AIP and Eight Member Societies Endorse United Statement on Research

The American Physical Society, the Acoustical Society of America, the American Association of Physics Teachers, the American Crystallographic Association, the American Astronomical Society, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the American Vacuum Society, and the American Geophysical Union have joined the American Institute of Physics and 97 scientific organizations in issuing a “Unified Statement on Research.” The statement calls for a doubling of the federal budget for research by the year 2009, and was released on October 22 at a U.S. Capitol press conference. The statement follows:

UNIFIED STATEMENT ON RESEARCH
“A Decade of Investment”

To secure the economic health and prosperity of the United States as the next century approaches, our national investment in research must be strengthened. The increased competitiveness of the global economy makes such an investment even more important now than in the past. To that end, we call upon the U.S. Congress and the Administration to double the current level of federal investment in research within the next 10 years, starting with fiscal year 1999.

The United States has a critical and long-standing interest in advancing engineering, mathematics, and scientific research and education. The reasons for this are well accepted by industry leaders and public policymakers alike.

* Research provides the basis for the nation’s productivity and economic growth, sustains its high standard of living and quality of health, and ensures its security.

* Research conducted today generates the knowledge from which the future is built and helps develop researchers for the future.

Our nation has developed a dynamic, comprehensive, interdependent research system that has enabled the United States to assume global leadership and enjoy a high standard of living. The research efforts of the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Interior, and Transportation; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the National Institutes of Health; the National Science Foundation and others have provided countless scientific and technological innovations that have formed the foundation for our nation’s prosperity.

Even during this time of extraordinary economic growth, it must not be forgotten that tomorrow’s health, economic, environmental, and national security needs depend on the choices that are made today. As leaders of the science, engineering, and mathematics communities, we maintain that doubling the nation’s research budget during a 10-year period strikes a responsible balance between near-term fiscal goals and long-term economic growth and productivity.

A complete list of the endorsing organizations can be accessed at the following web site: http://www.chemcenter.org/decade.html . Future issues of FYI will discuss this statement, and new legislation to accomplish many of the goals stated above.