NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 



NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD 



WASHINGTON, D.C. 20550 



LETTER TO GOVERNMENT AGENCY OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



Currently the National Science Board is preparing its Eighth Annual 

 Report to the President and to the Congress. The report will concen- 

 trate on the circumstances which might affect the capacity of the 

 Nation to continue a strong position in science and technology. It 

 will attempt to identify and to study prospectively selected critical 

 problems developing in the operating research sectors namely, uni- 

 versity, industry, Government laboratories and independent research 

 institutes. The report is not as much concerned with dollar support 

 as with circumstances in the institutional, managerial or policy 

 environment which will influence the productivity of working scientists 

 and engineers. In order to identify critical problems for the Govern- 

 ment laboratories, the Committee on Eighth NSB Report is seeking input 

 from selected agency officials with broad responsibilities for research. 



The Committee would very much appreciate learning about the two most 

 critical issues/problems facing fundamental (long term, basic) research, 

 as you see it, in the near term future. "Near term future" means issues 

 currently emerging or seen-to-be-emerging in the next decade or so. 

 For example, as you look ahead, in your capacity as director of a 

 government laboratory what problems do you anticipate? What critical 

 issues/problems will condition scientific and technological research in 

 government and will decrease its effectiveness unless properly addressed? 

 Would you please order your issues/problems "one" and "two" and then 

 provide a brief descriptive paragraph for each? Feel free to propose 

 resolutions or solutions. 



In addition to your view from the agency level, the Committee expects 



to obtain perceptions from selected directors of Government laboratories. 



In the name of the National Science Board and its Committee on Eighth 

 NSB Report, I thank you for a quick reply. If at all possible, we 

 would very much appreciate having your comments within the next few 

 weeks or so. 



108 APPENDIX B 



