Chapter 9 - Crossing new intersections 1992–2000

Abstract

This is the first chapter in the second part of this book, titled “Science and Technology Policy in the Modern Age.” The chapter is a sequence of thoughtful and sometimes anecdotal analyses of various aspects of science policy during the Clinton era. It begins with a discussion of the implications of Clinton initially placing his vice-president, Al Gore, in charge of all things to do with technology. This raised concerns among scientists about reductions in funding for basic research and led to an increase in lobbying for scientific issues (the author was hired by the American Physical Society in 1994 to lobby for research). The chapter goes on to make the case that by the end of the 1990s the science and technology policy landscape in Washington had changed dramatically in the following ways: economic growth had become a prime rationale for research funding; dramatic medical advances had provided a strong argument for more investment in medical research; advocacy groups had proliferated; the boundaries between scientific disciplines had begun to blur; Europe and Asia were nipping at the heels of America’s science and technology supremacy; and, responding in part to changes in the tax code and in part to the revolution in information technology, industry had virtually abandoned its support of long-term research. The chapter’s extensive coverage of biomedical and genomics research during this period demonstrates how political maneuverings and personalities affected policy.