Perspective

A new role for technologySocial and economic needs are the main

thrust of the President's new science policy

As President Nixon's plan to alter neurship, management, marketing, OST was. While not specifically cov-drastically the Federal administration and finance." ered by the Reorganization Plan, theof science and technology unfolds, In his message, the President gave members of the President's Sciencemany observers are beginning to the National Science Foundation a Advisory Committee have submittedthink that scientific research and de- mandate to support applied research their resignations and no successorsvelopment in the United States might in industry to accomplish NSF objec- have been appointed.never again be the same. Reflecting tives. He also alluded to "incentives In addition to his new policy-mak-an apparent desire to develop a prag- programs" that would be adminis- ing role, NSF director H. Guyfordmatic technology apparatus that will tered by both NSF and NBS to accel- Stever has also been handed controlhave vital social and economic impli- erate the transfer of R&D from Fed- of the new Federal Science Council,cations, the new facelifting has pro- eral programs to a wider range of po- which will serve to coordinate theduced major grumblings among the tential users. technical R&D programs of all Gov-science and engineering community Other proposals for enhancing the ernment agencies.and the promise of legislative and ju- climate for innovation included tax To replace the "outside" expertisedicial reaction. reform, patent incentives, enlighten- of the demised PSAC, the PresidentThe recent changes in the science ed interpretation of the antitrust has created an informal Science and

management structure should not laws, legislative and financial assis- Engineering Council-headed by Wil-have taken so many by surprise, since tance for small but competent R&D liam 0. Baker, Bell Labs presidentthe President telegraphed their firms, a change to the metric system, and personal friend of Mr. Nixon-underlying philosophy in the first and R&D prizes for outstanding which will coordinate all outside sci-Presidential message to Congress on achievement in areas of public con- entific advice in the form of indus-science and technology on March 16 cern. trial and academic advisory panels.of last year. What could not have been In closing his message to the Con-readily anticipated, however, was gress, the President urged stronger III. New objectivesthe economic control program that ties with state and local governments In effect, what the President's newhas since emerged, as well as the Office as well as with the world community. order has done is to pass direct con-of Management and Budget's push to II. The plan trol of the R&D purse strings over tokeep Federal expenditures within a Based on the President's Reorgani- the economic decision-makers. In-$260 billion 1973 budget-a move zation Plan No. 1 of late January (to stead of reporting directly to thethat cost billions of dollars in science which Congress had until April 7 to President, Dr. Stever will now answerspending. respond), the revised science struc- to a newly created Council on Eco-

ture that is scheduled to go into ef- nomic Policy presided over by none1. Promises fect on July 1 is as follows. other than Secretary George P.The thrust of President Nixon's After the Office of Science and Shultz, ex-director ofOMB.

science and technology message was Technology and the National Aero- Richard W. Roberts, the new direc-contained in his call for "a strong new nautics and Space Council were abol- tor of the National Bureau of Stan-effort to marshall science and tech- ished, the functions of OST were dards, recently declared that thenology in the work of strengthening transferred to NSF, whose director major challenge of the post-Sputnikour economy and improving the qual- was made the new Science Advisor to period is "to select science-based pro-ity of our life." Stressing technologi- the President. (The Office of Emer- grams that really impact the needs ofcal innovation as essential to econom- gency Preparedness was also elimi- the sponsors." Dr. Roberts' agencyic productivity ("producing more and nated and its functions given to line will carry out some of these mission-better goods and services at lower agencies outside the White House.) oriented programs.costs" for a "full and durable pros- Subsequent statements and actions In defining the new role of NSF,perity-without inflation and without indicate, however, that NSF and its Dr. Stever pointed out that much ofwar"), the message underlined the director will not be concerned with OST's early work was heavily focussedimportance of combining scientific major R&D programs in military, on national security, defense, anddiscovery with "the skills of entrepre- energy, and space technology, as space, tasks which in the reorganiza-

50 IEEE spectrum JUNE 1973

tion have been handed to the National "crash" program may be needed to million of NSF funds during FY 1973Security Council. solve the looming energy crisis. ($45.3 million from three programsAs emphasized in the President's One proposal of the President's that have traditionally been assigned

