FOREWORD 



The National Science Board (NSB), the pohcymaking body of the National 

 Science Foundation (NSF), has among its responsibilities "to evaluate the 

 status and needs of the various sciences . . . and to take into consideration the 

 results of such evaluations in correlating the research and educational programs 

 undertaken or supported by the Foundation with programs, projects, and stud- 

 ies undertaken by agencies of the Federal Government, by individuals, and by 

 public and private research groups."' Recent Board reports have dealt with 

 the Nation's total research and development effort and the Federal Govern- 

 ment's role in this effort. This tenth Board report focuses on the basic research 

 that is supported by the mission agencies of the Federal Government. 



The importance and value of basic research to the Nation's total R&D effort 

 has been recognized at the highest levels of Government. The President has 

 said: 



I think to the extent that basic research and development commitments 

 can be oriented towards things that improve the quality of our people's 

 lives and enhance the security of our Nation, contribute to our position in 

 world leadership, to that extent these allocations of funds and interests 

 will be more readily acceptable and supported by the American people. 



What we do in science in this country has a tremendous impact on the 

 decisions made in other nations, strong and independent nations, because 

 there is, as you know, a scientific community that is drawn together by 

 mutuality of interest, and that is able to transcend obstacles that are raised 

 by national boundaries. 2 



A recent memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget (see Appen- 

 dix B) stated that the President 



is particularly concerned with the identification of critical problems cur- 

 rently or potentially faced by the Federal Government where basic or 

 long-term research could assist in carrying out Federal responsibilities 

 more effectively or where such research would provide a better basis for 

 decisionmaking. 



The Board has always been concerned about the health of basic research. It 

 expressed this concern publicly most recently in its resolution of October 18, 

 1974 (see Appendix A): 



Whereas, the national welfare requires and it has been a long standing 

 matter of national policy that mission agencies pursue strong programs of 

 basic research appropriate for their missions; 



The National Science Board encourages mission agencies of the Federal 

 Government to maintain strong basic research programs in areas that have 

 the potential of contributing to their mission objectives over the long term. 



In pursuit of its own concern and responsibilities concerning the overall Fed- 

 eral basic research effort, the Board has attempted in this report to gather in- 



iPublic Law 507, 81st Cong., 42 U.S.C. 1862 and 42 U.S.C. 1863, as amended. 

 ^Remarks, Medal of Science awards ceremony, November 22, 1977. 



VII 



