Searching for public science support

By Martin A. Apple, CSSP president
 
The American economy has built a century of remarkable record of growth based on the creation and incorporation of new knowledge into new products and new industries. As the federal government faces the 21st Century with a tsunami of rising demand for federal entitlements from a huge wave of retirees, and thus a more constrained set of options for new federal investment, it is important to be able to evaluate resource allocation priorities more effectively.
 

Federal investment in fundamental research, often misperceived as an expense, is greatly underappreciated for its high return on investment when followed over periods of a  decade or longer.  Recent meta-analyses of multiple studies of the return on investment or rate of return from long term investment have been posted showing a remarkable, virtuous circle that follows federal investment in fundamental research.

One such study on a physical science, joining data and methods from the Council for Chemical Research and the Los Alamos National Lab reported that for every $1 billion of federal investment in chemical research there was a corresponding $5 billion in additional and follow-up private R&D investment and that the combination led to $10 billion in chemical industry operating profit and an increase in the gross national product of $40 billion. The outcome of this investment was creation of 600,000 jobs. From this cascade, approximately $8 billion in taxes were then paid back to the federal government for the investment.

Another study in the biosciences (http://www.ccrhq.org/newframe.html) determined the rates of return for agricultural R&D, most of which was funded or conducted by the federal government. Summing over a thousand observations, the meta-analysis found a modal rate of return of 30% and an average (based on numerous cases with rates over 150%) rate of return of 81%.  Much of this has been from enhanced disease resistance, rising crop yields, high value/acre foods and value-added bioproducts, New challenges from water constraints, novel diseases and climate uncertainties already challenge the 21st century demands for agricultural products worldwide.

Does the public support this area of federal resource allocation? Repeated nationwide surveys by the National Science Foundation, the Charlton Research Company and Research! America show widespread public support when looked at from various perspectives. Such surveys in 2005-2006 reported these findings:

  • Sixty-nine percent  believe scientific research is very important to the U.S. economy (an additional 28% believe it's somewhat important.)
  • Fifty-eight percent say it's very important to invest in scientific research (an additional 36% believe it's somewhat important.)
  • Seventy-nine percent agree that even if it brings no immediate benefits, basic science research which advances the frontiers of knowledge is necessary and should be supported by the federal government.

 

It is reasonable to conclude from the above that growing federal investment in fundamental research is an appropriate national priority and that there is widespread public support for this direction. We should have no hesitation in informing those will make these decisions of this relevant knowledge.