I like to listen to NPR’s “The Middle.” This program is designed to “create a space that allows people of all stripes to meet in the middle on the most important topics facing all of us.”
Last week, Neil deGrasse Tyson spoke about the importance of Science. I embedded the whole October 17 program below. Just click on Neil’s name to skip over Trump vs. Higher Education. (That one’s good too!)
Tyson points out that government support of science amounts to an investment in the future. Research often takes years, even decades, before the benefits can be reaped. President Roosevelt recognized this. His science adviser, Vannevar Bush, wrote Science – The Endless Frontier. Tyson believes this document should be in the National Archives right next to the Declaration of Independence.
Science — The Endless Frontier
Science the Endless Frontier, Vannevar Bush
“New frontiers of the mind are before us, and if they are pioneered with the same vision, boldness, and drive with which we have waged this war we can create a fuller and more fruitful emplovment and a fuller and more fruitful life.” —
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
November 17, 1944.
Director of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, July 1945
This got me so interested in Science: The Endless Frontier, I just had to look it up. Roosevelt saw the importance of scientific research beyond our war effort, to our economic and physical health as a nation.
I just had to find out more.
Science: The Endless Frontier starts by explaining why Science is government’s business. Bush continues to describe line by line why. Here are some of his section titles:
- Part One: Introduction: Bush explains why scientific progress is essential and why it’s a proper concern of government. He explains why the “freedom of inquiry must be preserved.”
- Part Two: The War Against Disease. Research in the medical field expanded the life expectancy of our citizenry to 65 years; a lot of that due to a reduction in infant and childhood mortality. Bush advised that the government has a vested interest in continuing a coordinated attack on medical and social problems.
- Part Three: Science and the Public Welfare. Research is important to our national security and science creates jobs. Scientific research leads to new and innovative products, impacting our ability to compete on the world economic stage.
- Part Four: Renewal of Our Scientific Talent. The best way to sum up this part is with a direct quote: “…. in the last analysis, the future of science in this country will be determined by our basic educational policy.”
- Part Five: A Problem of Scientific Reconversion. Science: The Endless Frontier recognizes that the mobilization of scientists was crucial to the victory of WWII. Post-war is a time to lift security restrictions and coordinated efforts. Bush’s publication encouraged cooperation and recruitment of scientists from other countries.
- Part Six: The Means to the End. There are five fundamentals:
- …there must be stability of funds over a period of years so that long-range programs may be undertaken.
- The people controlling the funds should be composed of citizens selected only on the basis of their interest in and capacity to promote the work. They should be persons of broad interest in and understanding of the peculiarities of scientific research and education
- The agency should promote research through contracts or grants to organizations outside the Federal Government. It should not operate any laboratories of its own.
- Support of basic research in the public and private colleges, universities, and research institutes must leave the internal control to the institutions themselves.
- The research must be completely independent, while the Foundation is responsible to the President and the Congress.
Neil deGrasse Tyson points out that the USA is already experiencing a “brain drain.” Scientists who have had grants canceled are being contacted and offered laboratory space in other countries.
If you’re interested in reading Science: The Endless Frontier, click here.
