Beginning a Dialogue on the Changing Environment for the Physical and Mathematical Sciences Report of a Conference (1994) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 35-44
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From page 35... ...
As the unease about the changing environment for science and technology has spread, many observers have taken to comparing today's context with the one that inspired Vannevar Bush to write Science, the Endless Frontier.i Almost every feature of national life Mat sustained public support of science in Bush's days 3 has changed In ways NOTE: The author is currently associate administrator of the Office of Mission to Planet Earth at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. iVannevar Bush, Science, the Endless Frontier, National Science Foundation, Washington D.C., 1945 (reprinted, 1990~.
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From page 36... ...
Concerns about ethical conduct stimulated a major NRC report, Responsible Science: Ensuring the Integrity of the Research Process, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1992. 7It is difficult to see how public support for science will be sustainable in the long run unless the composition of the scientific community becomes more representative in the words of President Clinton, "looks like America." Moreover, the fact that fewer and fewer native-born Americans, who instinctively understand our national life, are taught about science and engineering, much less go into it, suggests that not only the public but also the decision makers in government, finance, and industry will increasingly consider the scientific community culturally alien.
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From page 37... ...
Yet, together with staunch and well-reasoned defenses of the "core" basic disciplines, one hears all the tune that science is becoming more and more interdisciplinary, or that the really interesting discoveries are to be found on the interfaces between scientific fields. Many have remarked that the lines between science, applied science, and engineering are becoming increasing blurred.
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From page 38... ...
At the same tune, by expressing its views about what constitutes a discipline and what each discipline ought to know about itself, the NRC can encourage debate about what alignment of knowledge, practice, and institutions will make the greatest contribution to society in the next century. One need not draw sharp lines between basic science, applied science, and engineering or between research and teaching.
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From page 39... ...
This may encourage social fluidity at a time when the science and technology community needs to adapt to its changed circumstances. Regional Councils for Science, Technology, ant!
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From page 40... ...
The small technology companies for which the United States is justly renowned cluster in regions where they can exchange their services. Clever people and good ideas mean nothing unless the financial, legal, and political environment is fruitful, and these communities are substantially regional.~9 In short, the growth of the international science and technology enterprise has shortened the time scale for scientific discovery and engineering innovation; discovery alone does not lead to economic advance; the translation of discovery into wealth depends upon the diffusion of vision, knowledge, know-how, and motivation between social sectors; and the generation of wealth from technology has an important regional aspect.20 At one time, it was thought that economic growth would follow scientific discovery without further intervention of human thought and organization.
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From page 41... ...
While it is tempting to create separate regional councils for science education because of the magnitude of the problem, this will tend to separate education from science and technology. We must not allow this to happen.
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From page 43... ...
Appendices
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