PerspectivesAre you interested in submitting a Perspective Article? Be sure to read The Science Advisory Board's Editorial Guides for Perspective Articles. Click here. Basic Science Research During a Time of Economic Turmoil by G.D. Heda, Ph.D. All modern facilities and gadgets that we enjoy today are the result of fundamental research in various disciplines of science such as physics, chemistry and biology. Without basic research there wouldn't be inventions of electricity, television, electronic mail or polio vaccination, to mention a few. Basic research therefore must be preserved and protected at all costs even during the time of economic hardships. The two most prominent public institutions that nurture and support basic research in the United States, i.e., National Institutions of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF), had little growth in their budgets during the Bush administration. The reasons could be many, such as the fight against terrorism and/or other priorities. What suffers most, however, is the science and the scientists. Funding for these two agencies during the Bush administration is depicted in the following graphs. Source: coglanglab.blogspot.com.   Besides federal policies of research funding, other factors that potentially impact the quality of basic science research could be the salaries and job security of basic science researchers. Basic research scientists around the globe, in general, are paid less when compared to other professionals requiring advanced degrees. The United States is no exception. The United States, however, is fortunate to attract talented scientists from around the globe, due to lack of infrastructure and research support in the country of their origin (e.g., India and China). Strong infrastructures supplemented with a talented pool from around the globe have helped the United States remain a world leader in basic science research for many past decades. Many scientists from abroad usually arrive to the United States when hired by individual Principal Investigators (PI's) at various academic institutions as a 'postdoctoral fellow' to work temporarily on their research grants. The limited budget for salaries, besides lack of qualified local scientists, is one of the main reasons these PI's hire foreign-born scientists. On the other hand, lack of poor infrastructure and support at home for these talented scientists make US an ideal place to look for jobs. Once a fellow completes his/her fellowship (normally a 3-4 year term), most of them are forced to find another similar fellowship elsewhere. There is no system in place to absorb these trained scientists into the work force, and moving from place to place may become tedious or in many cases, impossible when a spouse's career is also at stake. Continuous influx of scientists with reduced levels of research funding leave limited options for these individuals. These options include going back to their home country or opting for alternative careers that may have little or nothing to do with their education and training. Although options may be many and may work either in favor or against the interest of an individual, the loser of this situation is 'science' in itself. The repercussions of this whole situation may have a negative impact on future generations when deciding whether or not to pursue a career in basic science research. Lack of research funds, severe nail-biting competition for limited research funds, lower salary and job insecurity all detract from a science career as an option for our youth. During 25+ years of my career in science in the United States, I have come across many professional colleagues in various sectors of research, i.e., industry, academic and government. Surprisingly enough, I have yet to come across a single colleague who has encouraged their loved ones to pursue a career in basic science research. This attitude of those who have chosen science as their career clearly speaks for the future that lies ahead for basic science research. With the current economic crisis in the United States, it won't be surprising if other countries of Europe with advanced levels of basic research infrastructure, and newly emerging economies like Singapore and China, take the lead. In contrast to a decline in research funds to NIH and NSF, increase in funds by the Chinese government is shown in the following graph. Source: coglanglab.blogspot.com.  The exodus of qualified scientists and technologists to India and China has already begun and is increasing. According to a study conducted by Duke University, the number of returning Indian professionals increased from ~0.5% in 1995 to an alarming ~17% in 2007. Of these, 65.6% held Masters degree and 12.1% held a Ph.D. A good portion of these returning individuals (26.9%) were holding a green card or had US citizenship, so visa status for many was not a factor. As per Vivek Wadhwa, a senior research associate at the Labor & Worklife Program at Harvard Law School and executive in residence at Duke University, "Losing these skilled immigrants is an economic catastrophe that will hurt U.S. competitiveness for decades to come." Wadhwa has done extensive research on issues related to immigrant exodus and can be found at www.globalizationresearch.com. This brain-drain, therefore, is keeping many US companies dependent on outsourcing to other countries. In summary, it is extremely important that the new government focus on resources that are needed to improve science and math education, training and research resources in the United States. A failure to act rather quickly, specifically in engaging the scientists effectively into their chosen profession, and preventing them from fleeing to other countries, may endanger The United States' leadership in science innovations. Steps in a positive direction, on the other hand, will assure and promote interest among the youth towards basic science research and thus maintain our leadership in science in the 21st century, especially in a rapidly changing world. ### << Previous Next >> [ View All Perspectives ] |
|
