D Total funds for basic and applied research per 

 scientist and engineer in Ph.D. -granting 

 institutions declined 15 percent between 

 1968-72 in constant 1961 dollars, as a result 

 of reduced Federal expenditures and con- 

 tinued growth of faculty; research funds per 

 scientist and engineer decreased in all fields 

 except the social sciences, with the largest de- 

 clines occurring in physics (32 percent), 

 clinical medicine (21 percent), and engi- 

 neering (17 percent). 



D The proportion of Ph.D. scientists in 

 universities and colleges engaged in basic 

 research supported by the Federal Govern- 

 ment declined from 69 percent in 1964 and 

 1966 to 57 percent in 1970. 



n Federal support for young investigators 

 (those holding a Ph.D. less than seven years) 

 in universities and colleges declined to a 

 greater extent than support for senior 

 investigators; the proportion of young 

 investigators supported fell from 65 percent 

 in 1964 to 50 percent in 1970, versus 73 per- 

 cent to 63 percent for senior investigators. 



n Government expenditures for basic research 

 in Federal laboratories declined by almost 20 

 percent in constant 1961 dollars between 

 1970-72, with the largest reductions 

 occurring in laboratories funded by the Na- 

 tional Aeronautics and Space Administra- 

 tion and the Department of Health, Educa- 

 tion, and Welfare. 



D Current dollar expenditures for industry- 

 funded basic research, which accounts for 

 only a small fraction of all such research, in- 

 creased until 1966 and remained at nearly 

 that level until 1972 when they again in- 

 creased; in 1958 constant dollars, however, 

 expenditures declined by some 17 percent 

 between 1966-72. 



D Basic research in industry is concentrated in 

 the fields of chemistry and engineering, 

 followed by physics and the life sciences. 

 Recent declines in constant 1958 dollar 

 expenditures for basic research were largest 

 in the areas of physics and chemistry. 



■ Basic research is that portion of the total R&D 

 effort whose primary aim is extending the 

 fundamental understanding of man and nature. 

 The strategy of basic research is determined pri- 

 marily by the structure of science itself which 

 indicates opportunities and possible directions 

 for advancing knowledge. Although potential 

 applications often underlie and ultimately justify 

 support for basic research, such research must 

 emanate from the conceptual structure of sci- 

 ence itself. 



While the relationships between basic 

 research and eventual applications are often 

 complex and may involve a considerable time 

 interval for realization, there is no doubt that 

 modern technology is increasingly dependent 

 upon the fundamental knowledge base. Basic 

 science, moreover, provides a pool of knowl- 

 edge and understanding which helps in 

 determining the most efficient strategy for 

 applied research and development, and also 

 serves as a source of ideas for new applications 

 and for attacking social problems as well. The 

 contributions of basic research to the quality and 

 variety of our lives are innumerable, and include: 



• Genetics, which advanced the development 

 of hybrid grains, stock breeding, vaccines, 

 and medical diagnostic techniques; 



• Chemistry, which produced polyester 

 fibers, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refin- 

 ing, and pesticides; 



• Physics, which led to the development of 

 nuclear power generation, transistors, and 

 radioisotope tracers; 



• Electronics, which developed radar, 

 magnetic tape recording, heart pace- 

 makers, and biomedical recording tech- 

 niques; 



• Mathematics, which helped in the develop- 

 ment of computers, multivariate analysis 

 techniques, systems analysis, and simula- 

 tion models; and 



• Social Sciences, which devised polling and 

 survey methods, national income and prod- 

 uct accounting, cost-benefit analysis, apti- 

 tude testing, and economic input-output 

 models. 



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