one disputes that its social and personal implications will be far-reaching. The scientific and business communities, like government and the public, share a common interest in engaging in critical evaluation of these developments and seeking policy approaches that are broad-based, transparent, and where possible rooted in consensus.

The First Think Tank of its Kind in DC
Despite the overwhelming power of scientific and technological change in modern societies, and the formative role played by government in catalyzing such developments, there is at present no freestanding think tank in Washington, DC with wide interests in science and technology policy. The Center for Policy on Emerging Technologies (C-PET) offers an imaginative and powerful response, by drawing on prominent leaders and scholars with extensive experience at the interface of science, technology and policy, united both in their conviction that this need is urgent and their commitment to work together to achieve effective solutions.

The Nonpartisan Approach
C-PET has brought together prominent figures from the political spectrum's left, right, and center - encompassing both secular and religious perspectives. This is vital, as policy must seek to capture and respond to shared commitments, and not simply reflect competing political and cultural agendas. These issues cannot be captured within traditional partisan categories. Innovation is a central activity of human being, and the development of emerging technologies focuses the vital need to frame its transformative effects in ways that transcend and may reshape the political landscape.

We invite you to join our network as we tackle questions that will have profound effects on the future of all of us.

Nigel M. de S. Cameron, Ph.D.
President