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S C I E N C EF O R T H E 2 1 s t C E N T U R Y

J U L Y 2 0 0 4

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) was established byExecutive Order on November 23, 1993. This Cabinet-level Council is the principal means by which the President coordinates science and technology policies across the Federal Government. The NSTC acts as a virtual agency for science and technology to coordinate diverse parts of the Federal research and development enterprise.

An important objective of the NSTC is the establishment of clear national goals for Federal science and technology investments in areas ranging from information technologies and health research to improving transportation systems and strengthening fundamental research. The Council prepares researchand development strategies that are coordinated across the Federal agencies to form a comprehensive investment package aimed at accomplishing multiplenational goals.

To obtain additional information about the NSTC, contact the NSTC ExecutiveSecretariat at (202) 456-6101

About This Document

This document was produced under the direction of the National Science andTechnology Council’s Committee on Science. The document details, from aFederal agency perspective, the science policies and accomplishments of the current Administration and illustrates how today’s science sets the stage for benefits to the economy and national quality of life far into the future.

The document is available electronically at http://www.ostp.gov/nstc/21stCentury.

This website also provides links to

• supplemental information about the examples provided in the text

• additional examples of agencies addressing the four major responsibilities ofthe Federal science enterprise

A B O U T T H E N AT I O N A L S C I E N C E A N D T E C H N O L O G Y C O U N C I L

http://www.ostp.gov/nstc/21stCentury

S C I E N C EF O R T H E 2 1 s t C E N T U R Y

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENTNATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20502

July 2004

Dear Colleague:

The Federal government plays a key role in supporting the country’s science infrastructure, a national treasure,and scientific research, an investment in our future. Scientific discoveries transform the way we think about ouruniverse and ourselves, from the vastness of space to molecular-level biology. In innovations such as drugsderived through biotechnology and new communications technologies we see constant evidence of the powerof science to improve lives and address national challenges. We had not yet learned to fly at the dawn of the20th century, and could not have imagined the amazing 20th century inventions that we now take for granted.As we move into the 21st century, we eagerly anticipate new insights, discoveries, and technologies that willinspire and enrich us for many decades to come.

This report presents the critical responsibilities of our Federal science enterprise and the actions taken by theFederal research agencies, through the National Science and Technology Council, to align our programs withscientific opportunity and with national needs. The many examples show how our science enterprise hasresponded to the President’s priorities for homeland and national security, economic growth, health research,and the environment. In addition, we show how the science agencies work together to set priorities; coordinaterelated research programs; leverage investments to promote discovery, translate science into national benefits,and sustain the national research enterprise; and promote excellence in math and science education and workforce development.

Sincerely,

John H. Marburger, IIIDirector, Office of Science and Technology PolicyScience Advisor to the President

Science in Society

Enabling the US Research and Development Enterprise / 1Responding to New Opportunities / 2Ensuring Excellence in Education and the Workforce / 3Delivering Accountability / 3Science in This Administration / 3Setting Priorities / 5Responsibilities of the Federal Science Enterprise / 6Four Major Responsibilities / 6

Promote Discovery and Sustain the Excellence of the Nation’s Scientific Research Enterprise

Policies / 9Strengthening Coordination / 9Optimizing Performance / 10

Broad Collaboration / 11

Impact / 12

Respond to the Nation’s Challenges with Timely,Innovative Approaches

Policies / 15

Identifying Priorities / 15

Homeland and National Security / 15

Health / 17

Energy / 18

Environment / 18

Impact / 19

Invest in and Accelerate the Transformation ofScience into National Benefits

Policies / 21

Developing New Products and Technologies / 21

Initiatives for Accelerating the Translation of Research into Applications / 23

Impact / 27

Achieve Excellence in Science and TechnologyEducation and in Workforce Development

Policies / 29

Engaging Schools and Communities / 29

Attracting and Retaining Talent / 31

Coordinating Education Programs / 32

Training Tomorrow’s Scientists / 34

Impact / 35

A Shared Vision

A National Priority / 37

Our Challenge for the Future / 38

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

S C I E N C E I N S O C I E T Y

S C I E N C E F O R T H E 2 1 S T C E N T U R Y 1

Since the founding of our nation,leaders across the political spectrumhave recognized the importance of science and technology to our futureprosperity. This responsibility wasargued more than 50 years ago byVannevar Bush in his famous report,Science: The Endless Frontier, estab-lishing a policy that is as relevant nowas then. Today, as we embark uponthe 21st century, dynamic forces drivethe scientific enterprise. We must carefully analyze our research invest-ments and engage in collective prioritysetting as we respond to the require-ments of a new age.

Enabling the US Research andDevelopment Enterprise

Across the varied institutions thatmake up the US science enterprise—academe, Federal research agenciesand government laboratories, non-profit institutions, professional andadvisory organizations (e.g., theNational Academies), and industry—and with the international community,a high degree of collaboration hasevolved over time in shaping direc-tions of scientific progress. TheFederal investment in research and

development (R&D), although only about 28% of our nationalinvestment (see Figure 1), plays a crucial role in maintaining ournation’s preeminence in science. The Federal Government supports

• The majority of funding for fundamental research that mayhave no immediate application;

• Research that requires sustainedlevels of long-term investment;

• Major research facilities that arebeyond the capacity of privateindustry to build or sustain;

• An infrastructure of measurementsand standards that pervade thenation’s science and technologybase and that are essential to theprogress of science and innovation;

• Applied research and developmentfor national priorities combinedwith partnership efforts that accel-erate the transition of Federalresearch results into practical applications; and

• Programs for ensuring excellence in our national science and technology (S&T) education andworkforce development.

Through science we generate new knowledge and discovery, become inspired as we coax

nature to reveal her myriad secrets, and expand our understanding of the physical and

living world. A strong scientific enterprise produces new tools for analysis and investiga-

tion and increases our capacity to question, learn, and build on previous accomplishments.

Science points us toward innovative solutions to today’s major challenges, provides

the foundation for economic growth and development, and enhances our quality of life.

This model of the small

"30S" subunit of the

ribosome molecule, nature's

protein factory, is based on

data gathered at Argonne

National Laboratory’s

Advanced Photon Source.

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These Federal investments provide thefoundation for tomorrow’s great dis-coveries and inventions and facilitatethe timely realization of benefits fromour investments.

Responding to NewOpportunities

The increasingly interdisciplinarynature of science is driving manychanges. Some disciplines are becom-ing irrevocably intertwined, as inparticle physics and astronomy, wherethe discovery of dark energy in 1998radically altered our view of the uni-verse. Progress in one field of sciencemakes possible progress in seeminglydisparate fields, and increasingly the most exciting research problemsinvolve multidisciplinary collabora-tions, require the use of large-scaleresearch facilities, and use advancedinformation technology. The explosivegrowth of computing capabilities andthe development of advanced instru-mentation have spawned a revolutionthat is transforming all science.

Ultra-high-resolution imaging, sensor-network technology, and increasingsupercomputing simulation power areallowing the creation of data sets thatcan be fully exploited only throughbroad access by a diverse scientificcommunity—a development thatallows new types of research investi-gations, more speedily conducted, in ahighly cost-effective framework.Recent Nobel Prize selections high-light this trend of increasing scale inscientific research and in bridging thetraditional scientific disciplines. Oneof the recipients of the 2003 prize forphysiology or medicine was a chemistwho entitled his Nobel lecture “AllScience Is Interdisciplinary.” The 2003prize for chemistry was given for thediscovery of ion channels in cells,incorporating both new discoveries inbiology and the large-scale instrumen-tation normally associated with thefield of physics.

Given the increasing scale and interdisciplinary nature of today’sinvestigations, a healthy scientificenterprise depends on the vigorouspursuit of progress across the fullspectrum of inquiry and the proper

balance of funding among scientificdisciplines. Many arguments havebeen put forward for increased sup-port in the physical sciences, in partbecause the benefits of investments inthe physical sciences extend wellbeyond new disciplinary knowledgeand address needs across science formore computing power, scientificinstrumentation, and other tools thatenable investigation and experimenta-tion (e.g., advances in robotics, whichcould transform some types of med-ical research and clinical applications).Others argue for increased support ofsocial sciences research, includingpotential for applications directedtoward homeland and national secu-rity and understanding the ethical andsocial implications of research todevelop new technologies. These argu-ments, and competing ideas for whatconstitutes the proper mix of ingredi-ents in a robust scientific enterprise,must be evaluated and translated intopriorities for a finite Federal R&Dbudget. It requires a variety of mecha-nisms, both within the Governmentand across the broad scientific com-munity, to develop these priorities.

2 S C I E N C E F O R T H E 2 1 S T C E N T U R Y

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FederalGovernment

28%

Universitiesand colleges

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Other non-profits3%

Industry66%

Applied Research Basic Research

Source of FundsFederalGovernment

Industry

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Other non-profitSource of Funds

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Figure 1. National R&D expenditure by

source of funds and character of the work

for FY 2001.


Ensuring Excellence inEducation and the Workforce

The Federal Government also takesresponsibility for ensuring excellencein our national science and technologyeducation and workforce develop-ment. Our ability to produce thetrained scientists, post-doctoralresearchers, and graduate studentswho work on investigator-initiatedresearch proposals that are analyzedthrough a rigorous peer-reviewprocess maintains US scientific preeminence. Fostering a highlyskilled US S&T workforce supportsthis research and helps in the transla-tion of scientific discoveries intopractical applications, societal bene-fits, and relevant policies. Promoting a scientifically educated and awarepublic is necessary if we are to makethe appropriate decisions about thenation’s R&D investments, guide theadoption and debate the societalimplications of new science and tech-nologies, and reap the maximumbenefits from our investments. Thequality of these efforts underpins theentire US scientific enterprise.

Delivering Accountability

It is also the responsibility of theFederal Government to ensure thatthe people’s investments in Federallysponsored research are well managedand wisely used, which is the focus ofthe President’s Management Agenda.The American people, in the words ofPresident Bush, deserve a governmentthat is “not just making promises, butmaking good on promises.” To thisend, the Federal agencies, throughentities such as the National Science

and Technology Council (NSTC), regularly review and revise programmanagement and evaluation practices,priority-setting processes, and partner-ship mechanisms with the scientificcommunity to ensure the maximumreturn on the people’s investment.

Science in This Administration

This Administration has, as a first priority, responded to the urgent needto combat terrorism and safeguardhomeland and national security.Second, together with security wemust ensure continued economicgrowth, both in the short term and insetting the stage for innovations andtechnologies that will ensure our

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Discovery of dark energydriving physics and astronomy research

In 1998, scientists discovered that theuniverse is expanding at an accelerat-ing rate, meaning that somepreviously unknown energy source iscounteracting the force of gravity.Called “dark energy,” this repulsiveforce is literally tearing the universeapart. In February 2003, dark energywas shown to be the dominant forcein our universe when the WilkinsonMicrowave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP)released the best “baby picture” ofthe universe ever taken. It shows thatthe first generation of stars in the uni-verse ignited only 200 million yearsafter the Big Bang, much earlier thanscientists had expected. The new por-trait also precisely pegs the age of theuniverse at 13.7 billion years old anddetermines the content of the

universe to be 4% ordinary matter,23% “dark matter,” and a remarkable73% “dark energy.”

