News & Views item - July 2007

 

 

James Gentile Takes US Presidential Science Advisor John Marburger to Task. (July 13, 2007)

    James Gentile, is President of Research Corporation and Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics at the University of Arizona where his research has focused on the role of metabolism in the conversion of natural, and xenobiotic, agents into mutagens and carcinogens.

 

In today's issue of Science a letter from Professor Gentile advises US President George Bush's science advisor to tell it like it is:

 

Keeping the U.S. a World Leader in Science

    John Marburger's recent, somewhat cranky statement that U.S. researchers need to rely more on private philanthropy and industry to expand the scientific enterprise ("U.S. science adviser tells researchers to look elsewhere," J. Mervis, News of the Week, 11 May, p. 817) provides a sobering revelation that the United States has begun to stumble as a world leader in science and technology. Failure to correct this situation will result in incalculable losses in terms of future U.S. economic well-being.

We at Research Corporation, America's first foundation for science advancement (begun in 1912), would like to say we stand ready to heed Marburger's marching orders. We'd like to boldly step forward to fund U.S. scientific research, so that the administration could continue to cut taxes for the rich and focus taxpayer dollars elsewhere, including the reported $9 billion or so it spends every month in Iraq. Alas, we can't.

Our $170 million endowment, even when combined with those of our sister science advancement foundations, isn't likely to meet all the needs of U.S. researchers left high and dry by flat federal funding. In 2004, the top 50 private U.S. foundations awarding science and technology grants distributed just under $456 million (1). This sum pales in comparison to the impact and importance of federal dollars.

Today's flat federal funding means that many bright young researchers will be forced out of promising science careers in the coming decade unless something is done. Eventually, some may choose to go elsewhere to do science; China, Korea, and India are grand examples of countries ramping up their basic research efforts. Young Americans with advanced degrees in physics, chemistry, and other hard sciences doubtless would be resilient enough to adapt to these intriguing cultures as they enriched their foreign corporate and government sponsors.

These developments couldn't have come at a worse time. In today's world, where humanity's knowledge base continues to expand at a frenetic pace, the technological fruits of scientific research have never been more important to economic development and national security.

Last year, the Task Force on the Future of American Innovation reported survey results that indicated 70% of the public supports increasing federal funding by 10% a year for the next seven years for university research in science and engineering. The same survey showed that 49% of the electorate believes the United States' ability to compete economically in the world has grown worse over the past few years.

Unless we quickly come to an understanding that a simple-minded scheme to privatize scientific research, incrementally or otherwise, will not work, I fear that the nightmare of the United States as a scientifically developing-world nation could become a reality.

James M. Gentile
President
Research Corporation
4703 E. Camp Lowell
Suite 201
Tucson, AZ 85712, USA

Reference

  1. The Foundation Center, Statistical Information Service (see http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/statistics/pdf/04_fund_sub/2004/50_found_sub/f_sub_u_04.pdf).