"It's going to require leadership and nimbleness," to compete in the global environment, Morris said.

America cannot compete on commodity activities, Johnson said. "If that's what we're going to compete on, we don't have the numbers in this country."

Morris disputed popular contentions that offshoring makes computer science unattractive. One study said offshoring would not make a dent in available jobs; research also has shown a great demand for software engineers, Morris said.

Panelists emphasized offering students flexibility in their academic pursuits to encourage pursuit of technical disciplines. A biology student, for example, also could study technology, said panel moderator Denise Denton, chancellor at the University of California Santa Cruz.

"You really don't have to worry too much about being channeled into one [area of study]," Denton said. "People really surf through boundaries now," she said.