PREFACE 



lion dollars a year. Some 1 1 8 individuals, of median age of 

 about 32, receive annual sums ranging from $6,000 to $14,000 

 or even higher, the amount of the grant depending on the par- 

 ticular individual's need for unencumbered research funds. 

 There is practically complete freedom as to the detailed way in 

 which the money is to be used; and the recipients make no 

 commitments whatsoever as to what particular problems they 

 will consider. There is no possible necessity of making any rash 

 promise of problems which will be "solved.'' There is no temp- 

 tation to establish some putative relation with a popular topic. 

 There is no embarrassment whatsoever about reorientation of 

 activity if and when interesting and unexpected new leads 

 develop. 



The recipients of these grants do not apply for them. 

 Rather they are sought out by the Sloan Foundation officer, who 

 has the invaluable advice of a small but nation-wide group of 

 consultants, picked specially for their knowledge of and interest 

 in young scientists. 



The experience to date with this program has been so 

 promising that the Sloan Foundation became convinced that 

 science would profit if a greater number of dedicated scientists 

 could have support of this broad and flexible character. Con- 

 sideration of this need led, in turn, to the idea of holding a dis- 

 cussion of the support of basic research, with nation-wide par- 

 ticipation of academic, industrial, and government scientists; 

 of administrators responsible for research activities in univer- 

 sities, colleges, private research institutes, government, and in- 

 dustry; and of individuals who are at the decision level with 

 respect to general policies concerning scientific research. 



It became clear at once to the Sloan Foundation group 

 discussing such a meeting that it was most desirable that any 

 such meeting have the broadest and most authoritative sponsor- 

 ship. The National Academy of Sciences, as the nation's top- 



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