PART I.— VIEWS OF THE RESPONDENTS 



PUBLIC CONFIDENCE 



This problem was perceived in all four 

 sectors. For example, a succinct statement was 

 provided by Stanley J. Lawwill, President of 

 Analytic Services, Inc. (an FFRDC sponsored by 

 the Department of Defense). He emphasizes the 

 importance of public confidence in science and 

 technology to this Nation's position in the 

 world: 



The number one problem which I see facing 

 fundamental (long term, basic) research in the 

 near future is the poor, and deteriorating, 

 National attitude toward science and technology. 

 Until this trend is reversed, I see little prospect for 

 the United States' regaining the dominant posi- 

 tion it once held in the discovery of scientific 

 knowledge and in the development and applica- 

 tion of technology. 



A very similar view was expressed by A. S. 

 Gregory, Director of Central Research and 

 Development at Weyerhaeuser Company. He 

 was especially concerned about the future of 

 American technology: 



The number one problem is society's attitude 

 regarding the importance of scientific and 

 technological advances. . . . Recently, it has 

 become a popular game of the uninformed to 

 state that we have all the science and technology 

 we need and that many of our current problems 

 stem from past technological advances. A signifi- 

 cant sector of society does not seem to realize 

 that many of the things that give us our preferred 

 quality of life are possible because of technology. 



It is true that we may need to refocus our goals for 

 technology, but I see a need for more technology 

 and not less if we are to meet our challenge of the 

 future. 



From Washington State University, President 

 Glenn Terrell wrote of an effect of negative 

 public attitudes on the support of research: 



It occurs to me that perhaps the most significant 

 issue institutional managers and policy deter- 



miners face so far as the future of research is 

 concerned is the general attitude that prevails in 

 our nation today about the importance of the 

 research enterprise, itself. Research is expensive; 

 money is in scarcer supply than has been 

 previously the case; there is a surplus of scientists 

 in some disciplines; this gives a combination of 

 factors which has resulted in the development of 

 a general public attitude which is not conducive 

 to overall support for research. 



In the past, according to President Terrell, 

 there was a high level of support for graduate 

 education and research, and so researchers 

 became accustomed to general public accept- 

 ance of the importance of their work. Nov/ the 

 very legitimacy of the research efforts of our 

 universities is being questioned. University 

 faculty seem to be falling short in their 

 responsibility for pointing out the value to 

 society, not only of applied research, but also of 

 basic research, which is also badly needed for 

 solving society's problems. 



Finally S. L. Fawcett, President of Battelle 

 Memorial Institute (an independent research 

 institute) stated the problem in these terms: 



Most basic research is supported with public 

 funds and must therefore be generally recogniz- 

 ed as being in the public interest. It is not 

 sufficient that an informed minority should 

 recognize the value of basic research; unless the 

 general public also recognizes that, there will be 

 continuing pressures that will erode the program. 



Since the public doesn't really understand how 

 advances in scientific knowledge obtained from 

 basic research lead to improvements in our ability 

 to solve real world problems and thus benefit 

 them, they are apt to believe (from reading about 

 the projects that are brought to their attention 

 through the news media) that basic research is a 

 waste of their money. Unless the true story can be 

 brought to the public in a convincing way, I 

 expect the Nation's basic research program to be 

 eroded. 



74 



CONFIDENCE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