These discoveries are shapingresearch in the very small arena ofparticle physics as well as the vastuniverse of astronomy, and are alsoreshaping the scientific community’sresearch agenda and research invest-ment strategy. Recently, the nation’sleading physicists and astronomersproposed 11 compelling science ques-tions for the new century in theNational Research Council’s report,Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos.The NSTC report, Physics of theUniverse, provides an interagencyblueprint for future Federal invest-ments based on these questions.

Full sky map of the oldest light in

the universe.


nation’s future growth and prosperity.We must also take steps to maintainand increase the quality of Americanlife—sufficient, affordable health care;affordable and abundant supplies ofenergy; and a healthy environmentnow and into the future.

Solutions to these and other chal-lenges will depend on scientificdiscoveries and new technologies justas surely as the development oftoday’s remarkable medical diagnostictests or the information technologyrevolution depended on the funda-mental breakthroughs in biology,physics, and mathematics that

preceded them. Funding for R&D has increased steadily in thisAdministration (Figure 2). To sustainthe needed science and technology, the

President’s 2005 budget request com-mits 16% of total discretionarybudget authority to R&D. Fundingrequested for R&D in 2005 is the

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Who are the Government’sscientists?

Federal science funding supports hun-dreds of thousands of researchers inthe private sector, particularly at univer-sities (the Government provides themajority of all funding for academicR&D). The funding also supports,behind the many agency acronyms, asmall cadre of Federal scientists, engi-neers, and other highly skilled researchstaff. According to an NSF survey ofthe nation’s PhD workforce, the slightlymore than 38,000 Federal workers (in2001) who held PhDs in science andengineering represent only about 7%of the total US doctoral scientists andengineers, but they perform criticalroles. They and other Government scientists conduct their own research,often in areas that are inherently gov-ernmental in nature; collaborate withcolleagues in academia and industry;and contribute their expertise to themanagement of Federal science andtechnology programs and the develop-ment of national science policy.

Early career researchers reenergize the Federal workforce as they growinto satisfying careers, applying theirskills to a variety of agency programsand projects. Nearly 20% of theGovernment’s doctoral scientists andengineers are recent (within five years)degree recipients. Others bring estab-lished expertise to Federal service aftermany years in academia or industry. At all career levels, scientists workingfor the Federal Government makeimportant contributions, and many have achieved wide recognition. They

serve as editors of scientific and pro-fessional journals, lead major scientificsocieties, and some have won notableawards, including Nobel Prizes. TheGovernment’s scientists are active inthe larger science community andoften move between Federal serviceand employment in academia andindustry. An expert, engaged, andmobile Federal science and engineeringworkforce helps improve science plan-ning, inform policy, and strengthen the collaborative nature of the nation’sresearch enterprise.

Left: Leslie G. Ungerleider, Chief, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute

of Mental Health. Member, National Academy of Sciences. Center: NIST physicist

Eric A. Cornell, winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics. Right: J. Marshall Shepherd,

NASA, winner of a 2002 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

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Figure 2. Federal R&D spending, 1991–2005

(constant 2005 dollars).

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highest level ever, and among thehighest in recent decades when meas-ured as a share of discretionaryfunding or gross domestic product. InPresident Bush’s words, “Science andtechnology have never been moreessential to the defense of the nationand the health of the economy.”

Setting Priorities

The President has outlined broad poli-cies that apply across the board to theconduct of Federal research and devel-opment and the making of investmentdecisions. The Office of Science andTechnology Policy (OSTP) and Officeof Management and Budget (OMB)provide an annual memorandum onresearch and development priorities inthe Federal budget that gives earlyguidance to the research agencies indeveloping responsive agency andinteragency research initiatives. The memorandum directs that theconduct of Federally funded researchbe optimized through interagencycoordination of related programs.This memorandum also outlines theAdministration’s performance assess-ment and review policies for R&Dprograms. Programs must be relevant;they must set clear goals that are ger-mane to agency missions, nationalpriorities, and stakeholder require-ments. They must be of high quality,as determined by the appropriate useof outside expert assessment, peerreview, merit-based competitions, andthe preservation and development ofunique capabilities and infrastructure.They must demonstrate a record ofperformance, as evidenced by strategicplanning, an outline of appropriate


RNAi: Discovery of ubiquitous cellular system leads to powerful research tool

It is not every day scientists uncoverone of nature’s deepest secrets. Thediscovery of a simple way to turn offgenes—gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi)—is this kind ofbreakthrough. RNAi has been found inplants, animals, and man. Researchersbelieve that RNAi’s natural role is tomodulate the activity of genes, reduc-ing their expression for purposes ofgrowth and/or self-defense. Viruses,for example, direct the cells theyinfect to produce specialized RNAsthat help the virus survive.Researchers believe that RNAi is anancient mechanism used to wipeaway such unwanted, extra RNA.

RNAi was discovered after a simpleexperiment produced results com-pletely opposite to what wasexpected. Scientists studying thegenetics of plant growth were

attempting to deliver an extra “pur-ple” gene to petunias, but the flowersbloomed stark white. How couldadding genetic material somehowsilence an inherited trait? The mysteryremained until researchers funded byNIH and NSF identified a similarprocess in diverse organisms and dis-covered RNAi, which operates like amolecular “mute button” to quiet indi-vidual genes. Further investigationsfound that the RNAi technique couldbe applied nearly universally to manip-ulate gene activity.

Researchers believe that RNAi holdspromise for new medical therapies.Scientists have crafted clever tools for getting living cells to produce specific forms of RNAi, enhancingresearchers’ ability to explore RNAi’smedical promise in research animalsand with human cells. For example, inrecent lab tests with isolated humancells, researchers have succeeded inusing RNAi to kill HIV, the virus thatcauses AIDS.

Interference: Mice with hepatitis given a placebo suffered serious liver scarring

(left, lines) from inflammation, whereas the livers of those receiving targeted RNAi

were protected.

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measures to achieve priorities andgoals, and use of insightful metricsthat demonstrate results.

As we enter the 21st century, theFederal agencies are using interagencycollaboration and joint priority-settingmore than ever to outline cohesivestrategies that maximize the return onthe Federal research investment,including strategies for forming effec-tive private-sector partnerships andinternational collaborations. Workingthrough the NSTC and other intera-gency mechanisms, we have identifiedfour broad responsibilities for theFederal science enterprise that willguide us in sustaining the global pre-eminence of the US science enterprise,foster critical national and interna-tional partnerships, and focusactivities on areas of critical nationalinterest. The agencies have produced

immediate results that respond to thePresident’s challenges and have laid astrong foundation for the realizationof multiple, long-term benefits fromtoday’s Federal science investments.

Responsibilities of the FederalScience Enterprise

Broad investments in basic research,sometimes called discovery science,result in new knowledge and spurinvention and innovation in ways thatare sure but unpredictable. We don’tknow what the next fundamental dis-covery will be, or where and when itwill lead to new economic growth orbenefits for our quality of life. Yet, weknow enough of history to see that itis America’s investment in researchand development, and the innovationthat results, that underlie our nationalprosperity. Activities emanating from

Federal R&D investments that pro-duce new economic growth havenever been higher. Of the increasingnumbers of patents issued each year,40% cite Federal research as their source.

The Federal research enterprise isagile, able to direct great expertiseand inventiveness to the challenges ofthe day. Directing funding to specificpriorities such as homeland security,energy technology, environmentalquality, or research on specific healthchallenges enables us to increase therate of progress in those sectors andwill spur the development of newknowledge products and technologies.Perhaps the greatest recent example ofmobilizing the Federal scientific enter-prise on a national challenge occurredafter September 11, 2001, when theresearch agencies quickly began towork together on measures forenhancing national and global securitywhile minimizing the impact on ourdaily lives and accustomed freedoms.

Four Major Responsibilities

Federal agencies, through the auspicesof the NSTC and other coordinatingmechanisms, work together to develop priorities for the Federal science budget; to coordinate cross-agency programs that address broadnational priorities; to simplify sciencemanagement practices; and to makesure that our activities bring to stu-dents and the general public theexcitement of discovery and help themprepare to be productive in a rapidlychanging world.


Three galaxies collide

(lower right) in the early

universe: from Hubble’s

ultra-deep field photo.

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These activities support the executionof four major responsibilities of theFederal science enterprise

1. Promote discovery and sustain theexcellence of the Nation’s scientificresearch enterprise.

2. Respond to the Nation’s challengeswith timely, innovative approaches.

3. Invest in and accelerate the transformation of science intonational benefits.

4. Achieve excellence in science andtechnology education and in work-force development.

Each of these responsibilities, and therelated science policies that flow fromthem, are addressed in this reportwith examples that illustrate how thestage is being set for benefits that willcontinue long into the future.


A Quantum Leap forQuantum Physics

It’s been an amazing decade for accom-plishing things in science once thoughtto be impossible. In 1995, a team ofphysicists created a superatom—a setof 2000 rubidium atoms all doingexactly the same thing at exactly thesame time. They had produced a newform of matter called a Bose-Einsteincondensate, a “Holy Grail” that physi-cists had been pursuing for more than70 years. The accomplishment earnedEric Cornell of the National Institute ofStandards and Technology (NIST) and Carl Wieman of the University ofColorado, Boulder a Nobel Prize inPhysics in 2001. In also helped set offa renaissance of research in all thingsquantum, the study of the unusual,often downright strange, behavior ofthe smallest particles of matter.

Two years later, in December 2003,another NIST/CU Boulder team, thisone led by NIST physicist Deborah Jin,created yet another, new form of matter, a fermion condensate. To aphysicist even the term “Fermion condensate” sounds like an oxymoron.The bosons in Bose-Einstein conden-sates are inherently gregarious; they

would rather adopt their neighbor’smotion than go it alone. But fermions,the other half of the particle family treeand the basic building blocks of all mat-ter, are inherently loners. No fermioncan be in exactly the same quantumstate as another fermion. To get aroundthis problem, the Jin team used ultra-cold temperatures and finely tunedmagnetic fields to match up thefermion atoms into pairs. A similar phe-nomenon appears to be happening in

superconductors, in which pairs ofelectrons (also fermions) flow withoutany resistance. Physicists hope thatfurther research with such fermion condensates eventually may lead toways to produce superconductivity inroom- temperature materials, a devel-opment that would dramaticallyimprove energy efficiency across abroad range of applications.

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False color images of a condensate formed from pairs of fermion potassium atoms.

Higher areas indicate a greater density of atoms.


P R O M O T E D I S C O V E R Y and Sustain the Excellence of the Nation’s

Scientific Research Enterprise

Policies

Some basic policies guide the agencies’programs of discovery science

• Sustaining the nation’s preeminencein fundamental scientific research isa major Federal responsibility;

• The programs in the basic discov-ery sciences are shaped by theneeds and advice of the scientificcommunity; and

• The results of Federally supportedbasic research should be readilyaccessible to all.

