First issued when Vannevar Bush was the director of the US Office of Scientific Research and Development during the Second World War, this classic remains vital in making the case that scientific progress is necessary to a nation's health, security, and prosperity. How to cite this article: . The figures have been taken from a variety of sources and arbitrary definitions have necessarily been applied, but it is believed that they may be accepted as indicating the following trends: If the colleges, universities, and research institutes are to meet the rapidly increasing demands of industry and Government for new scientific knowledge, their basic research should be strengthened by use of public funds. Apart from teaching, however, the primary obligation of the medical schools and universities is to continue the traditional function of such institutions, namely, to provide the individual worker with an opportunity for free, untrammeled study of nature, in the directions and by the methods suggested by his interests, curiosity, and imagination. - Studies by the several committees provide a partial basis for making an estimate of the order of magnitude of the funds required to implement the proposed program. Basic research is a long-term process -- it ceases to be basic if immediate results are expected on short-term support. . In this war it has become clear beyond all doubt that scientific research is absolutely essential to national security. The traditional sources of support for medical research, largely endowment income, foundation grants, and private donations, are diminishing, and there is no immediate prospect of a change in this trend. These reasons apply with particular force to science: the road is long and expensive; it extends at least 6 years beyond high school; the percentage of science students who can obtain first-rate training in institutions near home is small. Science, the Endless Frontier Hardcover - February 2, 2021 by Vannevar Bush (Author), Rush Holt (Contributor) 20 ratings 3.9 on Goodreads 51 ratings Kindle $9.99 Read with Our Free App Hardcover $12.95 8 Used from $6.78 26 New from $7.98 Paperback $25.00 4 Used from $15.96 10 New from $25.00 July 1945 Science, the endless frontier : A report to the President, by Vannevar Bush, director . (3) The agency should promote research through contracts or grants to organizations outside the Federal Government. (2010). "Robbert Dijkgraaf, director of the Institute for Advanced Study, "Rush Holt gives new life to Vannevar Bushs seminal report Science, the Endless Frontier by emphasizing its continued relevance to American science policy and raising issues that need reexaminationin particular, the relationship between the scientific enterprise and civil society. Search the for Website expand_more. Scientific progress. Members. Where will these new products come from? Science offers a largely unexplored hinterland for the pioneer who has the tools for his task. We have no national policy for science. In providing government support, however, we must endeavor to preserve as far as possible the private support of research both in industry and in the colleges, universities, and research institutes. The form of the organization suggested is the result of considerable deliberation. - This Division should be charged with encouraging the publication of scientific knowledge and promoting international exchange of scientific information. This involves improved high school instruction, provision for helping individual talented students to finish high school (primarily the responsibility of the local communities), and opportunities for more capable, promising high school students to go to college. While we are concerned primarily with methods of selecting and educating high school graduates at the college and higher levels, we cannot be complacent about the loss of potential talent which is inherent in the present situation. The members of the committees have reviewed the recommendations in regard to the single mechanism and have found this plan thoroughly acceptable. - The National Research Foundation should develop and promote a national policy for scientific research and scientific education, should support basic research in nonprofit organizations, should develop scientific talent in American youth by means of scholarships and fellowships, and should by contract and otherwise support long-range research on military matters. For many years the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics has supplemented the work of the Army and Navy by conducting basic research on the problems of flight. In the case of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, arrangements have been made for the preparation of manuscripts, while the staffs under our control are still assembled and in possession of the records, as soon as the pressure for production of results for this war has begun to relax. At the outset these Divisions should be: 2. Rights and permissions. CHAPTER 2. There are within Government departments many groups whose interests are primarily those of scientific research. Today, amid a changing funding landscape and challenges to science's very credibility, Science, the Endless Frontier resonates as a powerful reminder that scientific progress and public well-being alike depend on the successful symbiosis between science and government.This timely new edition presents this iconic text alongside a new companion essay from scientist and former congressman Rush Holt, who offers a brief introduction and consideration of what society needs most from science now. As stated earlier in this report, military preparedness requires a permanent, independent, civilian-controlled organization, having close liaison with the Army and Navy, but with funds direct from Congress and the clear power to initiate military research which will supplement and strengthen that carried on directly under the control of the Army and Navy. Research Impact Series:Understanding Research Metrics. Two of those limitations are especially worthy of our attention. 