energy message to the Congress on message-the incentives program- high priority by the Congress), Rep.April 18, one of the most important was actually funded in fiscal year Davis (whose Subcommittee autho-priorities of the nation is efficient (FY) 1973 as a $44 million Experi- rizes NSF spending) has reported outenergy utilization. Toward this goal, mental Technology Incentives Pro- a bill that would sharply reduce thenot only has an Office of Energy Con- gram under NSF and NBS. Widely President's ability to selectively im-servation been set up in the Interior regarded as the most imaginative of pound appropriated funds while stillDepartment, but the President has the President's proposals, this pro- permitting him to make overall bud-proposed a new Department of Ener- gram (which was to stimulate indus- get savings. What Rep. Davis hasgy and Natural Resources. In addi- trial R&D) received only a small per- done is to include a provision in thetion, a Division of Energy and centage of the appropriation because $612.9 million FY 1974 authorizationScience has already been established its monies were impounded. bill for NSF that permits impound-within OMB (under the direction of The latest word is that NSF is ment of NSF funds if all budget cate-John C. Sawhill, an economist), and presently allocating $15 million for a gories are reduced by the same per-NSF has initiated an Energy Task series of "experiments" to determine centage, but prohibits selective im-Force to study energy systems and re- the feasibility of controlling the in- poundment of disfavored programs orsource needs. However, when asked if novation process. Although OMB has transferring funds between categoriesNSF would coordinate all energy gone along with the proposed experi- without Congressional approval.studies (as OST once did), OMB As- ments, it is still being cautious; with There are other ways in which Con-sistant Director Dwight A. Ink replied one official stating, "What we want is gress hopes to influence the sciencethat they wouldn't "because the ener- something new, and they haven't yet policy of the President. In lategy problem is of such high priority ... come up with anything." March, the Senate Commerce Com-that I expect them ... to be handled mittee established a new Subcommit-through the Domestic Council" with V. Reactions tee on Science, Technology, andNSF providing scientific support. Immediate resistance to the re- Commerce with Senator John V.

Dr. Baker summed up the essence vamping proposed by President Tunney (D-Calif.) as chairman. Theof today's science effort: "We've come Nixon in January was surprisingly overseer of science and technology forthrough the great contribution of mild. During the two days of hearings the Commerce Department, this Sub-physics to an era of defense and that were conducted by Congress to committee intends to examine energyspace; we are now in an era of com- investigate the changes, not a single conservation and regulation first, andmerce." witness came forth with a dissenting then study science and innovation as

word against what many now consider it relates to national productivity. AndIV. Since the message a downgrading of basic science. In in the House, Representative MikeOn the whole, the structure that fact, only two voices bothered to file McCormack (D-Wash.), who is a

President Nixon proposed -in his reor- formal protests at all-the Federation chemist; has been made chairman of aganization plan has been designed to of American Scientists and Represen- new Subcommittee on Energy undercarry out the primary objective of his tative John W. Davis (D-Ga.), chair- the Science and Astronautics Com-1972 message to Congress-bringing man of the House Subcommittee on mittee. Rep. McCormack has com-Government R&D and mission-ori- Science, Research, and Development. pleted a popular study of energy re-ented industralists closer together to Reasons for the lack of dissent by search policy and is also on the Jointimpact the major problems of our so- scientists have been given by William Committee on Atomic Energy.ciety within a relatively short period Carey, former assistant director forof time. As a result, there have been science and human resources of the VI. Judicial constraintoutcries that the interests of basic sci- old Bureau of the Budget: "One fac- If the question of impoundment ofence have been subverted. tor is that they still have something scientific funding is not settled byOne indication that these critics at stake. They're still heavily depen- Congress, it may very well be settled

may be right is given by a recent dent on the residue of Government by the courts. Within the last fewphasing out of training grants and fel- funding. ..." The second factor, ac- months, Federal judges have ruledlowship ptograms at the National In- cording to Mr. Carey, is that scien- against the Government in cases in-stitutes of Health. Estimated at a tists have "no real leadership in volving either the impounding oftotal investment of over $100 million, terms of political skill." funds or the phasing out of an autho-training grants have been called the While several Congressional bills rized program that has received Con-cornerstone of the biomedical re- such as Senator Edward M. Kenne- gressional appropriations.search business. Although some re- dy's National Science Policy and In one case, a suit was broughtsearch-grant training will continue, Priorities Act (S.32), which developed against the U.S. Office of Educationthose students assisted in the future long before the President's action, by three plaintiffs, including thewill be a small fraction of the total could possibly be expected to redress Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, fornumber of pre- and postdoctoral some of the loss of emphasis on stopping a $25 million program forscience students who will be lost, science and technology, by far the college recruiting of educationallyWith beginning enrollment in engi- most serious threat to Nixon's cur- disadvantaged Vietnam veterans. Theneering alone down more than 30 per- tailing of science spending has come U.S. District Court, D.C., on April 2cent from two years ago, this is likely in the form of antiimpoundment leg- ordered USOE to process all applica-to precipitate a severe shortage with- islation. Fearing a repeat of the Presi- tions for these grants before the Junein a few years-a time when a dential action that impounded $62.4 30 expiration date. Malrce Eleccion

Eleccion-A new role for technology .51