Strengthening Coordination

The Federal research agencies coordi-nate the ongoing evaluation ofopportunities and identify collectivepriorities both in the fundamental scientific disciplines and increasinglyat the intersections of disciplines inthe life sciences, physical sciences,social and behavioral sciences, mathe-matics, and engineering. Variousinteragency mechanisms, such as theNSTC, exist to enhance the communi-

cation between interrelated discipline communities and encourage the cross-fertilization of ideas. This improvesstrategic planning, development andimplementation of complementaryprograms, and creation of integratedprogram management mechanisms. A few examples illustrate agency and interagency priority setting and coordination

• The role of the social and behav-ioral sciences in the Federalresearch portfolio is becomingincreasingly important in a rapidlychanging world. Several agenciescoordinate programs in this area,including the National ScienceFoundation (NSF), NationalInstitutes of Health (NIH),Department of Defense (DOD),Department of Homeland Security(DHS), National Institute of Justice(NIJ), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), andNational Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA). The agen-cies address a wide variety of topicssuch as health behaviors (behav-ioral and social factors are linked


Many secrets of nature are revealed through “accidents” of science that require prepared

minds, the right tools, and a view that extends beyond the horizon. A long-term strategy

will seek discoveries and new knowledge from both expected and unexpected sources and

will have the flexibility to follow new paths as they emerge. The serendipitous nature of

many scientific discoveries and the increasingly interdisciplinary character of science raise

the importance of the breadth of scientific excellence. Discovery today in one discipline

can lead to major progress in another area tomorrow. Anticipated long-term breakthroughs

in life and medical sciences also rely on strengthening the physical sciences, mathematics,

and engineering.

Basic laboratory science

remains essential for

promoting discovery. Here

a researcher demonstrates

stimuli sensitive polymers

that remain in a liquid form

when dissolved in water,

but form a solid gel under

various stimuli.

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to half of all causes of disease anddeath in the United States), maxi-mizing performance of borderguards and airport personnel, andevaluating the societal impacts ofemerging technologies (e.g.,genomics, nanotechnology, repro-ductive technologies). Recentbreakthroughs have occurred in theanalysis of the stability of socialinstitutions in response to terrorismand other disasters and in the lin-guistic and text analysis of largearrays of information. To facilitatecoordination across Federal agen-cies, the NSTC Subcommittee onSocial, Behavioral, and EconomicSciences was established in 2003.

• The NSTC Subcommittee on WaterAvailability and Quality has beenformed to address science and tech-nology issues relevant to the USand global water supply. The sub-committee brings together expertiseacross multiple agencies and iscoordinating with the NationalAcademies and the international

research community (through theDepartment of State) on researchdirections and recommendations toaddress the important issues ofwater availability and quality, espe-cially in relationship to land use.

• Systematics is a discipline that sup-ports a wide range of scientificresearch through the developmentof taxonomies that organize therelationships between plants andanimals as well as through thepreservation of unique collectionsof species from around the world.In addition to providing the rawmaterial for biological research,systematics contributes to theunderstanding of biodiversity andinvasive species essential to solvingproblems in sustainable and con-ventional agriculture. SeveralFederal agencies collaborate in sup-porting systematics, including theDepartment of Agriculture (USDA),which recently developed a strate-gic plan for future investments toenhance access to its research and

collections, and NOAA, which contributes expertise in aquaticspecies as well as in informationtechnologies. These investmentswill be used to build electronicdatabases and fund the preserva-tion of existing collections.

Optimizing Performance

The increasingly interdisciplinarynature of science, the growing scale of required research infrastructureinvestments, and the internationalnature of modern science call for newmanagement structures and a globalcommitment to scientific progress. As


A new vision for spaceexploration

President Bush has announced a newvision for the nation’s space explorationprogram. The President committed theUnited States to a long-term humanand robotic program to explore thesolar system, starting with a return tothe Moon that will ultimately enablefuture exploration of Mars and otherdestinations. Preparing the way forspace exploration later in this century,scientists are examining what NASA’sMars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, areshowing them about Mars rocks andare seeing into the planet’s past. Whatthey are seeing indicates that wateronce flowed there. The outcrop next towhere Opportunity landed, dubbed “ElCapitan,” holds evidence that the rockshave spent time drenched in liquidwater. Clues from the rocks’ appear-

ance and composition support the con-clusion that the rocks were altered byexposure to liquid water after theywere formed. However, the clues don’t tell how long the wet conditionslasted, and they are only tantalizing, notconclusive, about whether the environ-ment was watery when the rocksformed. NASA’s scientists will continueto examine evidence from the rovers topursue other possible evidence about

the rocks’ water history. This informa-tion will help scientists evaluate thepossibility that Mars once had an envi-ronment wet enough to be hospitableto life and determine the directions forfuture Mars missions.

President Bush announces the new space

vision on January 14, 2004.

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This mosaic of images taken by

Opportunity’s panoramic camera shows

the rock region dubbed “El Capitan.”

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opportunities become more complex,science management and collabora-tion across institutions must beimproved to better align funding andcapabilities with opportunities.Several ongoing initiatives illustratethis process

• The NSTC Subcommittee onResearch Business Models wasformed to identify and recommendimprovements to the Federalresearch process for all stakehold-ers. The subcommittee sponsored aseries of four stakeholder work-shops to identify issues and listento concerns. It identified a list of 10issues to address in the short termand will continue discussions withthe community on other issues tobe addressed at a later date. Someof the short-term issues include stability and predictability of support for facilities and instru-mentation, standard progress andfinancial reporting proceduresacross agencies, and consistentFederal Government-wide rules for conflict of interest.

• The President’s ManagementAgenda calls for a process of con-tinuous improvement in theeffectiveness of Government R&Dspending and holds agencies anddepartments accountable by track-ing management practices againstfive broad initiatives. The NationalScience Foundation was the firstagency to meet all standards and begiven a “green for success” for anyone initiative (according to the traf-fic light analogy used by the agencyscorecard). For the December 2003performance data, NSF and NASAwere the only two agencies that

achieved as many as two out of apossible five green scores.

• Characteristic of several agency initiatives to improve long-termeffectiveness, the Department ofEnergy (DOE) has established itstop 20 large-scale scientific invest-ments for the future. The result ofbroad consultation with the sciencecommunity, the report Facilities forthe Future of Science: A Twenty-Year Outlook lays out the rationalefor the high-priority investments

needed for future discoveries in theagency’s top-priority research areas.

Broad Collaboration

Federal science planning must alsorecognize the importance of new waysof working with the national andinternational research communities aswe increasingly take on projects thatinvolve multiple research institutions,other governments, and multinationalresearch organizations as partners.Such research collaborations can

Mathematics animatingscience discoveries

Mathematics is a powerful tool ofinsight and a unifying force across science and engineering. The impor-tance of mathematics to scientificdiscovery continues to grow with theincreased complexity of much interdis-ciplinary research and the need towork with very large data sets.Sophisticated mathematical modelsand computational algorithms providethe link from measurable quantities to the phenomena we want to study.Advances in fundamental mathemat-ics played a crucial role in generating

and assembling the fragments of thehuman genome. New computationalalgorithms also lie behind many oftoday’s dramatic animation sequencesthat appear on movie screens and in video games. Federal support forbasic mathematics is provided by NSF. Other agencies including the Office of Naval Research and DOE provide funding for newadvances in mathematics related to specific applications.

Smoke animated using an algorithm

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dynamics technique of “vorticity

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provide global benefits. Some exam-ples of international coordination andglobally beneficial projects follow

• The Rice Genome SequencingProject involves 10 countries andboth private- and public-sectorpartners. The NSTC InteragencyWorking Group on Plant Genomeshas played a strong coordinatingrole in developing the research priorities and pursuing innovativecross-boundary collaborations.Knowledge of the rice genome notonly adds to understanding ofgenetic patterns across species and

provides benefits to US and inter-national rice producers but canstrengthen food security across theglobe (rice is the staple food of halfthe human population).

• The Intergovernmental Group onEarth Observations involves 47 nations plus the EuropeanCommission and 29 internationalorganizations. This group, which isco-chaired by the United States, theEuropean Commission, Japan, andSouth Africa, was established fol-lowing a July 2003 Summit onEarth Observations that was

sponsored by the US Departmentsof Commerce, Energy, and State.During the summit, a declarationwas adopted that calls for intergov-ernmental cooperation in movingforward on global systems of Earthobservation and for the develop-ment of a 10-year implementationplan. The Earth observations plan will address the research andpolicy communities’ requirementsfor land, atmospheric, and ocean observations, including anumber that are detailed in therecent report of the President’sCommission on Ocean Policy,whose study is the first comprehen-sive look at the state of our oceansin 30 years.

Impact

These investments illustrate theFederal research agencies’ commit-ment to a broad program offundamental science that is integratedacross the agencies, exploits theappropriate national and internationalpartnerships, and is based on the best advice from the larger scientific community. They are the result oflong-term planning and far-sightedvision, as well as a commitment tosupporting the appropriate instrumen-tation and research infrastructure thatmake discoveries possible, and to thebest possible management of finiteresources. By taking advantage of theemerging opportunities in interdisci-plinary science, as well as fullyexploiting recent breakthroughs ininformation infrastructure and instru-mentation, the agencies are setting thestage for long-term advances acrossthe full spectrum of opportunities.


From basic science to auction markets to public policy

In the 1950s, the business world thought game theory, the study of individuals’behavior in situations where their behavior affects others, was arcane theory withlittle practical potential. NSF thought differently and has invested in decision sciences for several decades. Now, this collaboration between game theoristsand economists has evolved to produce new, practical insights into how busi-nesses compete in markets, including behavior in high-stakes auctions. Thesefindings have been applied to energy, telecommunications, pollution control policy, and agricultural land conservation. The design of an auction mechanismcontributed to the success of EPA auctions and emissions trading to control sul-fur dioxide emissions and reduce acid rain. The cost savings to emissions tradinghave been estimated to be one third compared with reasonable alternativeapproaches for the same reduction in sulfur dioxide. Research continues to makeauction markets more efficient by tackling problems such as sale of multipleitems and collusion by bidders.

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Advances in genomics andproteomics

Global partnerships in massive genomesequencing projects have facilitatednumerous advances in structuralgenomics. Partners include NIH, DOE,USDA, and NSF; many internationalgroups; and several private-sector com-panies. With access to completelysequenced genomes, scientists are nowbetter equipped than ever to make break-throughs in proteomics. A single genecodes for an estimated five to six pro-teins on average. Because most of thechemistry inside of cells occurs at theprotein level, examining the proteins produced from genes is essential to gaining a more complete understandingof disease.