4. Holts introduction takes seriously the idea that the United States is a democracy, and that scientists have a specific role to play in that democracy, which is not the same thing as saying that scientists should control science policy. In some countries comparable increases have been accompanied by famine. These issues are more urgent than ever. We have given much thought to the question of how plans for the use of Federal funds may be arranged so that such funds will not drive out of the picture funds from local governments, foundations, and private donors. 2. With mounting demands for scientists both for teaching and for research, we will enter the post-war period with a serious deficit in our trained scientific personnel. To meet and function at any place within the United States, its territories and possessions. Risk of bias assessment. . There has been dramatic progress in surgery. Science, the endless frontier; a report to the President on a program for postwar scientific research. Moreover, since health, well-being, and security are proper concerns of Government, scientific progress is, and must be, of vital interest to Government. The history of medical science teaches clearly the supreme importance of affording the prepared mind complete freedom for the exercise of initiative. Since research does not fall within the category of normal commercial or procurement operations which are easily covered by the usual contractual relations, it is essential that certain statutory and regulatory fiscal requirements be waived in the case of research contractors. Only in the creation of one over-all mechanism rather than several does this report depart from the specific recommendations of the committees. "Eric D. Isaacs, president of the Carnegie Institution for Science, 41 William Street Expenditures for scientific research by industry and Government -- almost entirely applied research -- have more than doubled between 1930 and 1940. It's one thing to have equations describing the way a single molecule of water behaves. Recommendation of appropriate arrangements between the Foundation and the organizations selected to carry on the program. Many had begun their studies before they went to war. The Members of the Foundation should have the following functions, powers, and duties: And with the advice of the National Research Foundation Divisions concerned -, 2. I am convinced that these new functions should be centered in one agency. As in the case of the research sponsored during the war by the Office of Scientific Research and Development, the research sponsored by the National Research Foundation should be conducted, in general, on an actual cost basis without profit to the institution receiving the research contract or grant. Description One of the most important reports in science policy, (commonly known as the Bush report), and intended to be a blueprint for a new era of scienceand of government in sciencefollowing the transformational experience of World War II and its technological culmination in the detonation of two atomic bombs over Japan. of disruptive papers and patents suggests that science and technology do not appear to have reached the end of the 'endless frontier; Another aspect of the changing emphasis is the increase of mental diseases. The Government should take an active role in promoting the international flow of scientific information. Added to these are many maladies (for example, the common cold, arthritis, asthma and hay fever, peptic ulcer) which, through infrequently fatal, cause incalculable disability. The new eyes which radar supplied to our fighting forces quickly evoked the development of scientific countermeasures which could often blind them. For reasons presented in this report we are entering a period when science needs and deserves increased support from public funds. (Strohman et al., 2007; Liang et al., 2011; Ren et al., 2014; Bhagavatula et al., 2018). In making contracts with or grants to such organizations the Foundation should protect the public interest adequately and at the same time leave the cooperating organization with adequate freedom and incentive to conduct scientific research. The event was held in partnership with The Kavli Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to mark the 75th anniversary of the publication of Vannevar Bush's seminal report Science, the Endless Frontier, which created . How will we find ways to make better products at lower cost? Through the Land Grant College acts the Government has supported research in state institutions for more than 80 years on a gradually increasing scale. Like him, we need to be informed by history, not hamstrung by it. VII. * * * Science cannot live by and unto itself alone. The decision that there should be a new and independent agency was reached by each of the committees advising in these matters. One lesson is clear from the reports of the several committees attached as appendices. There should be a focal point within the Government for a concerted program of assisting scientific research conducted outside of Government. 1 Citations. The Government would be well advised to invest the money involved in this plan even if the benefits to the nation were thought of solely -- which they are not -- in terms of national preparedness. The Armed Services cannot be expected to be experts in all of the complicated fields which make it possible for a great nation to fight successfully in total war. The simplest and most effective way in which the Government can strengthen industrial research is to support basic research and to develop scientific talent. We cannot again rely on our allies to hold off the enemy while we struggle to catch up. One of the most important factors affecting the amount of industrial research is the income-tax law. One of the peculiarities of basic science is the variety of paths which lead to productive advance. They must offer research opportunities and sufficient compensation to enable them to compete with industry and government for the cream of scientific talent. There are areas of science in which the public interest is acute but which are likely to be cultivated inadequately if left without more support than will come from private sources. Approximately 7 million persons in the United States are mentally ill; more