Thank you, Dr. McNutt, for that kind introduction and for hosting me here today in what can only be called a temple of science.
I speak to you this morning as the President’s Science and Technology Advisor, who has been given three interconnected tasks in pursuit of a Golden Age of Innovation: to maintain American technological leadership; to ensure all Americans enjoy the fruit of transformative advances in science and technology; and, a mission I believe we all share, to revitalize America’s scientific enterprise.
In a speech last month, I explained how America’s dominant position in technology can only be maintained through a strategy of both promotion and protection. Today, I’d like to speak a little bit about our shared mission of furthering scientific advancement.
To empower America’s researchers to achieve groundbreaking discoveries and reinvigorate our national science enterprise, we must scrutinize our existing approach and recommit ourselves to best practices. That is my commitment to you but also what I ask of you—to ensure America sets the Gold Standard for science in this century and the next.
The American story has been one of exploration and discovery, inseparable from the pioneering work of America’s scientists. From the tinkering inventor at his workbench to the great teams of men and women in white lab coats working across the country in common pursuit, they have labored to uncover the mysteries of creation and enabled us to build a free and prosperous republic.
The sweep of relentless U.S.-led scientific progress in the twentieth century flowed from Vannevar Bush’s 1945 “Science, The Endless Frontier” report—the blueprint for America’s joint Federal, corporate, and academic research effort. Bush not only provided a peacetime plan for furthering technological developments post-WWII but planted a banner in the national imagination that would become an American flag on the moon's surface within 25 years.
But as Dr. McNutt said in her inaugural State of the Science Speech last year, there is cause for declining confidence in continued American scientific leadership. While certain fields have seen tremendous advances recently—from transformers and CRISPR inventions to graphene observation—recent studies have found that papers and patents across sciences have become less disruptive since 1980.
We are seeing diminishing returns. For example, despite biomedical research budgets soaring since the 1990s, scientific progress has stalled—new drug approvals have flatlined or even declined; more researchers are needed for similar outputs; workforce training has stagnated. More money has not meant more scientific discovery; total dollars spent has not been a proxy for scientific impact.
As with scientific inquiry when evidence conflicts with existing theories—we revise theories & conduct further experiments—to better understand truth; this evidence should spur us towards experimenting with new systems/models/funding/conducting/using science—as Dr.McNutt pointed out last year since Dr.Bush's report (1945)–scientific enterprise changed
There has been profound shift balance funding industry spends more R&D than federal government self-funding basic research federal funds universities altering model defined last century private money growing place America's enterprise presents opportunities fiscal constraints geopolitical challenges increase private funding easier federal grantmaking agencies refocus public funds basic research national interest
What target measure get more bang bucks enhance creativity precision spending wrong worse less right prizes challenges partnerships novel mechanisms multiply impact targeted dollars tie grants clear strategic targets allowing openness exploration shape general environment makes clear priorities
Money basic blue-sky used purpose feed red tape often funded resign community laboratory university staff support die death thousand ten-minute tasks assist nation reduce administrative burdens federally funded researchers bog down bureaucratic box checking
Taking hard look fund supervise consider people make up national discovery recapture spirit relentless focus passionate pursuit truth underlies progress two brief cases illustrate need recommit named Gold Standard conform principles great aspire distorted incentives pressures painful episode Alzheimer's illustrates vulnerability misconduct fail prioritize reproducibility communication error skepticism
In 2009 celebrated biotech executive published paper Nature promised revolutionize treatment December 2023 journal retracted acknowledging anomalies errors denying conscious fraud retraction after almost 15 years questions ignored suppressed during paper racked over citations misdirected quantities money helped researcher president premier university irreproducibility demonstrated took decade addressed
Enterprise celebrate incentivize checking discourage questioning claims progress decision shut schools COVID-19 pandemic showed failure confront uncertainties integrate knowledge colleagues specializations best available evidence indicated children neither high disease risk significant infection vectors anticipate remote classes masked communication hurt development closed-ranks attitude led policies harmed students biased interpretation leads bad decision making undermines trust
First step restoring trust establishment rebuilding strong foundation breakthrough return Gold Standard advances community open findings rigorously tested others reproducible transparent allow mistakes persist unaddressed poisoning well apparent knowledge seeking build Alzheimer enable proactively communicate errors uncertainties openness generation stand firmly shoulders giants before collaborative interdisciplinary accumulated body grows decade humility requires relying expertise outside particular specializations confidence skill collaborators skeptical findings conscious present interrogate assumptions better practice saved children catastrophic disruption closures reinforce virtues structured falsifiability unbiased peer review accepting negative results positive outcomes closed conflicts interest funders government academy industry alongside ensure projects conform highest standards
Practices suspicion blind consensus celebration informed dissent crisis stems fear political biases displacing vital search DEI initiatives degrade represent existential threat real diversity thought forms foundation empowering challenge entrenched assumptions offer novel approaches solving complex problems seek paradigms fundamental afford business scoring points ideological agenda fashion preoccupied symbolic victories divides colleagues distorts application design until recently NASA institution mission explore unknown air space innovate benefit humanity inspire world discovery proposals required include plans furthering inclusion goals evaluation panels proposals percent professionals requirements undermine merit-based assessment add burdens distract essential productive work subject ideology march blindly lockstep trusting capital inimical free inquiry debate enemy beginning knowledge ignorance move upward opinion truth convention dogma intellectual fad resist revision correction
Believe room share mission want best empower awe-inspiring breakthroughs solve tough challenges inspire young follow footsteps help repair relationship fellow citizens something government industry alone pioneering built depends partnership laboratories universities crown jewels together restore partnership revitalizing renewed focus take steps revolutionizing conducts business call excellence labs field offices begins colleagues implementing starts policies programs agencies enable spend less office completing tasks exploring frontiers adjust realities creatively partner philanthropy reject fads recommit ignite spirit lit bulb lifted sky landed moon Thank you
