Student Technology Roundtable
March 16, 2004
Opening Remarks by Phil Bond, Under Secretary of Commerce for
Technology
Good morning everyone. I’m pleased to welcome you all to the
Student Technology Roundtable.
As part of my job at the Department of Commerce, I often meet
with scientists and inventors like those who are with us today. Some
of them have received the National Medal of Technology. More than
120 individuals and 12 companies have received the Medal, the
highest honor given by the President of the U.S. for technological
research and innovation. The list includes incredible people like
Stephanie Kwolek – who invented Kevlar, the material behind
bulletproof vests – Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and leading companies
like IBM and DuPont, which is represented today.
 These laureates come from many different
backgrounds and have different interests in math and in science and
in their personal lives. But what they all have in common, is that
they are innovators – the men and women who make our lives and our
world better, who are among America’s heroes. And our student
winners are some of the brightest and newest innovators.
They all have something else in common: the desire to share with
you their experience and their passion and ask you to think about
joining them in this technological journey .
That’s right – you are the next generation of inquisitive
explorers who will carry on America’s great tradition of innovation.
You are the young men and women who will make the great scientific
discoveries, invent life-changing materials, and lead your
country.
In my job, whenever I meet people from other countries, they
always ask me how their children can be more like you – creative,
imaginative, innovative American kids. You are the ones who will
continue to make America great.
I know sometimes it is hard to dream about what is not here.
Believe it or not, when I was your age, personal computers were a
dream in someone’s mind and wireless phones were only on Star Trek.
Just imagine, then, what you can look forward to . 
You know, one of the hottest fields in innovation right now is
nanotechnology. Why should you care about nanotechnology? The
possibilities it presents will blow your mind; the progress of
nanotech will determine so much about the world you grow up in –
and, who knows, you might end up working in the nanotech industry.
 At this event last year, one of our student
winners had won the Intel award for her nanotechnology project. This
year, she’s studying at Harvard University, on the road to an
exciting and fun career in science and innovation.
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I hope that what you learn today will increase your
curiosity in science and technology. After the event, I would like
you to look at some of the fun stuff technology offers us today.
