Document Objectives. Main Points. Document Recommendations. The War Against Disease. Make War Contributions Known

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1 ASTR 4800: Space Science - Practice & Plicy Tday s Tpic: The Endless Frntier. Hmewrk: Beynd Sputnik, Chapter 5. Hmewrk #1 is due n Friday, Jan. 31 st. Space in the News: Kerry Wahl Science The Endless Frntier An examinatin f the first science plicy dcument Kirstyn Jhnsn, Kristian Kates ASTR /29/2014 Dcument Overview Created at the ending f Wrld War II: there is n reasn why the lessns t be fund in this experiment cannt be prfitably emplyed in times f peace President F. Rsevelt Histrical View f Dcument: Crnerstne f pst-wrld War II U.S. science plicy It instructed the public n the imprtance and cmplexities f natinal science plicy, but slved nthing (McDugall 81) 4 Histry June 1940 Office f Scientific and Develpment was established by President Rsevelt June 1944 GI bill was created Nv 1944 President Rsevelt sent letter t Vannevar Bush fr evaluatin f science plicy pst-war July 1945 Science was submitted t President Truman August 1945 Atmic bmbing f Hirshima, Nagasaki Dec End f WWII Vannevar Bush Creatr f the Science- An Endless Frntier Studied electrical engineering at Tufts Cllege Directr f the Office f Scientific and Develpment, established in June 1941 Chair fr Manhattan Prject 5 6 1

2 Dcument Objectives 1. Best way t make knwn the cntributins t science that have been made during the war 2. Organizing a prgram that will cntinue with the wrk that s been accmplished in medicine and related sciences (i.e. war against disease) 3. Hw the gvernment can prvide aid fr research t public and private rganizatins Make War Cntributins Knwn Objective #1 4. Best way t create a prgram that discvers and develps scientific talent in American yuth 7 8 Main Pints Make majrity f classified, military science knwledge public: A brad disseminatin f scientific infrmatin furnishes a sunder fundatin fr ur natinal security than a plicy f restrictin which wuld impede ur wn prgress althugh impsed in the hpe that pssible enemies wuld nt catch up with us. Crdinatin and cntrl ver release f infrmatin frm different entities (Army, Navy, etc) Prgram t Cntinue in Sciences, War Against Disease Objective # The War Against Disease During times f war 14.1 per thusand trps in WWI 0.6 per thusand trps in WWII 420,000 ttal US casualties during WWII Nw nly 121 deaths frm During times f peace Life expectancy rse frm 49 in 1900 t 78 tday Largest killers in civilian ppulatin in 1945 Cardivascular disease, infectin, cancer Largest killers f civilian ppulatin tday Cardivascular disease, cancer, infectin Dcument Recmmendatins Mre develpment f basic sciences Chemistry, physics, anatmy, pathlgy, etc. Physicists discvered DNA Expanded gvernment spending Medical schls and research institutes Gvernment supprt f new cures Large supprt fr penicillin Crdinated effrts n difficult afflictins Questin: In regards t disease, what can be dne t rganize further wrk in medicine?

3 Gvernment Aid fr Gvernment Aid fr Objective #3 Majr pints Science and natinal security Science and the ecnmy Center fr scientific knwledge Science (basic research) vs. applied research Gvernment encuragement Science and Natinal Security WWII fught arund technlgy Advcated fr military research t cntinue in peace time Branches f Armed Frces, DARPA Military shuld wrk clsely with civilians Lckheed, Being, BAE, ther civilian cmpanies Need t stay ahead t win Science and the Natin Use scientific advancement as a means f emplyment New technlgies, new jb pprtunities Develpment and cnstructin f technlgy Create centers f basic science research Clleges, universities, research institutes Becme independent prducer f science Have relied upn Eurpe fr technlgy US gd at utilizing technlgy up till WWII Need t prduce riginal material Science vs. Applied Science is the understanding f underlying principles Applied research is the applicatin f science t slve a prblem Tendency t slve prblems immediately thrugh applied research Wrked with atmic bmb, but des it always? Gvernment Encuragement Increase funding t research institutins Establish in-huse gvernment research Encurage research in private industry Crpratins supprt basic sciences Encuraged thrugh tax incentives Internatinal exchange f infrmatin Questin #1: Shuld the gvernment still be trying t aid research activities in public and private rganizatins?

4 Gvernment Aid fr Questin #2 Which shuld hld mre imprtance? Basic r applied research? Discver, Develp Scientific Talent Qute abut ISS research: While discveries made as a result f basic research may eventually cntribute t real wrld applicatins, investrs and fr-prfit cmpanies may be reluctant t allcate funds t basic research especially when the likelihd f prfitable results is unknwn Main Pints Wartime deficit f science-riented men and wmen Estimated that 150,000 students wuld have received degrees if it wasn t fr the war Imprve quality f students a man wrks fr what he gets We think it very imprtant that circumstances be such that there be n ceilings, ther than ability itself, t intellectual ambitin. Educatin Statistics In 1940: 95% f all children made it t 5 th grade Only 43% f thse graduated frm high schl Current Statistics Remve financial barriers Creatin f Natinal Science Fundatin Dcument Results Was initially veted by President Truman in 1947 NSF was created based n Science and Public Plicy reprt frm Jhn Steelman (first White Huse Chief f Staff) Funded in 1950 First Directr = Alan T. Waterman In first year, awarded 97 grants fr ver $1 millin During Krean War, NSF given nly $225,000 annually (McDugall 81)

5 Questin Which cntributed mre t scientific innvatin: Wrld War II r the Space Race? The applicatins f science have built man a wellsupplied huse, and are teaching him t live healthily therein. They have enabled him t thrw masses f peple against ne anther with cruel weapns. They may yet allw him truly t encmpass the great recrd and t grw in the wisdm f race experience. - Vannevar Bush, As We May Think