Funding Priorities and External Advice

Abstract

I am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute some thoughts on how the science community advises government on matters of science and technology. My own experience is with our system in the United States. Thus, I will confine my remarks to the situation, as I see it, on our side of the Atlantic. I will begin with a few comments about public attitudes in the U.S. on science and technology. I’ll share some personal views on the intersection of science, policy, and politics and how advice is provided to the White House and Congress in our system. As an example, I will describe how the National Nanotechnology Initiative was conceived, reviewed, approved, and funded. I’ll conclude with the “political realities” that scientists should think about in the U.S. and, to some extent perhaps, in other parts of the world as well.