In the Federal, university, and industrycollaboration known as the ProteinStructure Initiative (PSI), led by theNational Institute of General MedicalSciences at NIH, effort is aimed at dra-matically enhancing our ability todetermine protein structures. The PSIfocuses on experimentally determiningthe structures of thousands of proteinsand using computational techniques toobtain structural models of many moreproteins based on their chemicalsequence. This knowledge may ulti-mately solve key biomedical problemsand help to develop new treatments andprevention techniques for genetic andinfectious diseases. An important earlyresult is a schematic map of the mostcommon protein shapes that nature usesto construct the multitude of complexproteins that make up all living

organisms. Data from the PSI centers aredeposited into the publicly accessibleProtein Data Bank, the single worldwiderepository for data on biomolecular struc-ture, funded by NIH, NSF, and DOE andmanaged by a consortium including NIST,the University of California at San Diego,and Rutgers University.

The DOE Genomics: GTL (formerlyGenomes to Life) Program uses the newgenomic data and high-throughput tech-nologies for studying proteins encodedby the genome to explore the diversenatural capabilities of microbes. The pro-gram targets microbes with remarkablecapabilities to degrade organic wastes,detoxify heavy metals, produce fuels, and remove carbon dioxide from theatmosphere. Starting with the completegenome sequences for dozens—eventually hundreds—of microbes, the GTL program seeks to characterize all of the proteins that carry out cellularfunctions, understand how proteins work together in multi-protein complexesto bring microbes to life, and understand how communities of microbes work together.

Structure of the antibacterial peptide,

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Decoding the cow genome

Domestic animals play a central role in the food supply as well as in biomed-ical research. High-quality genomesequences exist for humans, microbes,plants, and other model organisms.Sequencing livestock and poultrygenomes will have many benefits such as increased food safety, higher-quality food for lower cost, reducedenvironmental impact, greater economiccompetitiveness, and novel products con-taining additional nutritional and healthbenefits. The new genome sequenceswill also contribute to basic research incomparative genomics, adding to ourunderstanding of the diversity of species.

Through consultations with Federalresearch agencies, the academicresearch community, and private indus-try, the cow was identified as the highestpriority livestock animal for sequencing(the complete assembly of the chickengenome was announced on March 1,2004). A coordinated effort played animportant role because the bovinegenome is similar in size to the humangenome and that of other mammals. TheInternational Bovine Genome SequencingProject brings together a broad set ofinterests including USDA, NIH, the stateof Texas; international partnerships withGenomeCanada, Australia, and NewZealand; and private-sector partners fromthe US Cattlemen’s Beef Board and theTexas and South Dakota Beef Councils.

This collaboration highlights the potentialfor combining scientific expertise andfinancial support to advance commonresearch priorities.

One of two animals providing DNA from

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R E S P O N D T O T H E

N AT I O N ’ S C H A L L E N G E Swith Timely, Innovative Approaches


Policies

To continue to meet these increasinglycomplex emerging priorities, theremust be policies that guide the alloca-tion of resources

• Flexibility in funding is required to redirect resources to the mostpressing needs; and

• New programs will be targetedtoward the most appropriateresearch performer or partnership(e.g., international, Federal,academe, industry).

Identifying Priorities

An annual OSTP and OMB memo-randum on R&D priorities providesguidance on critical issues. Agencybudget proposals illustrate the cross-agency response to the Adminis-tration’s priorities and reflect theirconsensus on the appropriate per-formers and ways to direct fundingand resources to the critical topicsidentified. Recent interagency propos-als for climate change, homelandsecurity (including the food and agri-culture defense initiative in the FY2005 budget proposal), and nanotech-nology illustrate how agencies havecollaborated to develop new proposalsin response to this budget guidance.

Development of responsive researchplans takes into account advice from the NSTC and other scienceadvisory bodies such as the President’sCouncil of Advisors on Science andTechnology (PCAST) and the National Academies.

To further illustrate the Federalresponse to high-priority nationalneeds, several examples in select critical priority areas follow

Homeland and NationalSecurity

• The events following September 11,2001, show the strength of the scientific community in respondingto a national emergency. Early inthe national response, OSTP established a formal relationship,including shared personnel, withthe newly created Office ofHomeland Security to ensure thatthe full force of the Federal scienceenterprise was available to engagein critical early activities. TheAntiterrorism R&D Task Forcewas formed under the NSTC toquickly develop coordinatedresearch initiatives on the highestpriority issues including biological,chemical, and radiological/nuclear

Some of the most pressing issues facing our nation are in the areas of homeland and

national security, health, environment, and energy. Scientific research has already provided

the basis for biomedical countermeasures to enhance homeland security; established a

foundation to develop cutting-edge energy technologies; and brought life-saving medical

technologies to patients. Science also provides the Administration with a foundation for

the development of public policy surrounding these and other high-priority issues.

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In their diagnostic analyses,

scientists at the CDC, as well

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with SARS. Here a scientist

examines structural proteins

derived from virus particles.

countermeasures; social, behav-ioral, and economic issues in riskassessment and risk communica-tion; and rapid response. Later, theNSTC Committee on Homelandand National Security was estab-lished to coordinate interagencyresearch directed toward homelandand national security. Some of themost significant areas of contribu-tion include developing vaccines;developing biometrics; mapping thegenomes of anthrax and otherpathogens; developing sensor(“sniffer”) technologies to detectminute concentrations of chemicals;research on atmospheric dispersionto inform responses to chemical,biological, or radiological dispersalevents; and new techniques for datamining, to extract patterns fromlarge and unwieldy data sets.

• Drawing on a research program to develop new concepts for countering the increasing use ofcaves and bunkers by terrorists inAfghanistan to store their caches of weapons, DOD R&D agenciestook less than 90 days to acceleratethe development of thermobaricweapons from a concept that was little more than “basic chem-istry” to systems that could be used for destroying cave targets.“Thermobaric” comes from Greekwords for “heat” and “pressure.”The thermobaric explosives operatein two stages with a primary explo-sion that releases the fuel for asecondary explosion that causes anextremely high-pressure wave. Ifthe explosive is detonated within a cave, the blast wave rushesthrough the tunnel without causinga tunnel collapse around the initial


Rapid response to infectious disease

In response to homeland security con-cerns, multiple Federal agencies havejoined forces to develop new tools toprotect the public from both deliber-ately introduced and naturallyoccurring pathogens. These involvecooperation among NIH, CDC, the USArmy Medical Research Institute ofInfectious Diseases (USAMRIID) andother components of DOD, DHS, CIA,FBI, DOE, USDA, and NSF.

One example of the positive synergyamong Federal agencies is the devel-opment of an Ebola vaccine. In 2000,NIH, together with CDC, tested anexperimental Ebola vaccine that fullyprotected monkeys from the lethalvirus. One component of that earlyEbola vaccine is now being assessedfor safety in a human clinical trial atNIH and is the result of NIH/USAM-RIID collaborations. This vaccine usesa strategy similar to that of otherinvestigational vaccines that holdpromise for controlling diseases, suchas those for HIV/AIDS and SARS.

Genome sequencing projects, involv-ing several Federal agencies andvarious international partners, areongoing for high-priority pathogens.

Not only are we better prepared toprotect citizens against deliberatelyintroduced pathogens, we have alsoincreased our capacity to tackle thetide of naturally emerging agents suchas SARS and West Nile Virus. To facili-tate this type of important research,several agencies are investing inresearch infrastructure that will beavailable to assist national, state, and local public health efforts in theevent of a bioterrorism or infectiousdisease emergency. For example, NIH is supporting the construction of biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) and BSL-4 laboratory facilities across thecountry. (The higher BSL numbers,which range from 1 to 4, implyincreased occupational risk from exposure and the need for additionalcontainment measures.)

Researcher working in a BSL-4

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explosion. These systems can beuseful for destroying chemical andbiological weapons sites, becausethey do not spread the agents as aconventional explosion does butcan incinerate the agent outright.

• University-based HomelandSecurity Centers have been estab-lished by the Department ofHomeland Security to leverage themultidisciplinary capabilities of thenation’s universities to fill scientificand technological knowledge gaps.The first award was made to theUniversity of Southern Californiain 2003 to establish the HomelandSecurity Center for Risk andEconomic Analysis of TerrorismEvents. In April 2004, DHSannounced awards to Texas A&MUniversity, to lead the NationalCenter for Foreign Animal andZoonotic Disease Defense, and theUniversity of Minnesota, to leadthe Center for Post-Harvest FoodProtection and Defense. FutureHomeland Security Centers willleverage university capabilities inthe social and behavioral sciencesand may address research to support operational response.

Health

• The scientific response to severeacute respiratory syndrome (SARS)epitomizes the new model of col-laboration that is emerging to meettoday’s global scientific challenges.A multifaceted scientific effortbrought together governmentalresearch agencies, academic institu-tions, and private industry aroundthe globe. Within the United States,intense collaboration took place

among the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention (CDC), NIH, Food and DrugAdministration (FDA), DOD,Department of Veterans Affairs(VA), academic institutions, andprivate industry. Working together,they rapidly deciphered the geneticcode of SARS. This was followedby the development of antiviralagents and candidate vaccines. Oneexample encapsulates how Federalresearch agencies have helped create a multiplier effect to spurfurther research. The NIH NationalInstitute of Allergy and InfectiousDiseases sponsored an alliance ofgovernment, non-profit, and indus-try partners to distribute for free anew “SARS chip” that will enableresearchers to rapidly detect tinygenetic variations among differentSARS virus strains and speed development of new drugs.

• Faced with the recent possibility ofa serious West Nile Virus (WNV)epidemic, US Government scientistssprang into action and developed apromising hybrid vaccine. NIH sci-entists collaborated with the WalterReed Army Institute of Research tocapitalize on recent advances inrecombinant DNA technology andprevious research on another virus(dengue) in the same family of flaviviruses to produce a new can-didate WNV vaccine. Their earlysuccesses are due to the virus’ similarity to other flaviviruses and to recent efforts to increaseresearch on newly emergingpathogens. To prevent the spread ofWNV through the nation’s bloodsupply, FDA and CDC workedclosely with the states and the

Adding a human dimension to solving problems

The social networks among peoplein an organization or communitycan be the most important factor ingroup process and informationflow. Data and maps of social net-works have provided importantinsights into human behavior sincethey were drawn by hand in the1930s. Today, Internet technologyand newly developed mathematicalnetwork analysis tools have trans-formed this research. NSF’s newprogram in Human and SocialDynamics will enhance the abilityof organizations and individuals tounderstand change in society andanticipate its complex conse-quences. The new tools, combinedwith advanced temporal and spatialinformation analysis tools such asgeographic information systems,contribute to antiterrorism efforts,epidemiology, public safety, and education.

Schematic of two types of social

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blood and diagnostics industry todevelop appropriate tests based onexisting platform DNA technolo-gies. As a result, within eightmonths of identifying the risk ofWNV exposure from blood and tis-sue, universal investigational blooddonor screening was made avail-able, preventing the introduction ofmore than 1,000 units of poten-tially infectious blood into thenation’s blood supply.

