Many of us in higher education depend critically for research and innovation on bright young minds. It behooves us to reach out proactively and nurture this talent pool.

We have units on the ground there in Baton Rouge with satellite dishes, mobile base stations and a lot of handsets to give out to local responders there to create the communication fabric that's needed as a first step.

Industry and universities must be alert to removing obstacles to joint research, or emerging countries will overtake us in innovation breakthroughs, and the burst of discovery that has been driving our economy for the past half-century will be over.

But now we are pursuing the concept of market-oriented innovation to make production and research mutually supportive.

We've transformed (Wyeth) into one of the most innovative research organizations. We've added significant innovation in the last few years, and are intending to do the same in the next two.

All the research and experience tells us that education begins in our families of matters of right and wrong, health and safety, and responsibility.