interpreted with caution. They are presented in 

 this report in the same spirit as that in which 

 they were obtained: as experimental findings. 



The judgments of the panelists are sum- 

 marized in the following pages. Only those judg- 

 ments expressed by the panels as a whole are 

 presented. This omits the many interesting com- 

 ments and suggestions provided by individual 

 participants but which were not reviewed by the 

 entire panel. 



DELPHI TOPICS 



Panel 1—42 Panelists 



National Problems 

 Warranting Greater R&D 



Panelists judged the extent to which science 

 and technology could help ameliorate several 



problems of high public concern and identified 

 the areas in which expanded R&D was 

 warranted. These judgments are presented in 

 table A. 



Although R&D was viewed as essential for 

 alleviating many of the Nation's problems, it was 

 rarely regarded as sufficient in itself. The full 

 effectiveness of science and technology was seen 

 as dependent upon appropriate social, economic, 

 and political policies. 



A number of problem areas identified by the 

 Delphi panelists as warranting expanded R&D 

 were the same areas as those chosen by the 

 general public for applications of science and 

 technology.' The areas in common which were 

 most favored by the public were health care, 

 pollution control, drug abuse, and crime. 



' See the following section, "Public Attitudes Toward 

 Science and Technology." 



Table A— National Problems Warranting Greater R&D Effort 



Areiii wiuih 



coulit henefil Areai iinnranling 



Problem area' from science niul inaior iiureaiei 



lechrwlogu li'erceHl in R&D Ipercenl 



of ponelislil of fmneliili) 



Pollution (including water pollution, ioliii 



waste disposal, land pollution 97 



Power/energy resources (including greater conservation and more 



efficient use of power resources! 97 86 



Industrial productivity 81 70 



Adequacy of natural resources 80 82 



High cost and ineffectiveness of health services 79 86 



Deterioration of international economic position 



of the United States 66 68 



Population growth 56 53 



Inappropriateness and expense of education 50 62 



Magnitude, quality, and delivery of information 47 40 



Drug abuse 46 70 



Inadequate urban planning 45 63 



Poverty 43 56 



Breakdown in efficiency and innovativeness of 



public sector services 36 



Inadequate employment opportunities 28 47 



Nuclear war 2' 



Urban crime ^^ 



Disrepect for established institutions 8 



Group conflict and alienation 8 



Irresolution of international conflict 8 32 



Changing values (sex mores, work ethics, etc.) 3 12 



Racial discrimination 3 



' Items in italics were suggested to panelists as examples; others were added by panelists and presented in the second round. 



85 



