Science, Technology, and the Federal Government National Goals for a New Era (1993) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
CHAPTER 3 NATIONAL GOALS FOR SCIENCE
CHAPTER 3 NATIONAL GOALS FOR SCIENCE
Pages 17-30
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 17... ...
In this chapter, we examine these issues for science; in the next chapter, we do so for technology. In setting national goals for science, several observations must be kept in mind.
|
From page 18... ...
Those strengths can continue to contribute greatly to U.S. leadership.2 In light of the above observations, we believe that the federal government, in partnership with the private sector and with other levels of government, should adopt explicit national goals for science.
|
From page 19... ...
scientists understand and participate in expanding the frontier of human knowledge. The United States could not have been the early home of the semiconductor industry without having been among the world leaders in solid-state physics.
|
From page 20... ...
For example, molecular biology is critical to advances in health care, biotechnology, agriculture, and industrial processes. The selection of those fields in which the United States wishes to maintain clear leadership ill be made by government decisionmakers with appropriate advice from various interested groups.
|
From page 21... ...
The committee recommends the establishment of independent panels consisting of researchers who work in a field, individuals who work in closely related fields, and research "users" who follow the field closely. Some of these individuals should be outstanding foreign scientists in the field being examined.
|
From page 22... ...
Within fields, the assessments will help identify the key factors affecting the comparative performance of its researchers. The assessments will be much more useful than current budgetary criteria for analyzing issues such as the adequacy of the infrastructure and the optimal number of students entering the field.
|
From page 23... ...
For an area where clear leadership is justified, the United States might choose to pursue a megaproject even without international partners. One could envision this process being applied, for instance, to the Human Genome Project, the Superconducting Supercollider, NASA's Mission to Planet Earth, fusion reactors, synchrotron radiation light sources, and so on.
|
From page 24... ...
First, because of its traditionally strong support for science, the United States is already a leader in most areas of science. Second, through the application of the goals outlined above, the federal government is likely to find that the United States has clear leadership in some areas of science in which we need only to be among the leaders; funds can be redistributed accordingly.
|
From page 25... ...
Since World War II, the process of ensuring quality in federally funded research has been shared by the federal government and the research community. The federal government has established broad priorities and criteria for the distribution of its funds.
|
From page 26... ...
A more cost-effective and productive funding strategy would be to provide stable, multiyear funding based on a system of evaluation and support that identifies the most qualified investigators and minimizes their administrative burdens. This would apply both to established investigators and to young researchers.
|
From page 27... ...
The Synergy Between Research and Education Achievement of our national objectives in science and technology must be supported by continuous development of human resources. Research that includes an explicit educational component contributes to these objectives more powerfully than research done independently of education.
|
From page 28... ...
REFERENCES 1. National Science Board, Commission on the Future of the National Science Foundation.
|
From page 29... ...
We have recommended two performance goals for science that would allow the appropriate level of support to be determined. The first goal is that the United States should be among the world leaders in all major areas of science.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.