Obama gave a speech on science at the National Academy of Science today, and holy shit, I've almost forgotten what it was like to have a President who cares about science.
At such a difficult moment, there are those who say we cannot afford to invest in science. That support for research is somehow a luxury at a moment defined by necessities. I fundamentally disagree. Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment, and our quality of life than it has ever been. And if there was ever a day that reminded us of our shared stake in science and research, it's today.
More remarks below the fold. I'm highlighting on things that I think stand out to me, or are perhaps under-reported tidbits, but the speech is long and I encourage you to read it all.
He gets into the Swine Flu shortly after, stating that the outbreak is not a cause for alarm, albeit it is a source of concern.
We are closely monitoring the emerging cases of swine flu in the United States. This is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert. But it is not a cause for alarm. The Department of Health and Human Services has declared a Public Health Emergency as a precautionary tool to ensure that we have the resources we need at our disposal to respond quickly and effectively.
A sound position to take, though I'd be surprised if he took another. Kind of a tangent, but if anyone hasn't read LieparDestin's diary on how the Republicans stripped pandemic flu preparedness funding from the stimulus package, check it out now.
This wasn't really designed to be a moving speech per se, but I cried a little when I heard these words:
...we have watched as scientific integrity has been undermined and scientific research politicized in an effort to advance predetermined ideological agendas.
We know that our country is better than this.
I'm a biomedical engineering major. This really is a breath of fresh air for me, especially after growing up under the Bush administration and being cognizant of its many abuses on science. Going in with a preconceived conclusion and politicizing science such that the research either doesn't refute that conclusion or isn't decisive enough to challenge it is completely antithetical to reason and stands as an affront to freedom of inquiry.
Obama also points out why public funding is a must for scientific innovation:
The fact is, an investigation into a particular physical, chemical, or biological process might not pay off for a year, or a decade, or at all. And when it does, the rewards are often broadly shared, enjoyed by those who bore its costs but also by those who did not.
That's why the private sector under-invests in basic science – and why the public sector must invest in this kind of research. Because while the risks may be large, so are the rewards for our economy and our society.
This is exactly why it's utterly insane to contemplate leaving scientific research to the private sector. To give an example, companies that do biomedical/pharmaceutical research would probably devote most of their R&D funds to things that have a higher chance of yielding immediate profit, like hypertension meds and anti-depressants. Good things, mind you, when they are properly tested for efficacy, safety, etc., but private investors are not as inclined to invest in research that could potentially yield a breakthrough a decade later, namely because it's a high-risk investment.
There's always the danger of businesses engaging in "sound science" (term used by Chris Mooney in his book The Republican War on Science), which is basically when a company willingly distorts its research for the purposes of maximizing profit by diminishing certain concerns.
Obama discusses his budget proposal:
We double the budget of key agencies, including the National Science Foundation, a primary source of funding for academic research, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which supports a wide range of pursuits – from improving health information technology to measuring carbon pollution, from testing "smart grid" designs to developing advanced manufacturing processes. And my budget doubles funding for the Department of Energy's Office of Science which builds and operates accelerators, colliders, supercomputers, high-energy light sources, and facilities for making nano-materials.
Juicy. But he goes on to announce the funding of the ARPA-E initiative, which is based off of DARPA, but it engages in high-risk, high reward research on the subject of energy problems:
And today, I am also announcing that for the first time, we are funding an initiative – recommended by this organization – called the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy, or ARPA-E.
This is based on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, known as DARPA, which was created during the Eisenhower administration in response to Sputnik. It has been charged throughout its history with conducting high-risk, high-reward research. The precursor to the internet, known as ARPANET, stealth technology, and the Global Positioning System all owe a debt to the work of DARPA.
ARPA-E seeks to do this same kind of high-risk, high-reward research. My administration will also pursue comprehensive legislation to place a market-based cap on carbon emissions. We will make renewable energy the profitable kind of energy in America. And I am confident that we will find a wellspring of creativity just waiting to be tapped by researchers in this room and entrepreneurs across our country.
Obama also announces a competitive program for state funding:
That is why I am announcing today that states making strong commitments and progress in math and science education will be eligible to compete later this fall for additional funds under the Secretary of Education's $5 billion Race to the Top program.
I am challenging states to dramatically improve achievement in math and science by raising standards, modernizing science labs, upgrading curriculum, and forging partnerships to improve the use of science and technology in our classrooms. And I am challenging states to enhance teacher preparation and training, and to attract new and qualified math and science teachers to better engage students and reinvigorate these subjects in our schools.
THIS though is a serious plus:
My budget also triples the number of National Science Foundation graduate research fellowships.
Finally, he ends on what seems to me to be an accurate description of what the "rightful place" of science is:
At root, science forces us to reckon with the truth as best as we can ascertain it. Some truths fill us with awe. Others force us to question long held views. Science cannot answer every question; indeed, it seems at times the more we plumb the mysteries of the physical world, the more humble we must be. Science cannot supplant our ethics, our values, our principles, or our faith, but science can inform those things, and help put these values, these moral sentiments, that faith, to work – to feed a child, to heal the sick, to be good stewards of this earth.
Bravo, Mr. President. Bravo.
Edit: Hat tip to RestonHorn for pointing this out:
It was webcast live at http://nationalacademies.org
The audio recording is up at that site now and the video is coming.