Energy

• The President announced a USHydrogen Fuel Initiative in January 2003. In November 2003, 15 nations and the EuropeanCommission—representing a collec-tive 85% of the world’s grossdomestic product and two thirds of the world’s energy consump-tion—agreed to establish theInternational Partnership for theHydrogen Economy. Chaired bythe US Departments of Energy andTransportation, this multinationalprogram will coordinate the high-risk/high-payoff science andadvanced technology developmentthat will turn this vision into a

global reality. The Hydrogen FuelInitiative has significantly increasedthe nation’s investment in hydrogenenergy R&D. Revolutionary discoveries and conceptual break-throughs will be needed in theinterdisciplinary areas of scienceenabling the production, storage,and use of hydrogen. Solutions willlie in the innovative synthesis ofnew classes of materials, particu-larly nanomaterials, coupled withthe fundamental understanding oftheir structural, thermodynamic,physical, and chemical properties.

• In January 2003, President Bushcommitted the United States to par-ticipate in one of the largest andmost technologically sophisticatedinternational research projects inthe world, the experimental nuclearfusion reactor known as ITER, todemonstrate the scientific and tech-nological feasibility of nuclearfusion energy for peaceful pur-poses. International partnershipsare essential in this researchbecause of the huge investmentsrequired in facilities and experi-mentation. ITER represents anessential step forward if fusion

energy is to play a part in future,cleaner energy sources.

Environment

• In June 2001, the Presidentannounced the US Climate ChangeResearch Initiative, a new approachto prioritizing scientific research toimprove our understanding ofglobal climate change. The new USClimate Change Science Program(CCSP) developed a strategic planfor research in this area. By July2003, the CCSP, a collaboration of13 Federal agencies, had publisheda research vision and strategic plan that provides a strategy fordeveloping knowledge of climatevariability and change and for theapplication of this knowledge. Theplan’s objectives include reductionof scientific uncertainty about theclimate effects of aerosols (tiny particles) in the atmosphere, betterunderstanding of the carbon cyclein the Earth system, improved climate modeling, enhanced Earthobservations, and development ofscientific information to supportdecision making. This strategy has been endorsed by the NationalAcademies. The President’s FY 2005 budget request seeksnearly $2 billion to fund thisimportant research.

• The Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) and NIH NationalInstitute of Environmental HealthSciences are studying the role ofparticulate matter in cardiovasculardisease, the leading cause of deathin the United States. Recent studiessuggest that air pollutants, espe-cially particulate matter, may be a


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Simulation of the structure

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factor in the development of heartdisease. Currently documented riskfactors for heart disease are age,lifestyle (smoking, physical inactiv-ity, and diet), gender, race, andgenetics. The new research willinvestigate mechanisms by whichair pollutants adversely affect thecardiovascular system, an areawhere few data presently exist.Researchers also will identify andinvestigate the factors that makecertain people more susceptible tothe cardiovascular effects of airpollutants. The research fostersinnovative collaborations betweenenvironmental health and cardio-vascular researchers.

Impact

The agencies call upon the resourcesof the entire national science enter-prise and, where appropriate,international collaborators to addressthe concerns of the day in the mostefficient and appropriate way possi-ble. The above examples are but a fewof the ways Federal agencies haveresponded to the high-priority con-cerns that the Administration hascalled on them to address. Theirresearch activities produce both physi-cal products (e.g., new vaccines) thatdirectly solve problems and knowl-edge products that are communicatedto decision makers and the public toinform policies and facilitate decisionsthat affect nearly every aspect of our lives.


Biometrics

Automated methods of recognizing anindividual by his or her physical orbehavioral characteristics have thepotential of significantly influencingfuture Federal operations and busi-ness practices and enhancinghomeland security. For this to happen,the accuracy of the technology mustimprove along with our understandingof its capabilities, limitations, and soci-ological factors. Coordinating throughthe NSTC Biometrics working group,the agencies are developing andimplementing near- and long-termplans in the areas of modalities; systems and human interface; fusion,test infrastructure, and evaluation; and social/legal/privacy.

One of the early successes is a collab-orative effort to define a standard setof biometrics test procedures and statistical methods to be used byresearchers across the Federal agen-cies, as well as in industry andacademia. This framework, known asthe Biometrics ExperimentationEnvironment (BEE), will reduce thecost of biometrics evaluations and willenable characterization of experi-ments, making it possible for otherresearchers to duplicate and analyzethe experimental results. After a base-line capability has been demonstrated,a BEE Users Group will be establishedto allow the greater scientific commu-nity to participate in and managefurther development and implementa-tion activities.

Open consensus standards, and associated testing, are critical to pro-viding higher levels of security throughbiometric identification systems.When biometrics are selected forimplementation, NIST has the respon-sibility, in partnership with US industryand other agencies, to develop technology standards and tests thatassure uniform results and high levels of accuracy.

The agencies have also developed aBiometrics Catalog (http://www.bio-metricscatalog.org), an informationsharing resource that includes morethan 1,350 research reports, 3,000news articles, 300 conference presentations, as well as numerouscommercial products, evaluationreports, and legislative documents.The Biometrics Catalog is open andfree for public use.

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I N V E S T I N A N D A C C E L E R AT Ethe Transformation of Science into

National Benefits


Although the emphasis of Federal science funding is on basic researchand on R&D that is inherently theresponsibility of the FederalGovernment, it is recognized thatthere is a broader national interde-pendence of basic research, appliedresearch, technology development,and knowledge transfer. Dynamic,flexible partnerships are the strengthof an “innovation system” to createnew knowledge products, technolo-gies, and jobs. Many of the Federalpolicies and actions to promote thisinnovation system (e.g., tax policy)are beyond the purview of theresearch agencies, but there are sev-eral elements of science policy andresearch program implementation thatdo enter into the picture.

Policies

To support the national innovationsystem and encourage solutions thatcreate economic growth and improveour quality of life, the Federal sciencepolicy is to

• Include a wide range of public andprivate stakeholders in an ongoingdialogue with Federal research

agencies so that Federally supported science programs appro-priately support broad interests;

• Maintain a strong system ofresearch support that includes protection for the intellectual prop-erty rights of the performer; and

• Support mechanisms that encour-age innovative small businesses and result in job growth.

Developing New Products and Technologies

Several agency programs and intera-gency collaborations illustrate theunique role of the Federal researchagencies in developing products andtechnologies that improve lives andhelp the economy

• CDC has improved the ability totrack chemical exposure in humansthrough development of biomoni-toring, the direct measurement ofchemicals in the human body. The technique delivers more preciseand reliable predictions of theeffects of environmental exposureto chemicals than previously available estimates produced by

The translation of science into solutions that enhance homeland security, spur economic

growth, or improve health is not automatic. The mere existence of a scientific finding or

result will not necessarily produce knowledge transfer or result in new technology. Current

research that could lead to applications must be targeted for development, and we must

continually examine the potential uses of existing discoveries to ensure maximum benefit

from the public investment in science. This is a complex process that is, nonetheless,

essential for our nation’s prosperity and high standard of living.

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mathematical models and providesa stronger scientific basis for regu-lations to protect human health. In2003, the results of a large assess-ment of the US population usingbiomonitoring were published. The research continues, with new national data to be releasedapproximately every two years.Biomonitoring has broader poten-tial benefits because the techniquecan identify person-specific needs that can be matched withnew drugs being developed through genomics.

• More accurate weather forecastscan save lives and money by pre-dicting major storms and long-termtrends such as rainfall or droughtfrom El Niño events. For example,more precise prediction of hurri-cane routes allows communities to be better prepared and savecosts of extensive storm prepara-tions in those areas that can becertain they are out of the storm’spath. NASA develops new instru-ment technologies and satellitemonitoring devices that make itpossible to collect the data vital toweather modeling. NOAA hasdeveloped new weather-modelingtechniques that combine these vital data with aspects of weather,ocean, and hurricane models toimprove forecasting ability for itsown researchers and for meteorolo-gists nationwide.

• Future research has the potential toprovide early warning for earth-quakes, with enormous expectedbenefits. Research sponsored by

Materials science atnanoscales

Research with nanomaterials requiresthe ability to work—that is, to see,measure, and manipulate—at atomicand molecular scales (1–100nm). In lay terms, that is about 1/100,000ththe diameter of a human hair. This isnot merely the study of small things; it is the research and development of materials, devices, and systemsthat exhibit new and extraordinaryphysical, chemical, and biological properties. For example, scientists atNorthwestern University created anew class of nanometer-scale buildingblocks that can spontaneously assem-ble themselves into ultra-tiny spheres,tubes, and curved sheets—scientificdiscoveries that could eventually leadto important applications in nanoscaleelectronics and drug-delivery systems.

The cost of nanoscience instrumenta-tion, equipment, and facilities can behigh, making it difficult for researchersat small businesses and most academic institutions to participate. NIST has recently constructed themost technologically advanced facili-ties in the world, the AdvancedMeasurement Laboratory, which willsupport industry in the conduct of this research with new ways to moreaccurately measure, quantify, and calibrate important processes andproperties. The Departments ofEnergy and Commerce and NSF aresupporting the development of addi-tional nanoscale R&D user centersnationwide to provide access to thenecessary infrastructure.

A total of 10 Federal agencies support research and development on nanomaterials.

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NSF, the US Geological Survey(USGS), and NASA supports bothfundamental research on Earth’sstructure and the development ofmaps and other information to aidin predicting vulnerability and helpmitigate damage from earthquakes.The NSF/USGS-funded SouthernCalifornia Earthquake Center hasdeveloped state-of-the-art maps of crustal distortion that provide a direct measure of the potentialfor future earthquakes and are used by earthquake engineers forstrengthening structures and by theinsurance industry for planning.The NSF-funded EarthScope uses anetwork of geophysical sensors andan observatory placed some 2.5miles down in the San AndreasFault to define and monitor thedynamics of Earth across the NorthAmerican continent.

Initiatives for Accelerating the Translation of Researchinto Applications

The Federal research system and itssupport for university- and Federallaboratory-based research are centralto maintaining our innovation system,producing new knowledge, and educating the next generation of scientists, engineers, and skilled workers. The establishment of university-based and regional researchcenters across the country, and afavorable legislative environment forthese centers to retain the intellectualproperty rights for their discoveries,have been recognized as incentives forcompanies to make investments intechnology development that lead toregional economic growth.

Direct linkages between Federal agen-cies and industry are also critical andprovide two-way benefits. This year,the Federal Small Business InnovationResearch (SBIR) and Small BusinessTechnology Transfer (STTR)

programs will provide $2 billion tosmall businesses through Federal pro-grams to help entrepreneurs take theirideas from conception to reality.Federal agencies also depend on thecontributions of the industrial scienceand technology base in pursuing their missions. Both parties leverage fundsthrough creative partnerships toachieve common goals. National economic competitiveness is rooted inthe health of this Government-acade-mia-industry partnership at locallevels, because that is where jobs are created. Strong alliances with state and local governments help topromote a favorable environment for innovation and incentives for business development.

