formation on the basic research supported by the Federal Government and car- 

 ried out in agency laboratories, universities, industry, and nonprofit institu- 

 tions. 



The objectives of the tenth Board report are: 



• To provide an objective survey of the current status of basic research in 

 the mission agencies; 



• To serve as a source of information about basic research in mission 

 agencies for Government scientists and administrators, members of the 

 Congress, staff members of congressional committees, members of the 

 scientific, educational, and business communities, and others; and 



• To examine historical trends in the support of basic research by the 

 Federal Government. 



Most of the basic data for this report comes from information solicited by 

 the Board from Federal agencies involved in science. Fourteen mission agen- 

 cies and two agencies not so classified and more than 20 subunits of these re- 

 sponded to the Board's invitation to participate.^ Each agency was given the 

 opportunity to contribute its own submission for inclusion in the report. These 

 appear in Part I. 



In addition, the agencies were asked to respond to a series of questions and 

 issues. The questions and issues were stated in an open-ended fashion. (Addi- 

 tional details on the methodology used to obtain agency contributions are in- 

 cluded in Appendix C.) To supplement the material provided by the agencies, 

 the Board has drawn upon broader statistical information on Government- and 

 nongovernment-supported R&D regularly collected by NSF. From all this ma- 

 terial the Board has constructed an analysis of trends and problems in the sup- 

 port of basic research as it affects research performers and the various fields of 

 science (see Part II). 



Finally, in order to give a historical perspective to these trends, the Board 

 has included a summary of the Federal relationship to science since the found- 

 ing of the Republic (see Part III). 



During the past year of preparation of this report, the Board has been im- 

 pressed with the seriousness with which these Federal agencies have been ad- 

 dressing their long-term responsibilities. There appears to be a growing recogni- 

 tion of the role basic research can play in meeting those responsibilities. It has 

 also been impressed by the breadth and scope of the research and development 

 network that has been built — largely since the conclusion of World War II — a 

 network that utilizes a unique combination of governmental, academic, in- 

 dustrial, and nonprofit resources. Finally, this report provides evidence that, 

 despite a host of recognized problems, federally supported basic research has 

 produced and is continuing to produce significant additions to scientific knowl- 

 edge. 



'Mission agencies are generally defined as those with continuing specific functional responsibili- 

 ties (e.g.. Department of l^abor). The National Science Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution, 

 not generally regarded as mission agencies, were included for completeness and comparison pur- 

 poses. 



VIII 



