skorton: here is the rub. if you take something that we consider useful and important now and you carefully retrace steps of the science that led that to be enabled, it is a nonlinear path. you could not predict, well, you better study this particular thing, because then you are going to solve some other problem later -- it doesn't work that way in science. you have to make an observation for the sake of understanding, and then some other michael figure out how to put it gather. in that regard, it's very important to recognize that a new thing is happening in the economy in which it's not quite so linear in that fashion. the tech industry is a great example of that where someone can at the same time be developing some concept in the tech sector that a prototype is developed already, and it might even the marketed in some form. those steps are open to much shorter-- you implied that when you talk about more modern innovators. that is an argument for 2 different things. an argument to yes, support basic science

skorton or president skorton or secretary skorton -- mr. skorton: everyone here can call me david, but walter, i would like you to call me your excellency. >> [laughter] >> your excellency. that was a henry kissinger sign. [laughter] in your case, it fits. [laughter] when you got inaugurated or installed, it was -- i read the speech and i have heard about it -- you gave a wonderful speech about this is magic. within toso allowed play louis armstrong. tell us about the inauguration and the idea that this is magic. mr. skorton: the official title of it -- let me interrupt myself. i want to thank you, damien, for your kind words. damien is a fellow flute player. ofyou are an aficionado these conferences, i wouldn't let another one go by without forcing damien to show his stuff. but that is up to you as a group. but it is wonderful to be here. and i do want to a knowledge my partner and the person who has taught me so much about the smithsonian, richard, a source of a lot of very good ideas, which [laughter] so the installation which my colleag

skorton: here is the rub. if you take something that we consider useful and important now and you carefully retrace steps of the science that led that to be enabled, it is a nonlinear path. you could not predict, well, you better study this particular thing, because then you are going to solve some other problem later -- it doesn't work that way in science. you have to make an observation for the sake of understanding, and then some other michael figure out how to put it gather. in that regard, it's very important to recognize that a new thing is happening in the economy in which it's not quite so linear in that fashion. the tech industry is a great example of that where someone can at the same time be developing some concept in the tech sector that a prototype is developed already, and it might even the marketed in some form. those steps are open to much shorter-- you implied that when you talk about more modern innovators. that is an argument for 2 different things. an argument to yes, support basic science

david skorton took over as head of the smithsonian earlier this year. wednesday night you can hear him talk about new exhibits, technology, controversial works of art and other subjects. that event on the future of the smithsonian wednesday night at 9:00 eastern on c-span. >>> the brookings institution is hosting a discussion on what is next for france and europe following recent terrorist attacks. foreign policy experts will discuss why france appears to be a prime target and how the international community should respond. that's live on c-span at 2:30 p.m. eastern. >>> c-span has your coverage of the road to the white house 2016. where you find the candidates, the speeches, the debates and most importantly your questions. this year we're taking our road to the white house coverage into classrooms across the country with our student cam contest giving students the opportunity to discuss what important issues they want to hear the most from the candidates. follow c-span student cam contest and road to the white house coverage 2016 on tv, on the radio an