Science policy, science funding, and the science community

Abstract

The ongoing federal budget crisis has led to extensive debate over how much money the federal government should spend on scientific research. In the struggle for limited funds, many advocacy groups will covet the large sums proposed for science research, and the scientific community may be called upon to justify its large share of the discretionary funding, especially the large increases for some science agencies and "big science" projects. Many would instinctively support the assertion that scientific progress is a cornerstone of national well-being, but the connection between strong federal support of research and vigorous economic growth or societal vitality is not straightforward. Two variables--science and technology, not science alone, are basic to the larger issues of the economy and social welfare. Federal policy must facilitate development in coordination with support for basic science. Scientists, in turn, must help foster a perspective that encompasses research and development as a whole and that seeks to identify explicitly the connections between the nature of the R&D effort and economic vitality and quality of life. Furthermore, society needs a free flow of information between all members of the science and technology community and an end to the artificial and harmful barriers between them. The science community must focus on setting priorities, refining science and technology policy to maximize available resources, and convincing voters that science can make crucial contributions to the long-term welfare of the nation.