than one-third of the hospital beds are occupied by such persons, at a cost of $175 million a year. Our web pages use cookiesinformation about how you interact with the site. We could not suggest to you a program which would syphon into science and technology a disproportionately large share of the nation's highest abilities, without doing harm to the nation, nor, indeed, without crippling science. It should be brought to the center of the stage -- for in it lies much of our hope for the future. Pub Date: 1945 Bibcode: 1945sef..bookB Keywords: Science and state; Research; These uncertainties arise from lack of clarity of the tax law as to the proper treatment of such costs. Science only lives, and progresses, when the status quo is regularly attacked, and disrupted. In this cooperative endeavour the pharmaceutical industry has played an important role, especially during the war. The development moved from the early laboratory stage to large scale production and use in a fraction of the time it would have taken without such leadership. There are certain kinds of research - such as research on the improvement of existing weapons -- which can best be done within the military establishment. Relation to National Security. This view was at the core Expand. Thus, in addition to the general benefits to the nation by reason of the addition to its trained ranks of such a corps of scientific workers, there would be a definite benefit to the nation in having these scientific workers on call in national emergencies. The responsibility for the creation of new scientific knowledge rests on that small body of men and women who understand the fundamental laws of nature and are skilled in the techniques of scientific research. While there will always be the rare individual who will rise to the top without benefit of formal education and training, he is the exception and even he might make a more notable contribution if he had the benefit of the best education we have to offer. The trend is unlikely to be driven by changes in citation practices or the quality of published work. ", * * * * * * * * * * * * * *, "The uses to which high ability in youth can be put are various and, to a large extent, are determined by social pressures and rewards. The National Patent Planning Commission has reported on this subject. United States you will be expected to follow Georgia Tech's guidelines for crediting the works of others and to use an appropriate citation system to do . To establish scholarships and fellowships in the natural sciences including biology and medicine. The Government has only begun to utilize science in the nation's welfare. There are talented individuals in every segment of the population, but with few exceptions those without the means of buying higher education go without it. Membership of the Division of National Defense should include, in addition to, say, five civilian members, one representative designated by the Secretary of War, and one representative of the Secretary of the Navy, who should serve without additional compensation for this duty. A broad dissemination of scientific information upon which further advances can readily be made furnishes a sounder foundation for our national security than a policy of restriction which would impede our own progress although imposed in the hope that possible enemies would not catch up with us. 4 Citations. New Responsibilities for Government. . Science, the Endless Frontier is recognized as the landmark argument for the essential role of science in society and government's responsibility to support scientific endeavors. It creates the fund from which the practical applications of knowledge must be drawn. The National Academy of Sciences hosted a symposium on February 26, 2020, that gathered top business, academic, and government leaders to explore whether the modern research architecture that fuels U.S. innovation needs to be reconfigured to meet the challenges of our time. Compra Science, the endless frontier: A report to the President by Vannevar Bush, director of the Office of scientific research and development. Government scientific agencies have splendid records of achievement, but they are limited in function. Many of the lessons learned in the war-time application of science under Government can be profitably applied in peace. The deficit of those holding advanced degrees -- that is, young scholars trained to the point where they are capable of carrying on original work -- has been estimated as amounting to about 17,000 by 1955 in chemistry, engineering, geology, mathematics, physics, psychology, and the biological sciences. b/w, a candid image of Rust addressing an outdoor crowd, boldly signed. Science has been in the wings. "Naomi Oreskes, author of Why Trust Science? There must be plenty of men and women trained in science and technology for upon them depend both the creation of new knowledge and its application to practical purposes. But basic research is essentially noncommercial in nature. More Filters. (5) While assuring complete independence and freedom for the nature, scope, and methodology of research carried on in the institutions receiving public funds, and while retaining discretion in the allocation of funds among such institutions, the Foundation proposed herein must be responsible to the President and the Congress. Freedom of inquiry must be preserved under any plan for Government support of science in accordance with the Five Fundamentals listed on page 26. It should, moreover, have sufficient recognition to secure prompt and practical decisions. Beijing 100016, P.R. Science and the great practical genius of this nation made this achievement possible. These uncertainties are, in part, attributable to the difficulties and expense incident to the operation of the patent system as it presently exists. It is recommended that measures which will encourage and facilitate the preparation and publication of reports be adopted forthwith by all agencies, governmental and private, possessing scientific information released from security control. It can be effective in the national welfare only as a member of a team, whether the conditions be peace or war. To insure