Although NIST is the only Federalresearch agency with the express mis-sion of working with industry to keepUS technology at the leading edge,several agencies are developing indus-try-academia-government partnershipsas well as institutional programs and

Mapping the world inthree dimensions

The recent Shuttle Radar TopographyMission (SRTM) collected topographicdata over nearly 80% of Earth’s landsurfaces, creating the first-ever near-global, high-resolution data set of landelevations. A global mapping projectspearheaded by NASA and theNational Geospatial-IntelligenceAgency (NGA), the SRTM flew onNASA’s Space Shuttle and used atechnique called “radar interferome-try” to produce the data. Theprocessed SRTM data, archived withthe USGS, can be tailored to meet theneeds of the civil, scientific, and mili-tary user communities. Just about anyproject that requires accurate knowl-edge of the shape and height of theland can benefit from these data.Some examples are flood control, soil

conservation, reforestation, volcanomonitoring, earthquake research, and glacier movement monitoring.Other uses of these data includeimproved water-drainage modeling,more realistic flight simulators, naviga-tion safety, better locations for cellphone towers, and even improvedmaps for backpackers.

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San Andreas Fault in the Carrizo Plain.

SRTM topographic data.

Mt. Meru, Tanzania

practices to accelerate the translationof science results into usable knowl-edge and applications

• DOE and the US Council forAutomotive Research—representingDaimlerChrysler Corporation, FordMotor Company, and GeneralMotors Corporation—announcedcooperation on a FreedomCAR(cooperative automotive research)Partnership in January 2002. Thegoal of FreedomCAR is fundamen-tal and dramatic—the developmentof emission-free cars and lighttrucks. FreedomCAR is fully integrated with the Department’sHydrogen Fuel Initiative. TheFreedomCAR Partnership will alsocontinue research into technologiessuch as advanced internal combus-tion engines, emissions control fordiesel engines, lightweight materi-als, hybrid electric vehicle systems,advanced batteries, and alternative


The Biomedical Informatics Research

Network promotes advances in biomedical

and health care research through the

development and support of a cyberinfra-

structure that allows sharing, analysis,

visualization, and data comparisons

across laboratories.

Advanced scientific computing and cyberinfrastructure

Across the board, Federal agenciesare adopting state-of-the-art comput-ing, communications, and informationtechnologies that are radically empow-ering the nation’s scientific researchand education communities. An explo-sion of collaborative research hasresulted from new capabilities that link researchers over high-speed networks to advanced computationaltools, often involving shared resources from multiple agencies and academicinstitutions. To highlight just a few examples

• The NSF Extensible TerascaleFacility (TeraGrid) will be theworld’s largest, most comprehen-sive, distributed infrastructure foropen scientific research. By late2004, it will link 20 teraflops (a unitfor measuring computer speed) ofcomputing power at five sites.

• The NIH Biomedical InformaticsResearch Network (BIRN) is thenation’s first test-bed for onlinesharing of research resources and expertise, and for effectivedata mining for both basic and clinical research.

• The DHS Advanced ScientificComputing Program will developnew infrastructure tools to enablelaw enforcement and intelligenceanalysts to mine multiple data-bases for critical information usinga single, shared view of the data.

• EPA and DOE have agreed to linksupercomputers in EPA’s NorthCarolina facility and DOE’s SandiaNational Laboratory to allow betterand faster collaboration on compu-tational toxicology and genomics.

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NSF TeraGrid Network


Multidisciplinary researchcollaboration creates newhope for the blind

The marriage of electronics technol-ogy with biomedical science iscreating advances in treating even themost intractable diseases. In one suchunion, specially designed computerchips implanted in the eye may makeit possible to restore some measureof visual function to the blind. Retinaldegenerative diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pig-mentosa damage and destroy thelight-sensitive photoreceptor cells inthe retina. Although these cells die,much of the remaining nerve cell net-work in the retina remains healthy.The new device, called a retinal pros-thesis, uses visual signals from avideo camera mounted on a pair ofglasses. These signals are sent to anintraocular electrode array attached to

the retina via a receiver that isimplanted behind the patient’s ear. Itis the first wireless implantable deviceof its kind. In a recently publishedstudy, a 74-year-old patient who hasbeen blind for more than 50 years wasimplanted with a retinal prosthesis andparticipated in 10 weeks of visualassessment. Using the device, thepatient was able to see spots of light,detect motion, and recognize simpleshapes. Without the device, thepatient could not perform any of these tasks.

Developed by researchers at theUniversity of Southern California, thisbreakthrough represents many yearsof research involving numerous insti-tutions and funding from public andprivate sources including NIH, NSF,DOE, DOD, the VA, the WhitakerFoundation, the Foundation FightingBlindness, and Second Sight, LLC.

fuels with potential for substantialenergy efficiency and environmen-tal benefits in the near term.

• NIH has undertaken an agency-wide endeavor, the NIH Roadmap,to provide a framework for the pri-orities that NIH as a whole mustaddress to transform new knowl-edge into tangible benefits. Indeveloping the Roadmap, NIHbrought together more than 300nationally recognized leaders inacademia, industry, government,and the public to identify cross-cutting research approaches andresources that were beyond thescope of any single institute butwould enhance the mission of everyinstitute. The Roadmap includesthree major themes to foster high-potential research. New Pathwaysto Discovery aims to generate newknowledge and to build a better“toolbox” for researchers in the21st century, including new tech-nologies, databases, and otherresources. Research Teams of the Future recognizes that as thescale and complexity of researchgrow, scientists will need to movebeyond the confines of their owndisciplines and explore new organi-zational modes for team science.Re-engineering the Clinical

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The retina prosthetic system illustrated

here, consists of an extrocular unit and an

intraocular unit. The first is mounted on a

pair of glasses and is responsible for col-

lecting the image by means of a video

camera and then transmitting an encoded

digitized image to the intra-ocular unit. The

second is composed of a receiving teleme-

try system, a simulation current driver, and

an electrode array to stimulate retinal cells,

thus imparting vision perception.

Research Enterprise will requirenew partnerships among patientcommunities, community-basedphysicians, and academicresearchers; integration of clinicalnetworks; harmonization of clinicalresearch policies; and enhancedtraining for clinical researchers.Additional Roadmap initiativesinclude the NIH Director’s PioneerAward for high-risk/high-payoffresearch; novel public/private part-nerships to move scientificdiscoveries from bench to bedside;and increased public involvementin the research process.

• DHS has created the NationalBiosecurity Analysis andCountermeasures Center (NBACC)as an integrated and responsivebiosecurity enterprise to facilitatethe homeland security, law enforce-ment, and medical and veterinarycommunities’ ability to understand,respond, deter, and recover fromthe biological threats to the UnitedStates. NBACC directs and coordi-nates scientific efforts to improveour defenses against biologicalagents by gaining better informa-tion about current and futurethreats, understanding the risksassociated with these threats, evalu-ating methods that may be used todeliver the threats, and conductingforensic analysis on threats todetermine attribution. A knowledgemanagement system is planned as atool to integrate science, technol-ogy, and intelligence.


Hydrogen fuel cells

These images were taken at the NISTneutron imaging facility located at theNIST Center for Neutron Research.NIST has the only facility in the UnitedStates that can nondestructively visu-alize and quantify water (hydrogen)transport in operating cells.Understanding this water transportmechanism is one of the most criticalissues in the development of robust,efficient, and commercially viable PEMfuel cells, which are likely to powereverything from automobiles to hand-held devices in the future. Thiscapability has attracted interest frommajor US industries that are involvedin fuel cell research, a critical compo-nent of the President’s Hydrogen Fuel Initiative.

Proton exchange membrane (PEM)

fuel cell.

Neutron image of the water (hydrogen)

distribution inside a fuel cell while it

is operating.

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Science at the Earth’spoles

Frozen in the ice at Earth’s poles aremany secrets, from clues to how theclimate changes to unknown forms ofancient life. Twelve US science agen-cies support research in the Arctic;NSF is charged with managing all USactivities in the Antarctic as a single,integrated program. At both poles,much of the research involves interna-tional collaborations.

A priority for research conducted atthe poles is understanding regionaland global environmental issues andclimate change. In recent years, theArctic Ocean has seen a rapid thinningof sea ice and shifts in ocean circula-tion. These changes are related tochanges in the persistent pattern ofatmospheric circulation in the northernhemisphere, which may have animportant role in regulating the globalclimate. NASA’s new ICESat mission,launched in January, 2004, will providea satellite perspective for environmen-tal issues relevant to polar research. It will provide multi-year elevation dataneeded to determine ice sheet massbalance as well as cloud propertyinformation, especially for stratos-pheric clouds common over polarareas. It will also provide topography

and vegetation data around the globe,in addition to the polar-specific cover-age over the Greenland and Antarcticice sheets.

Beginning in April 2000, an interna-tional research team supported byNSF has conducted annual expedi-tions to the North Pole to obtain dataon these and other factors. The teamsets up a number of unmanned scientific platforms, collectively called the North Pole EnvironmentalObservatory, to measure throughoutthe remainder of the year everythingfrom the salinity of the water to thethickness and temperature of the ice cover.

In Antarctica, at the opposite end of the globe, researchers working in 2004 at separate sitesthousands of miles apart found thefossilized remains of two species ofdinosaurs previously unknown to science. One of the two finds, whichwere made less than a week apart, is of an early form of plant-eatingbeast that would have lived many millions of years before the other, acarnivore, existed.

The 2003 team arrives at the North Pole

Environmental Observatory

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Impact

This targeted involvement of Federalagencies with their academic andindustry partners spurs economicgrowth and speeds the adoption ofnew products and technologies,increasing the return on the nation’sinvestment. Although Federal sciencefunding tends to be discovery-orientedand focused on the long term, theinterdependence between these invest-ments and the national economy issubstantial, and the development ofapplications is a mutual responsibility.As demonstration programs, such asthe first university-based researchparks, show results and lessons arelearned, the concepts are adopted onlarger scales and result in significantnational impacts.


A C H I E V E E X C E L L E N C Ein Science and Technology Education and in

Workforce Development


Preparation in science and technologysupports a variety of careers beyondwhat we consider the “traditional”S&T workforce, such as patent law,teaching, journalism, entrepreneur-ship, policy, and diplomacy. Today,55% of the CEOs of Fortune 500companies have a science or technol-ogy background. Citizens in all walksof life need basic math, science, andtechnology skills and an understand-ing of the science behind the issues ofthe day. Education is crucial, andthese challenges must be addressedsimultaneously on multiple fronts.

Policies

The policies that address educationand workforce development include

• Provide better linkages between thehigher education community andour primary and secondary schoolsto enrich and strengthen subjectmatter content;

• Provide improved access to all UScitizens seeking an S&T education,and in particular, reduce barriersfor women and underrepresentedminorities; and

• Maintain vital internationalexchanges that capitalize on theworldwide S&T talent pool whilesimultaneously ensuring that security concerns are addressed.

