In The News

US Lags in Race for Tech Talent

Vivek Wadhwa October 26, 2012
The US is highly protectionist on labor and jobs. The country remains a top destination among skilled talent because of its opportunities in education, angel investors and markets. But regulations on visas that allow immigrants to work at US firms increasingly lead to bottlenecks in the application process and career obstacles for individuals in a highly mobile global market for top talent. US...

Amid US Outsourcing Fears, India’s IT Firms Thrive

Patrick Thibodeau October 17, 2012
In his presidential campaigns, both 2008 and now, Barack Obama has blasted outsourcing and offshoring of US jobs. Such political attention unnerved India’s IT industry, which relies on skilled labor and large numbers of temporary work visas, particularly the H-1B for the US. That visa allows educated foreign workers with US employer sponsors to stay about six years and work in select technical...

Some Silicon Valley-Style Pioneers Head East

Saritha Rai October 3, 2012
Many Indians are wary of starting business on their own. With a poor economy in the West, many are giving up jobs in Silicon Valley to return home and organize their own startups. The emerging economy offers a huge test market along with low costs and dependable workers. The returnees offer “an unprecedented innovation boost,” reports Saritha Rai, but must first overcome “a seeming aversion...

Three Myths About the Arab Uprisings

Ellen Lust and Jakob Wichmann July 24, 2012
The series of protests in 2011 that overturned governments in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have ushered in activism and new debate in the Arab world. Analyzing the reasons behind the surge of discontent requires an understanding of each nation’s history, regional relationships, demographics and governance failures. Achieving representative government and social justice is not a matter of simple...

Internet Stirs Activism in Vietnam

Huong Nguyen May 11, 2012
The quick connections and passion forged over the internet challenge authoritarian governments worldwide. Vietnam is no exception. Social media and blogs connect social activists as well as the diaspora, reports Huong Nguyen, research fellow at the Center for Constitutional Democracy at the Indiana University in Bloomington. Notably, many activists take recourse to igniting nationalistic feelings...

Global Warming Is Real and Has Consequences – Part I

William D. Nordhaus April 4, 2012
Although the consequences of global warming are painfully vivid, some scholars still question whether it requires urgent action. In January, a group of scientists, including those from the United States, Australia, France and the Netherlands, summarized reasons for their skepticism and opposition to findings of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. They insist that evidence is...

From Micro-Algae to Blue Oil

December 30, 2011
Microalgae, among the Earth’s earliest life forms, come in tremendous diversity, and scientists are making groundbreaking discoveries with what ParisTech Review calls the “tiny biochemical factories.” Some microalgae are rich in fats and fast to grow – these are the targets for new biofuels and expensive health products like beta-carotene and fatty acids like omega 3. “The vast majority of the...