continued preparedness along farsighted technical lines, the research scientists of the country must be called upon to continue in peacetime some substantial portion of those types of contribution to national security which they have made so effectively during the stress of the present war * * *. "David Kaiser, author of Quantum Legacies: Dispatches from an Uncertain World, "Rush Holt introduces Science, the Endless Frontier to a whole new audience, and shows us why we all should be reading Vannevar Bushs landmark report. The details should be worked out with reference to the interests of the several States and of the universities and colleges; and care should be taken not to impair the freedom of the institutions and individuals concerned. The material still subject to security classification should be released as soon as possible. Presentation of budgets of financial needs for the work of the Division. To devise and promote the use of methods of improving the transition between research and its practical application in industry. The amount which can be effectively spent in the first year should not exceed 5 million dollars. A study in the premier science journal notes the long term falling off of truly original findings, as opposed to endless citations of others' findings. Adding a needed retrospective, Rush Holts companion essay calls for a more robust conversation among STEM researchers, social scientists, and the public, and strongly resonates with my experiences in public policy. The National Research Foundation must, therefore, be free to place its research contracts or grants not only with those institutions which have a demonstrated research capacity but also with other institutions whose latent talent or creative atmosphere affords promise of research success. "Alondra Nelson, president of the Social Science Research Council, "Rush Holts essay on Science, the Endless Frontier celebrates science discovery and the democratization of science. 4. Available as CHAPTER 4. As President Roosevelt observed, the annual deaths from one or two diseases are far in excess of the total number of American lives lost in battle during this war. Advances in science when put to practical use mean more jobs, higher wages, shorter hours, more abundant crops, more leisure for recreation, for study, for learning how to live without the deadening drudgery which has been the burden of the common man for ages past. Recommendation of arrangements with State and local authorities in regard to cooperation in a program of science scholarships and fellowships. Science - The Endless Frontier . Appropriations should be earmarked for the purposes of specific Divisions, but the Foundation should be left discretion with respect to the expenditure of each Division's funds. Discoveries pertinent to medical progress have often come from remote and unexpected sources, and it is certain that this will be true in the future. Science, the Endless Frontier is recognized as the landmark argument for the essential role of science in society and government's responsibility to support scientific endeavors. Now elevated and updated by the brilliant writing of former congressman Rush Holt, an unmatched champion for the advancement of science, this book is a forceful declaration of the value of science for our democracy and a ringing call to action for policymakers and the American people alike. Plans for the discovery and development of scientific talent must be related to the other needs of society for high ability. We find that papers and patents are . The striking advances in medicine during the war have been possible only because we had a large backlog of scientific data accumulated through basic research in many scientific fields in the years before the war. Some research on military problems should be conducted, in time of peace as well as in war, by civilians independently of the military establishment. In discharging these responsibilities Federal funds should be made available. How can the United States channel science and technology for public good and social justice, not only economic growth? Among the young men and women qualified to take up scientific work, since 1940 there have been few students over 18, except some in medicine and engineering in Army and Navy programs and a few 4-F's, who have followed an integrated scientific course of studies. The bitter and dangerous battle against the U-boat was a battle of scientific techniques -- and our margin of success was dangerously small. To permit the release of information by one agency and to continue to restrict it elsewhere would be unfair in its effect and would tend to impair the morale and efficiency of scientists who have submerged individual interests in the controls and restrictions of war. In the decade from 1930 to 1940 expenditures for industrial research increased from $116,000,000 to $240,000,000 and those for scientific research in Government rose from $24,000,000 to $69,000,000. We will update our FAQ page when it becomes available. To initiate and finance in appropriate agencies, institutions, or organizations, research on problems related to the national defense. Where clinical investigations of the human body are required, the medical schools are in a unique position, because of their close relationship to teaching hospitals, to integrate such investigations with the work of the departments of preclinical science, and to impart new knowledge to physicians in training. Plants which are more resistant to disease and are adapted to short growing season, the prevention and cure of livestock diseases, the control of our insect enemies, better fertilizers, and improved agricultural practices, all stem from painstaking scientific research. The time has come when such support should be extended to other fields. Further, it is clear that only the Government can undertake military research; for it must be carried on in secret, much of it has no commercial value, and it is expensive. We shall have rapid or slow advance in this direction or in that depending on the number of really first-class men who are engaged in the work in question. 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