Does Washington need a new Apollo Program or Manhattan Project to jump-start science research?

US federal research and development (R&D) spending has fallen from nearly 1.9 percent to below 0.7 percent since the mid-1960s. At the same time, America has been struggling with low levels of productivity growth, and our position at the forefront of the technological frontier is no longer a sure thing.

Policymakers could combat these challenges by increasing public support for research, thereby promoting innovation in the 21st century in the same way the Manhattan Project and Apollo Program did so in the 20th. Such a solution raises additional questions: Should policymakers emphasize basic research or applied R&D? Should these funds be directed throughout the country or just to preexisting tech hubs? And how much direction and oversight should government officials attach to this research?

Submit questions to John.Konicki@aei.org or on Twitter with #JumpstartingScience.

Agenda

3:00 PM
Introduction:
James Pethokoukis, DeWitt Wallace Fellow, AEI

3:05 PM
Panel discussion

Panelists:
Jonathan Gruber, Ford Professor of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tony Mills, Director of Science Policy, R Street Institute
Margaret O’Mara, Howard & Frances Keller Endowed Professor of History, University of Washington
Bret Swanson, Visiting Fellow, AEI

Moderator:
James Pethokoukis, DeWitt Wallace Fellow, AEI

3:50 PM
Q&A

4:00 PM
Adjournment