Engaging Schools andCommunities

One critical element is guaranteeing afuture pipeline of students prepared tostudy and work in scientific and tech-nical fields. Outreach to schools andteachers as well as improved teachertraining help ensure that studentsdevelop an early appreciation for science. Early interventions to fosterinterest in math and science canenhance student preparation forentering college or joining the S&T

workforce. The President’s No ChildLeft Behind Act of 2001 addresses this issue with measures that fill classrooms with teachers who areknowledgeable and experienced,assess students’ progress at regularintervals, and combine strongeraccountability with flexibility to optimize the use of Federal funds. To develop a new generation of citi-zens who have mathematical andscientific skills, the Administration has launched a major, 5-year,Mathematics and Science Initiative to

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and workforce preparation

are top Administration priorities. A strong S&T workforce is necessary to sustain and drive

our economy and reach the Administration’s goal of strong economic growth. Ongoing

international exchanges of students and investigators serve to enhance cooperation, keep the

research community vital, and make the global workforce flexible.

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At Florida A&M University,

a student helps sort aquatic

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monitoring of water quality.

improve mathematics and scienceachievement. The initiative is focusedon three broad goals: 1) engage thepublic in recognizing the need for bet-ter mathematics and science educationfor all children, 2) initiate a campaignto recruit, prepare, train, and retainteachers with strong backgrounds inmathematics and science, and 3)develop a research base to improveour knowledge of what boosts studentlearning in mathematics and science.In February 2003 and March 2004,Summits on Mathematics and Science,respectively, were sponsored by theSecretary of Education to launch this initiative and engage the major constituents.

Outreach to communities is essential.A community awareness of the rele-vance of science to the issues of theday is needed to sustain the interest ofthe next generation in preparing forcareers in science and technology, orsimply for participating as good citi-zens in decisions that affect their lives.Here, unfortunately, we face majorchallenges. As documented in a 2002NSF report, 70% of Americans do nothave a basic understanding of the sci-entific process, and most do not feelthat they are well informed aboutS&T issues. (Most Americans,Canadians, and Europeans gave thewrong answer [true] to the statement:“Ordinary tomatoes do not containgenes, while genetically modifiedtomatoes do.”) Improving the overallscience literacy of the averageAmerican becomes increasingly impor-tant as new technologies that arebased on complex scientific discover-


The next generation of education research

The Institute of Education Sciences(IES), created at the Department ofEducation as part of the EducationSciences Reform Act of 2002, wasborn out of a shared sense among pol-icy makers that education practice andresearch are badly in need of reform.In 1999, the National ResearchCouncil concluded that “the complexworld of education—unlike defense,health care, or industrial production—does not rest on a strong researchbase. In no other field are personalexperience and ideology so frequentlyrelied on to make policy choices, andin no other field is the research baseso inadequate and little used.” Themission of IES addresses the need forrigorous research on practices thatimprove academic achievement andthe effectiveness of education programs and policies.

IES seeks to bring a new generationof education research to the class-room to improve mathematics andscience education. Researchers areevaluating a computer-based instruc-tional program designed to facilitatethe learning of algebra, an Internet-

based teacher professional develop-ment program for middle schoolmathematics teachers, and a Web-based science curriculum for middleschool students. One group is devel-oping a system that will providestudents with mathematics tutoringassistance from the computer whilethe system collects assessment dataabout what students know to informteachers’ lesson-planning decisions.

IES also funds basic research on thelearning of mathematics and science.Researchers are studying, for example, how young children learnmathematical symbols and the mecha-nisms by which memory influencesmath problem-solving accuracy in elementary school children.

Through the Interagency EducationResearch Initiative (IERI), IES collabo-rates with NIH’s National Institute ofChild Health and Human Developmentand NSF to identify conditions underwhich new educational techniquesthat have been shown to work in trialssucceed when applied on a largescale. Through IERI, the agencies alsoinvestigate the impact of technologyon learning.

A Web-based cognitive assessment

system predicts student performance

on state exams and helps teachers

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ies, such as nanotechnology andbiotechnology, are incorporated intothe marketplace and become the subject of social or political debates.

Attracting and RetainingTalent

Since 1998, when total number ofPhDs reached an all-time high, a significant decline in science and engineering doctorates has returnedthe total number of PhDs to pre-1994levels. The decline in interest in S&Tcareers, which is evident at all levels,is particularly an issue for women andunderrepresented minorities. Womenare 46% of the total labor force butonly 23% of the science and engineer-ing labor force. At the 9th-grade level,young women indicate interest inS&T careers at rates nearly as high astheir male counterparts but have amuch lower retention rate. AfricanAmericans, Hispanics, and NativeAmericans are 24% of the US popula-tion but only 7% of the science andengineering labor force. Their reten-tion rates in S&T programs are alsosignificantly lower than those of theirWhite or Asian counterparts. Neitherwomen nor minorities are beingrecruited into and supported in S&Tacademic programs in numbers largeenough to address these imbalances.

To address the recruitment and reten-tion problem, universities and collegesshould be encouraged to reward fac-ulty for educational activities as wellas for research and to recruit and sup-port a diverse faculty to mentor andencourage a diverse student body. In


Understanding languageand learning

Breakthroughs of language and learn-ing span ancient times to the present.NSF-funded scientists have uncoveredevidence of what is believed to be theearliest form of writing ever found inthe New World. This find indicatesthat the form of written communica-tion used by the Olmecs, the “mothercivilization” of Mexico (1200 BC–600AD), led into what became forms ofwriting for several other cultures.Understanding the historical develop-ment of written language is one toolin understanding the learning process.

Other research uses modern experimental techniques such as thebrain imaging studies funded by DOEand NIH. Such studies, combined with theory-driven cognitive studies, allinform education policy by furtheringour understanding of how peopleacquire and organize new knowledgeor skills.

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Cylinder seal from San Adrés Tabaxco,

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Neural electromagnetic measurements

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neural function.


addition, Federal agencies should con-tinue to ensure that their programsimprove training for the technicalworkforce as well as undergraduateand graduate science and engineeringeducation, and provide research-men-toring opportunities.

Additionally, we must maintain a vitalinternational exchange of scientistsand students to promote a productive,international scientific community andenhance global cooperation. The tal-ents of visiting scientists and studentsgreatly enrich the US scientific enter-prise. Although we must adoptadequate national and homeland secu-rity measures and protect uniquelyavailable or sensitive knowledge, wemust ensure that these measures donot prevent the global partnerships inscientific research that benefit us all.This ongoing challenge requires con-tinued attention.

Coordinating EducationPrograms

Some examples of Federal agencyactions to improve coordination ineducation programs, workforce issues,and scientific exchange follow

• Agencies have worked through thenew NSTC Subcommittee onEducation and WorkforceDevelopment to ensure that theirprograms to support various levelsof education research are coordi-nated and aligned with communityneeds. Through this subcommittee,the agencies, working with theDepartment of Education (ED), are

coordinating research programsimplemented in line with the NoChild Left Behind Act of 2001. Thesubcommittee also has tackled thequestion of future S&T workforcerequirement projections, includingprojected growth in specific fields(e.g., nanotechnology). To providethe subcommittee with additionalinformation, OSTP sponsored aworkshop to identify and deter-mine how to fill the data gaps thatcould allow researchers and indus-try to better agree on futuredemands and improve planning for investments in education andtraining. The workshop broughttogether economists who study thescientific workforce, representativesof the Federal research agencies,and the people who collect workforce data and develop therequirements projections.

Complementing K–12 educationalinitiatives and programs targetingundergraduate and graduate educa-tion, such as the Presidential Mathand Science Scholars Fund, thePresident’s Jobs for the 21stCentury Initiative would providemore than $500 million in 2005 tobetter prepare high school studentsand workers for the higher-skilled,higher-paying jobs of the future. Itincludes a $250 million initiativefor community colleges to trainworkers for industries creating themost new jobs, which builds on theAdministration’s High-Growth JobTraining Initiative.

• The Aerospace WorkforceInteragency Task Force of theDepartment of Labor’sEmployment and TrainingAdministration is addressing themajor science and engineering challenges of the aerospace sector.The participating agencies includethe Departments of Commerce,Defense, Education, Labor, andTransportation, along with NSF,NASA, OMB, and OSTP. ThePresident's Commission on theFuture of the United StatesAerospace Industry recommendedthe establishment of an interagencytask force to develop a nationalstrategy that will attract publicattention to the importance andopportunities within the aerospaceindustry and ensure appropriatecoordination and resource sharingwithin the participating agencies.The task force will catalyze thedevelopment of replicable modelsolutions and ensure appropriatebuy-in from key education, train-ing, economic development, andindustry constituencies regardingaerospace workforce issues. Thesepartners will also bring political,technical, and subject matterexpertise that will help develop theaerospace workforce and meetindustry demand.

• After the attacks of September 11,2001, OSTP and the HomelandSecurity Council agreed to co-leadan interagency group to reviewpolicies for visiting students andscientists and advise the President

on the best ways to enhance home-land security without blockinglegitimate, international scientificexchange. The discussions resultedin an interagency policy of case-by-case review to ensure thatinternational students do not gainaccess to uniquely available knowl-edge or to training that couldsubsequently enable terroristattacks against the United States or its allies. Best practices from the interagency discussions weredisseminated and security proce-dures to screen internationalvisitors were put in place. Theagencies have continued in this collaboration as part of a broaderframework to support continuedscientific exchange and ease travelrestrictions for the majority of students and scientists who pose no threat to US national or home-land security.

• The Federal agencies collaboratethrough OSTP on numerous eventsand awards that enhance the visibility and communicate theimportance of math, science, andtechnology education and careers.In 2001, OSTP launched anddirected a science and technologyoutreach campaign, Global Scienceand Technology week, which hasbecome an annual event now calledExcellence in Science Technologyand Mathematics Education week.The event brings together scienceagencies, science museums, profes-sional societies, and educationalassociations to host events for


Math and science partnerships

The Math and Science Partnership(MSP) program addresses thePresident’s challenge—enunciated inthe No Child Left Behind Act of2001—to strengthen K–12 scienceand mathematics education. MSP supports partnerships that unite localschool districts with college and university faculty in mathematics, sci-ence, and engineering. In 2003, MSPawards directly affected at least 2.85million students nationwide and inPuerto Rico—children who learn inurban, rural, suburban, and tribalnation schools.

MSP, funded within the Department ofEducation and NSF, has three maincomponents: comprehensive and targeted projects; research, evalua-

tion, and technical assistance; andteacher participation in TeacherInstitutes for the 21st Century to provide intellectual leadership in theirschools and districts. Many MSP-funded projects contribute to the MSP Learning Network, a network ofresearchers and practitioners studyingand evaluating promising strategies toimprove K–12 student achievementand other student outcomes in mathematics and science.

Redesigned “Math for Teachers” course

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teachers and students. Three highlyprestigious awards that are coordi-nated among the agencies andrecognize the importance of men-tors, teachers, and early achieversare the Presidential Award forExcellence in Science, Math, andEngineering Mentoring, thePresidential Award for Excellencein Math and Science Teaching, andthe Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

Training Tomorrow’s Scientists

The Federal agencies are partneringwith the educational community toimprove S&T programs and developthe next generation of the S&T work-force and education professionals

• The new DHS Scholars and FellowsProgram supports graduate andundergraduate students in an effortto produce more US scholars withexpertise related to security issues.DHS provides scholarships forundergraduate and fellowships for graduate students pursuingdegrees in fields relevant to itssecurity mission such as engineer-ing, information technology,computer science and mathematics,the social and economic sciences,life sciences, and physical sciences.The students receive professionalmentoring and are given a summerinternship opportunity to helpthem connect their academic pur-suits with homeland securitynational objectives and initiatives.

