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U.S. leadership in global science and technology (S&T) stands as one of America's greatest traditions of the 20th century. In the past, most notably after World War II and the advent of the Cold War, leadership in the scientific world was often synonymous with a powerful global presence and a successful, progressive society. In recent years, shifting political priorities of policymakers and the American public have begun to eat away at federal funding opportunities for U.S. research and development (R&D). The continuing national debt crisis, coupled with the moral and ideological concerns surrounding several of the more prominent R&D issues (i.e., climate change, stem cells, energy policy), have pushed U.S. funding for S&T below a quickly rising global standard. In the face of a persistent decline and stagnation in R&D funding, scientists and engineers must devote more time and effort toward keeping the economic and societal value of science in the public eye and advocate for it to hold a higher standing in the federal budget.
Published in The Journal of Science Policy & Governance.
