Somewhat diflferent categories and definitions 

 were used for an internal survey of ERDA re- 

 search carried out during the summer of 1976. A 

 category called "basic/fundamental research" was 

 defined as "systematic study directed towards 

 providing a broad base of information essential to 

 understanding a wide class of mechanisms and 

 phenomena." The operating costs associated with 

 work assigned to this category were about 1 1 per- 

 cent of the total for the agency's R&D programs. 

 This "basic/fundamental research" is carried out 

 by 1 1 ERDA divisions: the Divisions of High Ener- 

 gy and Nuclear Physics, Biomedical and Environ- 

 mental Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Magnet- 

 ic Fusion Energy, Solar Energy, Geothermal Ener- 

 gy, Materials and Exploratory Research (Fossil 

 Energy), Laser Fusion, Military Applications, 

 Electric Energy Systems, and Energy Storage. 



This discussion of basic research in ERDA will 

 cover work reported for the "Federal Funds" sur- 

 vey as well as that grouped under "basic/funda- 

 mental research" as defined in the internal ERDA 

 survey. The general usage of the phrase "basic 

 research" appears to extend beyond either of 

 these survey definitions in, for example, articles 

 and letters concerning the health of basic research 

 in the United States. References to basic research 

 are often best understood as including both direct- 

 ed and undirected research whenever the work is 

 recognized as contributing to the advancement of a 

 scientific discipline. A key indicator of such recog- 

 nition is publication of the results in scientific jour- 

 nals. Such an indicator might provide a better 

 match with the most widespread usages of the 

 term "basic research," although no survey along 

 these lines has been attempted within ERDA. With 

 a definition modified in this way, more of ERDA's 

 research would be classified as basic, particularly 

 for studies in the physical sciences and mathemat- 

 ics related to military applications of nuclear ener- 

 gy and for studies related to the transport of pollu- 

 tants and their effects on man. 



Role of Basic Research 



Using the current survey definitions, the princi- 

 pal ERDA basic research programs fall in the fields 

 of general life sciences and physical research (the 

 latter encompassing chemical and geosciences, 

 materials sciences, mathematics, and physics). In 

 the internal ERDA survey, these fields accounted 

 for 9?i percent of the basic research. The other 7 

 percent is the sum of the parts of various energy 

 technology programs classed as basic or funda- 

 mental. For all the energy technology programs, 

 the percentage of the effort classified as basic re- 

 search averages less than I percent. The roles of 



1 64 ENERGY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION 



basic research in ERDA depend, of course, on the 

 nature of the program with which it is associated. 

 For this discussion, the programs involving basic 

 research will be considered in three groups: (1) 

 Sustaining basic research, (2) technology-oriented 

 basic research, and (3) special mission basic re- 

 search. 



In summary, the roles of basic research in 

 ERDA can be described in terms of the nature of 

 the programs carrying out the work. Part is organ- 

 ized under separately identified programs (basic 

 energy sciences and general life sciences) designed 

 to sustain and complement other approaches to 

 energy R&D. Part is carried out within technology- 

 oriented programs and is viewed primarily as an 

 activity needed for getting specific jobs done. Part 

 is carried out as a special basic research mission 

 encompassing the Nation's principal efforts in high 

 energy and nuclear physics. 



Sustaining Basic Research 



The sustaining basic research grouping provides 

 an approach to meeting the Nation's energy needs 

 firmly rooted in the disciplines of the physical and 

 life sciences. The investigators in these programs 

 look across their disciplines, seeking the research 

 opportunities most significant for our country in 

 dealing with its energy problems. ERDA program 

 officials select the best of the ideas for support. In 

 this way, the sustaining research complements the 

 programs built around demonstration of specific 

 energy technologies and control of their environ- 

 mental impacts. Similarly, opportunities important 

 to ERDA's national security programs are sought. 

 In ERDA, the sustaining research is carried out 

 under a program of physical research called "basic 

 energy sciences," and under a subprogram called 

 "general life sciences" within the biomedical and 

 environmental research efforts. 



These programs serve three general types of 

 users: (I) Scientists and engineers in current ap- 

 plied research and development programs of the 

 agency, (2) scientists and engineers outside the 

 agency interested in solving energy-related prob- 

 lems, and (3) scientists and engineers who will be 

 involved in the next generation of energy develop- 

 ment efforts. The results, of course, are of interest 

 to scientists everywhere interested in better under- 

 standing of natural processes. 



The role is quite subtle as it relates to the cur- 

 rent technology efforts. Basic research yields new 

 information. Its utility is most often like that of 

 leaves on a tree. The leaves are needed to sustain 

 and expand the trunk. The lumber comes from 

 many generations of leaves. It is impossible to say 

 which single leaf is necessary for the growth of the 

 tree, but the multiplicity of leaves is essential. Ba- 

 sic research yields more than increments of infor- 



