In its inaugural Quadrennial Science and Technology Review (QSTR) out this week, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) highlighted that “budget caps created constraints for federally funded R&D appropriated in fiscal year (FY) 2024 that have impacted the full breadth of R&D supporting agencies.”
The QSTR was developed in response to a directive from the CHIPS and Science Act, which requires OSTP to complete a review of the science and technology enterprise of the U.S. every four years.
The inaugural report – which will inform the development of OSTP’s forthcoming National Science and Technology Strategy – focuses on the “essential, foundational role that federally funded research plays” in the R&D ecosystem, OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar wrote.
“Science, technology, and innovation have been integral to our Nation’s great accomplishments in the past, and they remain integral to achieving our current aspirations,” Prabhakar said. “This QSTR describes current federally funded research efforts and identifies the need for further action to keep our S&T enterprise healthy, so it can fulfill its role in achieving America’s aspirations.”
According to the 26-page report, the Federal government invested $97 billion in FY2023 in research. Nearly half of that total came from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The QSTR keys on the government’s need to invest in the physical infrastructure of R&D facilities, noting that “much of our federally funded R&D infrastructure now faces multibillion-dollar deferred maintenance backlogs, and numerous facilities are nearing the end of or exceeding their designed lifespans.”
“Deficiencies in aging and inadequate research infrastructure leads to cascading impacts on local economies, loss of global leadership on S&T outcomes, and challenges in recruiting and retaining top talent,” the report says. “Our nation’s continued leadership in S&T depends on the maintenance and modernization of existing infrastructure as well as investments in new facilities and systems that can support cutting-edge 21st century research.”
The report also keyed on how the Biden-Harris administration is cultivating a robust S&T workforce, including supporting an array of STEM outreach and engagement efforts at all stages and building an inclusive workforce.
Finally, the report concludes by emphasizing that the Federal research ecosystem is essential to protecting national security, tackling the climate crisis, improving health outcomes, and governing and harnessing the power of AI and other emerging technologies.
