Furthering America's Research Enterprise (2014) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 5-18
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Changes to individual components made without this under standing may result in unintended and undesirable effects. • The societal benefits of federal research investments can best be enhanced by focusing attention on three fundamental drivers, or pillars, of the research system: (1)
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Environment and natural resources -- Safeguards the nation's food and water supplies and protects its air quality; ensures abundant natural resources for pres ent and future generations. Contributions include cool roofing materials; shale oil recovery; and devices for detecting contaminants in water, food, and air.
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Agriculture -- Develops hybrid foods that enhance yields, improve nutrition, and alleviate global food shortages. Contributions include genetically modified plants and remote sensing technology for site-specific fertilization and irrigation.
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Interest in measuring the benefits of federally funded research arose also in part from a desire to enhance accountability and to provide guidance for federal research investments in stringent budgetary times. To carry out this study, the National Research Council of the National Academies formed the Committee on Assessing the Value of Research in Advancing National Goals.
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the quality of research output of universities and other research institutions receiving federal government support and (2) the potential societal impact of research in advancing national goals.
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-- and the progression from idea to product in various phases of research. Although currently available metrics for research inputs and outputs are of some use in measuring aspects of the American research enterprise, they are not sufficient to answer broad questions about the enterprise on a national level.
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Intuitively one might think that basic science research should proceed directly to applied research, to an invention, and to an innovation that is developed and adopted to produce economic or other societal benefits. However, the progression from research to ultimate benefits encompasses 1 An example of an emergent phenomenon is superconductivity, the property of being able to carry electrical currents with no dissipation of energy, which is exhibited by some metals below a critical temperature.
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For some research, it may be relatively straightforward to predict the near-term outcomes, yet it is extremely difficult to predict how research knowledge might be taken up and used, by whom, and in what ways, on the path to societal and economic benefits. One would have difficulty predicting, for example, when a feedback loop might carry findings from proof-of-concept research2 back to the basic science laboratory bench 2 As we define and use the term later, proof-of-concept research is research conducted to establish the commercial viability of an invention.
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Clearly, the systems of research and innovation -- and the many unpredictable pathways that connect them -- are exceedingly complex. Yet while these pathways appear to be unpredictable almost to the point of being chaotic, one truth has been demonstrated time and again: from this complexity springs possibility; from this unpredictability, the systems give rise to transformative innovations.
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This complexity and dynamism make the American research enterprise successful, but the poorly understood relationships among its many components mean that well-intentioned reforms (for example, favoring some scientific disciplines to increase the output of research discoveries of commercial value) could lead to unintended and undesirable effects.
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education and research training, but also many other aspects of the system, including inspiring young men and women to pursue STEM careers; attracting immigrants with technical skills; developing professional networks and partnerships; and supporting research environments that nurture the creativity, ingenuity, and passion of talented researchers. Highly trained talent is essential to sustain the American research enterprise.
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In addition, public investment in basic research contributes to the growth of a trained research workforce by developing their talent, abilities, knowledge, skills, experience, and professional connections, and enables American researchers and would-be innovators to exploit the worldwide networks of researchers who advance the scientific enterprise and open access to a vast stock of knowledge and technological approaches offering opportunities for commercialization. ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT This report presents the committee's argument for enhancing the societal benefits of federal research investments by focusing on the three pillars of talent, resources, and basic research: • Chapter 2 presents an overview of the evolution of the American research enterprise.
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• Chapter 6 presents the committee's argument for cultivating a holistic understanding of the research system through a focus on talent, resources, and basic research. • Chapter 7 presents the committee's overarching conclusion in the context of the key points of the report.
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Key Terms
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