NAS President Says U.S. Science Is Facing ‘Pessimistic’ Future, Urges Changes to Regain Leadership in Science

Feature Story

In her recent State of the Science address, National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt warned of a “pessimistic future” for U.S. science, from federal budget cuts to a burdensome regulatory environment to a loss of international talent, and proposed a range of actions to strengthen the research enterprise.

Jun 9, 2025

United States Needs New Strategy to Recruit and Retain STEM Talent, Says New Report

News Release

International STEM talent is vital to the U.S. research and scientific ecosystem, but increased global competition is making it harder to attract foreign-born students and professionals. A new National Academies report makes recommendations on how the U.S. can remain competitive, recruit and retain international talent, and strengthen domestic STEM pipelines.

Aug 29, 2024

Research and Higher Education Institutions in the Next 75 Years — Symposium Proceedings

Media Advisory

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have released a new proceedings of a symposium that explored how research and higher education institutions should transform in the next 75 years to better address complex global challenges such as responding to pandemics, advancing innovation, and building and nurturing research capacity.

Mar 1, 2023

Charting a Course to Advance U.S. Innovation

Feature Story

At a recent symposium, leaders of U.S. academic and government research institutions, policymakers, the private sector, and philanthropy came together to explore the future of science and discuss the transformations that will be needed to address complex and global challenges such as pandemics.

Oct 19, 2022

Maintaining U.S. Global Leadership in Science and Technology Requires Greater Focus on Strengthening Innovation, Not Solely on Restricting Access to Specific Technologies

News Release

To maintain U.S. global leadership in science and technology, federal agencies should pursue a coordinated risk-management approach that protects the United States’ own capacity to innovate, rather than emphasizing the protection of specific technologies from access by competitor nations.

Sep 29, 2022

NAS and NAM Presidents, Other Experts Urge Biden Administration to Reinstate Presidential Bioethics Commission

News Release

A presidential commission on bioethics has not been appointed since 2017. The Biden administration should reinstate a presidential bioethics advisory commission to help inform policy decisions that have bioethical implications, urge the NAS and NAM presidents and other experts.

Mar 2, 2022

New Strategic Council for Research Excellence, Integrity, and Trust Established by National Academy of Sciences to Support the Health of the Research Enterprise

News Release

The National Academy of Sciences has established a new Strategic Council for Research Excellence, Integrity, and Trust, which will convene stakeholders across the research enterprise to develop ways to promote high-quality research practices and to address challenges to research ethics and integrity.

Jul 13, 2021

Statement by the Co-Sponsoring Presidents of the Summit on Human Gene Editing

Statement

We thank the organizers of our International Summit on Human Gene Editing for their thoughtful concluding statement and welcome their call for us to continue to lead a global discussion on issues related to human gene editing.

Dec 3, 2015

On Human Gene Editing: International Summit Statement

News Release

Dec 3, 2015