21st century investments in science and education will ensure our ability to compete

This month, a distinguished group of scientists were recognized with Nobel Prizes for their outstanding research in physiology or medicine, physics, chemistry, and economics. We should celebrate their achievements and congratulate them for their contributions to science and humankind. Their research advanced our fundamental knowledge of the universe in which we live, and in some cases, has already resulted in great improvements in quality of life.

The creative genius these individuals displayed is the result of their personal abilities, carefully honed through years of education and hard work. It is notable that eight of the ten Laureates are U.S.-based. Decades ago, here in the U.S., we created an environment supportive of scholarship and innovation that has set us apart from other nations.

{mosads}We made substantial investments in education and research, we opened our doors to the best and brightest minds from all corners of the globe, we gave scientists the freedom to set their own research agendas, and we created a system of open competition that rewarded the best ideas.

While these goals were not always fully achieved — our exclusion of women and minorities from education and career opportunities being one striking example — the climate we established for discovery and innovation was as revolutionary as anything this new nation created.

Over 150 years ago, while the U.S. was in the middle of a horrendous civil war, Congress passed the Morrill Act, establishing the land-grant university system that provided educational opportunities for all. In the last century, state, local, and philanthropic support built a national system of higher education and research that provided opportunities for millions of Americans. Enlightened legislation like the GI bill enabled students from families with modest means to become the first in their families to earn college degrees.

Our openness to immigrants from other countries made this nation a magnet for innovative scientists and engineers. Many of our leading scientists were the sons and daughters of immigrants who came to this country seeking opportunities and a better life. Like several of this year’s Nobel Laureates, many researchers came to the U.S. to work in our world-class institutions.

Intellectual freedom also helped unleash the creative power of American scientists and engineers. The ability to explore the most promising scientific questions gave our researchers an open field to apply their prodigious talent. And we are the beneficiaries of their work. Who could have predicted the scientific bounty that arose from researchers studying the lowly fruit fly? But that’s what occurred. This year’s Nobel Prize winners in physiology and medicine made ground-breaking discoveries about circadian rhythms – the internal clocks of all organisms – by studying fruit flies.

They were able to make these discoveries because our major research funding institutions, such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, encourage researchers to explore the most scientifically meaningful questions, even when the application of the results is not immediately apparent. Our system of competitive grants based on merit review helps to select the best applications.

The research and education environment America created made us dominant in the sciences and the world leader in innovation. But today we are at a crossroads. Many of the practices that made us great are being questioned or reversed. State support for higher education has been cut, resulting in higher tuition for our students, and many of the historically powerful corporate research and development labs no longer exist. Calls for more restrictive policies on immigration and travel send a chilling message, making it harder for us to host international meetings and recruit top talent from other countries.

At one point, the U.S. was unique in its approach to promoting research and innovation. The edge we held in the mid-20th century gave us enormous economic, political, and cultural advantages, but the world is now a different place. We are not the only nation that aspires to scientific prominence. Other nations observed our achievements, and many have emulated our methods and increased their support for research.

We need to make the 21st century investments in education and research that will ensure our ability to compete. Our doors must be open to the best ideas and best minds, no matter where they originate. Scientists need the freedom to explore the most promising avenues of research, and we need to select the best ideas for funding based on merit. We call upon our leaders to make the decisions necessary to ensure we remain the world leader in discovery and innovation.

Tom Baldwin president of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.