Fifty scholars and 50 fellows arenearing completion of their firstacademic year. A second class of 100 scholars and fellows willreceive awards beginning inSeptember 2004.

• The VA Office of Research andDevelopment supports more than200 scientists in the early stages oftheir research careers. The CareerDevelopment Program providessalary and research support forinvestigators to conduct studies orreceive specific training whileworking with experienced mentors.Career development awards helpattract the highly talentedresearchers who are essential tomaintaining and building thecapacity and vitality of the researchenterprise. The awards are offeredin all four major areas of VAresearch biomedical, clinical, reha-bilitation, and health services.

• DOD has joined with NSF toenhance its successful program,Research Experiences forUndergraduates (REU), by provid-ing additional support fordisciplines important to nationaldefense. REU provides studentswith early hands-on exposure tothe research process, bringing theircoursework to life with the excitement of discovery science.

• DOE Office of Science’s LaboratoryScience Teachers ProfessionalDevelopment Program is designedto create a cadre of outstanding


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Marilyn Diaz, NIH, National Institute of

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science and math teachers to serveas leaders and agents of positivechange in their local and regionalteaching communities. This three-year program will use the wealth ofmentoring talent at the DOENational Laboratories to guide andenrich the teachers’ understandingof the scientific and technologicalworld. Through this program,teachers will establish long-termrelationships with their mentor scientists and teaching colleagues,who will continue to support theeducational efforts of the teacherswhen they have returned to their classrooms.

Impact

An adequate education in math andscience is increasingly important forall our citizens. The highly skilled scientific and technical workforce ofthe future will need strong prepara-tory programs, must draw on thetalents of the full diversity of ournation’s population, and will beenlivened by international collabora-tion and exchange. Through these and other education and workforceactivities, the Federal research agen-cies are actively engaged in ensuringour continued world leadership inresearch and development and thenational benefits that result from ahighly skilled workforce and anengaged citizenry.


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Bringing science to life

Since June 2003, students, adminis-trators, and teachers from 50 diverse,underserved schools have joined withNASA in a three-year partnership topromote science, mathematics, technology applications, and careerexplorations. The NASA ExplorerSchools (NES) program provides theopportunity for teachers and educationadministrators who serve grades 4–9to participate in professional develop-ment and educational activities usingNASA’s unique content, experts, andresources. During the partnership, the school teams receive grant fundsto support the integration of technologies that increase studentengagement in science and mathe-matics. In May 2004, one teacher and

two students representing every NESschool team presented findings fromtheir science or mathematics investi-gations during the program’s first yearat the NES Student Symposium heldat NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Students from NASA Explorer Schools

work with NASA education specialists.


A S H A R E D V I S I O N

A National Priority

Science has always been a nationalpriority. The Federal research enter-prise has enjoyed non-partisansupport since the Second World War,and the benefits of this scientificresearch are well recognized.Although we have never been able toforetell specific outcomes when weengage in discovery science, we haveseen that it consistently leads to valu-able results. We also engage in science that is directed to addressing specificnational challenges and pursue meth-ods to accelerate the translation ofscience into products and applica-tions. Federal research programsprovide educational opportunities andinspiration for the young scientistsand educators who will help shapeour future.

Currently, the enormous potential fordiscovery at the intersection of disci-plines and the demand for large-scaleinvestments place a high premium ondeveloping a shared commitment toour common priorities. The Federalscience enterprise, augmented by partnerships with our great nationalresources in academia and industry,

represents a huge reservoir of infor-mation, capability, and infrastructure.Collaborative planning, the fosteringof existing partnerships, and the forming of new partnerships, bothnationally and internationally, must be ongoing priorities.


We have outlined four broad Federal science responsibilities: ensuring a diverse portfolio of

fundamental research, science to support society’s pressing challenges, the translation of

science into concrete benefits, and the education of the next generation in math and science.

We have discussed the policies that are in place to address these responsibilities and pre-

sented an array of accomplishments and ongoing activities that, together, define a Federal

agenda for science in the 21st century. It is important to have this clear agenda, because

science is a critical element of the larger enterprise that will ensure our future security,

prosperity, health, and quality of life.

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Our Challenge for the Future

The challenges and opportunities weface are in some ways indicative ofour age and in other ways, timeless.Our strategies evolve as we learn fromour successes and mistakes andimprove on our processes. In the 21stcentury, as in the past, we convene thebest minds in the scientific communityto look at the challenges, consider ourcapabilities, evaluate the opportuni-ties, and chart an optimal course. Aswe move into the future, internationaland intergovernmental cooperationand exchanges will be increasinglyimportant. The responsibilities, poli-cies, and programs mentioned in thisreport are elements of this continuingprocess to keep the Federal scienceenterprise aligned with scientificopportunity and global realities.

We have stated our critical responsi-bilities as Federal research agenciesand detailed our processes to meetthese responsibilities. We now chal-lenge ourselves to advance thefrontiers of science in all disciplinesand to vigorously pursue science thatcan be employed to address societalchallenges. We trust that this visionfor the nation’s scientific enterprisewill stimulate us to continue to yield avery high rate of return for the publicinvestment in science as we engagewith the community of scientists,business leaders, policy makers, andthe broader public in addressing thecritical issues, collective aspirations,and the dreams of the 21st century.


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Children at Space Camp

contemplate future careers in

science and technology.

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CIA Central Intelligence Agency

DHS Department of Homeland Security

DOC Department of Commerce

DOD Department of Defense

DOE Department of Energy

DOI Department of Interior

DOJ Department of Justice

DOL Department of Labor

DOT Department of Transportation

ED Department of Education

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation

FDA Food and Drug Administration

FCC Federal Communications Commission

HHS Department of Health and Human Services

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NGA National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

NIH National Institutes of Health

NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NSF National Science Foundation

NSTC National Science and Technology Council

OMB Office of Management and Budget

OSTP Office of Science and Technology Policy

PCAST President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

USDA US Department of Agriculture

USGS US Geological Survey

VA Department of Veterans Affairs


List of Agency Abbreviations and Acronyms


National Science andTechnology CouncilCommittee on Science

CO-CHAIRS

Dr. Kathie L. OlsenAssociate Director for ScienceOffice of Science and Technology Policyhttp://ostp.eop.gov

Dr. Arden L. Bement, Jr. Director (Acting)National Science Foundationhttp://www.nsf.gov

Dr. Elias A. ZerhouniDirectorNational Institutes of Healthhttp://www.nih.gov

MEMBERS

Dr. Joseph J. JenUnder Secretary for Research,Education & EconomicsUS Department of Agriculturehttp://www.reeusda.gov/ree

Vice Admiral Conrad C.Lautenbacher, Jr.Under Secretary of Commerce forOceans & AtmosphereAdministrator, National Oceanic andAtmospheric AdministrationDepartment of Commercehttp://www.noaa.gov

(vacant)Defense Research & EngineeringDepartment of Defensehttp://www.dod.mil/ddre

Dr. Grover J. (Russ) WhitehurstDirector, Institute of EducationSciencesDepartment of Educationhttp://www.ed.gov/ies

Dr. Raymond L. OrbachDirector, Office of ScienceDepartment of Energyhttp://www.sc.doe.gov

Dr. Paul GilmanAssistant Administrator for the Officeof Research & DevelopmentEnvironmental Protection Agencyhttp://www.epa.gov/ord

James V. ScanlonActing Deputy Assistant Secretary forScience & Data PolicyDepartment of Health and Human Serviceshttp://aspe.dhhs.gov/sp

Dr. Tony FainbergSenior Scientific Advisor for Chemical,Biological, Radiological & NuclearCountermeasures ProgramsDepartment of Homeland Securityhttp://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme_home5.jsp

Dr. Charles (Chip) GroatDirector, US Geological SurveyDepartment of the Interiorhttp://www.usgs.gov

Dr. Vahid MajidiChief Science AdvisorDepartment of Justicehttp://www.usdoj.gov

Emily Stover DeRoccoAssistant Secretary, LaborEmployment and TrainingAdministrationDepartment of Laborhttp://www.dol.gov

Dr. John M. GrunsfeldChief ScientistNational Aeronautics and SpaceAdministrationhttp://www.nasa.gov

Dr. George AtkinsonScience and Technology AdvisorDepartment of Statehttp://www.state.gov/g/stas/

Samuel G. BonassoDeputy Administrator, Research &Special Programs AdministrationDepartment of Transportationhttp://www.rspa.dot.gov

Dr. Jonathan PerlinUnder Secretary for Health (Acting) Department of Veterans Affairshttp://www1.va.gov/resdev

Marcus PeacockDirector for Natural ResourceProgramsOffice of Management and BudgetExecutive Office of the Presidenthttp://www.omb.gov

Allison BoydSpecial AdvisorDomestic Policy CouncilExecutive Office of the Presidenthttp://www.dpc.gov

Richard Russell Associate Director for Technology,Office of Science & Technology PolicyNational Economic CouncilExecutive Office of the Presidenthttp://www.whitehouse.gov/nec

Ken PeelAssociate Director for GlobalEnvironmental AffairsCouncil on Environmental QualityExecutive Office of the Presidenthttp://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Bonnie KalbererNational Institutes of Health

http://www.whitehouse.gov/dpc

http://www.ostp.gov

http://www.nsf.gov

http://www.nih.gov

http://www.reeusda.gov/ree

http://www.noaa.gov

http://www.dod.mil/ddre

http://www.ed.gov/ies

http://www.sc.doe.gov

http://www.epa.gov/ord

http://aspe.dhhs.gov/sp

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme_

http://www.usgs.gov

http://www.usdoj.gov

http://www.dol.gov

http://www.nasa.gov

http://www.state.gov/g/stas/

http://www.rspa.dot.gov

http://www1.va.gov/resdev

http://www.omb.gov

http://www.whitehouse.gov/nec

http://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq

http://www.whitehouse.gov/dpc

http://www.ostp.gov

Acknowledgments

The Co-chairs of the NSTC Committee on Science would like to acknowledge Dr. Rita R. Colwell, former Director of the National Science Foundation (1998-2004), who was instrumental in developing the vision for this document.

Dr. John H. Hopps, Deputy Director for Defense Research and Engineering andDOD’s representative to the Committee on Science, made significant contributionsto this document and, sadly, passed away before seeing it published.

We also thank the National Institutes of Health for sponsoring the documentdesign and printing.

Dr. Ann Carlson (NASA) and Dr. Mary Bohman (USDA) led the document develop-ment with considerable assistance from Bonnie Kalberer (NIH), Curt Suplee (NSF),and a team of agency representatives.

Additional thanks go to Karin Rudolph (NIH) and to Karen Klinedinst and LaurieSwindull (Swim Design Consultants) for design and production assistance.

National Science and Technology Council

Executive Office of the President

Washington, DC 20502

202.456.6101

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