On a seemingly ordinary autumn day 67 years ago, Americans received a shock that continues to reverberate today. The Soviet launch of an aluminum sphere about the size of a beach ball and weighing 184 pounds shook Americans out of their complacency. This single satellite quickly prompted the U.S. to become laser-focused on improving the nation’s science and technology status and the education needed to advance it.
There are now more than 10,000 satellites in orbit, but the launch of Sputnik in 1957 was the seismic event that persuaded the U.S. to invest heavily in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Not only did that watershed event lead to the creation of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency and NASA, it prompted a significant increase in related government funding. Additional resources were invested in science and technology education through the National Defense Education Act as well as research and development (R&D).
In the decades since, various alarms have been raised about the United States’ standing in the fields of science and technology compared to global competitors. For example, a 2007 National Academies report titled “Rising Above the Gathering Storm” generated intense media, congressional and public concern by highlighting a coming crisis due to a continued lack of government funding of basic research. According to the report, in 1965 the federal government funded more than 60% of the country’s R&D. That share had fallen below 30% by 2002.
Interest and investments in STEM have fluctuated significantly over the past 60 years. Although many in the country have once again become complacent, the need to properly fund science and technology remains. While the threat of Russia as a scientific competitor has diminished, China is rapidly catching up with and, in some cases, surpassing the U.S. in R&D funding, research papers, patents, and science and engineering Ph.Ds. In 2015, Chinese leadership announced a “Made in China 2025” initiative designed to boost its manufacturing and R&D competitiveness.
In the U.S., a decline in federal funding for research in the 1980s coincided with a drop in students’ math and science proficiency. Some of this public investment was replaced by industry and philanthropic R&D, which tends to be more narrowly focused applied research. Since businesses have specific research needs, many basic research needs went unmet.
During a recent “State of the Science” address, National Academies of Science (NAS) President Marcia McNutt acknowledged that the U.S. is losing the race for global STEM leadership. She noted that China’s rate of investment in R&D is now twice that of the U.S. If the trend continues, China may soon surpass the U.S. in R&D funding. This has profound implications for national and economic security.
Previously, foreign STEM students, including from China, often chose to stay in the U.S. after completing their studies due to the tremendous opportunities in the fields of science and technology. This “brain gain” of talent brought new ideas and vitality to the country.
However, as China and other countries increase their investment in R&D, foreign students who study in the U.S. are now more likely to return to their home countries which can offer expanding opportunities. Only 41% of international graduates in the U.S. remain in the country long-term.
McNutt with NAS promoted several priorities that can help the U.S. reclaim clear supremacy in R&D and other key indicators of science leadership. These include bolstering university-industry partnerships, reducing red tape for foreign students hoping to remain in the U.S., and strengthening K-12 science education.
The U.S. needs a coordinated effort involving government, industry, and academia to restore American supremacy in STEM areas. A renewed focus on science and technology R&D and education shouldn’t require another Sputnik moment.
Joann P. DiGennaro co-founded the Center for Excellence in Education with the late Adm. H.G. Rickover. The nonprofit nurtures careers of excellence and leadership in STEM for academically talented high school and college students.