| Sumario: | In a post-Cold War world—which is shaped by global economic competition instead of military might—many nations are challenging U.S. economic strength and technical prowess, reports John H. Gibbons, assistant to the president for Science and Technology. “Changes in world affairs require a... rethinking of U.S. science and technology policies,” Gibbons writes. Gibbons insists that in the past, science and technology have bolstered national defense while contributing to the health and quality of American life. Americans “know that microchips have changed their lives,” Gibbons says. “Their VCRs, microwaves, and computers... tell them so.” Gibbons contends that future investments in research most likely will provide similar dividends. To help the nation “harness the economic strength of technology,” the Clinton administration has established the National Science and Technology Council and the President's Committee of Advisers on Science and Technology. Meanwhile, says Gibbons, industry and government are drafting cooperative research-and-development agreements (CRADAs) to bolster U.S. economic competitiveness. Gibbons also foresees future collaboration rising to the international level, whereby nations will join forces in addressing such challenges as mapping of the human genome, global climate change, and space exploration. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.
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