As governments attempt to recover from the Covid crisis, there has been an understandable desire to invest in infrastructure to place nations on a sound footing for the future. A recent report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy argues that science and technology research should be seen as part of this crucial infrastructure investment.
The authors highlight how science and technology has been central to the Biden administration’s early policy agenda as the country attempts to maintain its leadership in the space in relation to growing competition from China.
“As the high technology sector (e.g., advanced computing and communications, social media platforms and other web-based services) becomes an increasingly large part of the overall U.S. economy, federal funding for early-stage R&D, which has been at the root of much of the technological progress of this past century, is more important than ever,” the authors say.
Long-term investment
While Biden’s budget proposes a historic increase in the R&D budget of federal agencies, the report’s authors suggest that this doesn’t diminish the significant challenges that lie ahead if the country wants to remain competitive internationally as the pace of scientific and technological change quickens.
The report highlights that funding for R&D has often been extremely inconsistent due to a combination of differing priorities between administrations, ideological changes in Congress, and indeed changing economic conditions.
“Traditionally, federal funding for R&D receives bipartisan support in Congress, particularly for health- and defense-related research activities,” the authors say. “However, since the mid-1990s, government spending on basic research has declined or stagnated as a share of the U.S. GDP, in part due to the intrinsic uncertainties about the ultimate impacts of basic research.”
New knowledge
This is a considerable mistake, as R&D is vital for the creation of the new knowledge that underpins economic growth via the creation of new products and technologies. Indeed, some economists believe that such investments contribute over 60% of the economic growth seen in the last century.
Despite these challenges, the authors argue that scientists have often struggled to fully relay the benefits of basic research to society more broadly and more specifically to policymakers. This was especially problematic during the Trump regime where anti-science rhetoric dominated. Despite the Biden administration being friendlier to science this should not be taken to mean the sector can take its foot off the pedal in making its case.
“Universities should encourage and incentivize avenues for public engagement through increased support of existing programs or funding new activities for interested faculty, postdocs, graduate students and research staff,” the authors urge.
“Building public support for R&D, strengthening trust in scientific institutions and expertise, and increasing scientists’ participation in decision-making related to S&T issues are critical to ensuring that scientific discoveries and innovation benefit the broader public and that increased investment in R&D serves the public interest,” they conclude.
