From the President

The Necessity of Science

"We know that a nation's potential for scientific discovery is defined by the tools that it makes available to its researchers," states President Obama in his speech to the National Academy of Sciences on Apr. 27, 2009.

Obama pledged to double the budgets of key agencies including the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy.

Read the transcript | Download the movie (.mp4 - 407.6 MB)

About the Speech

In this speech, President Obama:

• underscored his commitment to science and technology,
• pledged to devote more 3% of our GDP to research and development,
• and pledged to double the budgets of key agencies including the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy.

Here is a summary of his five-fold plan:

1. Support entrepreneurship by making the research and experimentation tax credit permanent:

   "This is a tax credit that returns two dollars to the economy for every dollar we spend, by helping companies afford the often high costs of developing new ideas, new technologies, and new products."

2. Commit to developing a 21st century clean energy economy:
   1. Goal for our nation that we reduce our carbon pollution by more than 80% by 2050.
   2. Incentives include extending the production tax credit, providing loan guarantees, and grants to spur investment.
   3. $150 billion over ten years to invest in sources of renewable energy as well as energy efficiency; it supports efforts at NASA, recommended as a priority by the National Research Council, to develop new space-based capabilities to help us better understand our changing climate.
   4. Funding new initiative: Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) to do high-risk, high-reward research. [see first RFP]
   5. Pursuit of legislation to place a market-based cap on carbon emissions.
3. Address the shortcomings of the health care system:
   1. Recovery act will support computerizing medical records balancing patient control and respect for patient privacy. This will offer billions of "anonymous data points" to medical researchers to better understand disease.
   2. Commitment to increased funding for the National Institute of Health, including $6 billion for cancer research.
4. Restore science to its rightful place:
   1. White House Office of Science and Technology Policy will lead an effort to ensure that federal policies are based on "the best and most unbiased scientific information."
   2. Web site launched so individuals can make recommendations and to collaborate on recommendations.
   3. Appointing the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). "I will charge PCAST with advising me about national strategies to nurture and sustain a culture of scientific innovation. It will be co-chaired by John Holdren, my top science advisor; Eric Lander, one of the principal leaders of the Human Genome Project; and Harold Varmus, former head of the National Institutes of Health and a Nobel laureate." [see list of PCAST members]
      1. i.Biomedicine: "harnessing the history convergence between life science and physical sciences" and projects that, "…create data and capabilities that fuel discoveries in tens of thousands of laboratories; and identifying and overcoming scientific and bureaucratic barriers to rapidly translating scientific breakthroughs into diagnostics and therapeutics that serve patients."
      2. Environmental science: strengthening our weather forecasting, our earth observation from space, the management of our nation's land, water and forests, and the stewardship of our coastal zones and ocean fisheries.
   4. Participation in international science and technology cooperation
5. Renewed commitment to education in mathematics and science:
   1. Funds available to states under the Secretary of Education’s $5 billion Race to the Top Program.
   2. National Governors Association led by Governor Ed Rendell to increase the number of states that are making science, technology, engineering and mathematics a top priority.
   3. Goal to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.
   4. Triples the number of National Science Foundation graduate research fellowships.
   5. Presidential public awareness and outreach campaign.
   6. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation joint initiative to encourage careers in science, engineering and entrepreneurship related to clean energy.
      1. educational campaign aimed at young people to address the energy challenge
      2. research opportunities for undergraduates
      3. educational opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities
      4. support of fellowships, interdisciplinary graduate programs, partnerships between academic institutions and innovative companies