Prioritizing infrastructure, smarter regulations and better training will make digital technology...
Decadal studies can inspire research that changes the nature of their fields, including the construction of instruments needed to find scientific answers.
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, a sensitive detector for measuring gravitational waves, was a direct result of the 2010 astronomy and astrophysics decadal study.
Another incredible scientific tool inspired by a decadal study is the soon-to-launch James Webb Space Telescope, which is expected to see the formation of the earliest galaxies and even analyze the atmospheres of Earth-like exoplanets in our galaxy.
Now it's time to focus a decadal study on information and communication technology.
In our modern-day lives, digital technology and networks have become increasingly important, and lack of access to these resources can increase inequality.
In recognition of this, the Marconi Society, a nonprofit that I chair, created a new mission in 2019 focused on using advanced technology to improve digital inclusion.
To ensure that the opportunities of the network are available to everyone, the Marconi Society undertook a decadal survey called "Discussion of the Decade," focused on challenges in ICT and our organization's role in facilitating digital inclusion.
Of all our topics of discussion, digital inclusion stood out.
Our decadal discussions revealed many reasons for lack of access.
In the coming years, we must prioritize investment in new infrastructure, research to drive down costs, adoption of regulations for the protection of users, and training programs to prepare citizens for the new work of the digital age.