We've written so much about this topic, both here at Cosmic Variance, and on previous blogs, that I think I'll provide minimal comment here and mostly let the article speak for itself. From The New York Times
A panel of experts convened by the National Academies, the nation's leading science advisory group, called yesterday for an urgent and wide-ranging effort to strengthen scientific competitiveness. The 20-member panel, reporting at the request of a bipartisan group in Congress, said that without such an effort the United States "could soon loose its privileged position." It cited many examples of emerging scientific and industrial power abroad and listed 20 steps the United States should take to maintain its global lead. "Decisive action is needed now," the report warned, adding that the nation's old advantages "are eroding at a time when many other nations are gathering strength."
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The panel included Nobel laureates, university presidents, corporate chairmen and former presidential appointees. Their report, "Rising Above the Gathering Storm," said the proposed actions would require changes of law and new or reallocated funds. A summary of the report and a list of the 20 members is online at www.nationalacademies.org.
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Its 20 recommendations doubled the number that lawmakers - including Sherwood Boehlert, the New York Republican who is chairman of the House Science Committee, and Bart Gordon, a Tennessee Democrat also on the committee - asked for nearly five months ago. To create a corps of 10,000 teachers annually, the report called for four-year scholarships, worth up to $20,000 a year, that would help top students obtain bachelor's degrees in science, engineering or math - with parallel certification as K-12 math and science teachers. After graduation, the students would work for at least five years in public schools. Among the report's other recommendations were these: ¶An Advanced Research Projects Agency modeled after the military's should be established in the Energy Department to sponsor novel research to meet the nation's long-term energy challenges. ¶The nation's most outstanding early-career researchers should annually receive 200 new research grants - worth $500,000 each, and payable over five years. ¶International students in the United States who receive doctorates in science, technology, engineering or math should get automatic one-year visa extensions that allow them to seek employment here. If these students get job offers and pass a security screening test, they should automatically get work permits and expedited residence status. If they cannot get a job, their visas should expire. ¶The Research and Experimentation Tax Credit, scheduled to expire in December, should be made permanent and expanded. It goes to companies that increase their spending on research and development above a certain level. To encourage private investment in innovation, the panel said, the credit should increase from 20 percent to 40 percent of qualifying investments.
Obviously, I think this is just great - to have a high profile, politically independent group of unimpeachably credentialed experts spelling out what is necessary for the U.S. to compete in the science and technology driven 21st Century. It remains to be seen whether we have, or will have in the near future, an administration with the vision, strength and determination to act on the recommendations.
