"A Strategy for American Innovation: Driving Towards Sustainable Growth and Quality Jobs" is a report released by the National Economic Council and the Office of Science and Technology Policy last month. The 22–page report outlines the Obama administration's vision for building economic growth in a sustainable fashion.
The report covers a lot of ground and includes broad ideas, such as "Restoring American leadership in fundamental research," as well as more specific goals, like increasing the focus and effectiveness of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education.
The outline is presented as a 3–tiered pyramid (click for larger image):
The Administration's strategy is presented as a three–tiered pyramid, the base of which is labeled "Invest in the Building Blocks of American Innovation."
The base is comprised of developing and investing in fundamental research and education as well as the creation of a world–class workforce, physical infrastructure, and the development of an advanced information technology ecosystem.
The second tier serves to creative competitive markets and consists of export promotion, opening capital markets, encouragement of entrepreneurship, and improving public sector and community innovation.
The third tier focuses on the Research & Development of new ideas and technology, and includes developing and investing in clean energy, advanced vehicle technologies, health care technology, and working on the "grand challenges of the 21st century."
A couple of the examples given for the "grand challenges" are really cool:
- Make solar cells that are as cheap as paint
- Build green buildings that produce all of the energy they consume.
- Create biological systems that can turn sunlight into carbon–neutral fuel
- Quickly and inexpensively dispose of radioactive wastes and toxic chemicals.
All in all, it's an exciting document for the research community—and hopefully the entire country. Along with previous distribution of stimulus funds, this shows that the administration realizes that funding basic research is crucial to rebuilding a sustainable economy.
Download the complete document from OSTP.gov: PDF.
FYI: The AIP Bulletin of Science Policy News also covered the document.
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