November 17 marks 80 years since the birth of the President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt commissioned the Dr. Vannevar Bush a relationship that the scientific community knows well, but which should be on the table of politicians with government responsibilities.
The report is an extraordinary guide to defining how scientists are essential for policymakers to make decisions. Seems obvious, right?
The request arose from Roosevelt’s belief that if they had won the war (they were on the verge of doing so) it was thanks to scientific knowledge.
When scientists were indispensable in politics
Vannevar Bush He was an American engineer and scientist with great political weight, and not only in the development of the atomic bomb.
Vannevar Bush was a precursor of the World Wide Web,
Wikimedia municipalities
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During those years, and beyond the Manhattan Project, Dr. Bush had secretly piloted, for the government, various scientific projects that helped solve some important problems that were solved with the application of scientific knowledge.
In the letter that Roosevelt addressed to Bush on November 17, 1944, he asked him four questions that are extremely relevant even today, which are the ones developed in his report.
First question: the military use of science
“What can be done, in a manner consistent with military security and with the prior approval of military authorities, to let the world know about the contribution we have made to scientific knowledge during our war effort?
Dissemination of such knowledge should help us stimulate new businesses, provide jobs for our retired soldiers and other workers, and make strides toward national well-being.”
Second question: science’s war against disease
“What can be done today to organize a program aimed at continuing scientific work in medicine?
The fact that annual deaths in this country from one or two diseases far exceed the total number of lives lost in combat during this war should make us aware of the obligation we have to future generations.”
Third question: support for science
“What can the government do today and in the future to support research activities undertaken by public and private organisations?
The appropriate role of public and private research and their interrelationship should be considered with great care and attention.”
Fourth question: looking for scientific talent
“Can an effective program be proposed to discover and develop the scientific talent of America’s youth, so that it will be possible to ensure the future continuity of scientific research in this country, at a level comparable to that achieved during the war?”
The Bush Report
On July 25, 1945, Vannevar Bush sent the President Harry Truman (Roosevelt died prematurely on April 12 of that year) a 25-page report titled Science, the infinite frontierwhich not only answers the president’s questions but also establishes a science policy plan for the United States. In the document Vannevar Bush foresees the creation of a state research agency: the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The Bush report is a real gem. It places the protection and development of scientific knowledge at the center of government action with a mentality that might seem more typical of the 21st century. The goal was to put the United States on the path to becoming the world’s leading scientific power.
The safety of money
The number of Nobel Prize winners in Medicinal, Physicist Yes Chemical of the United States before the Bush report there were 17. After the Bush report, 255.
The document clarifies the fundamental role of science in the progress of nations
Bush establishes the need for a national science program with a stable and sustained supply of funds that depends on an organization “composed of people with broad interests and experience, with an understanding of the peculiarities of scientific research and education” .
The body on which this program must depend “must recognize the need to preserve freedom of research and leave internal control of the policies, personnel, method and scope of research in the hands of the institutions in which it is conducted. He should be fully accountable for his agenda to the president and, through him, to Congress.”
“Our future as a nation depends in large part on how wisely we apply this (science) in the war against disease, in creating new industries and in strengthening our military.”
Promote basic science
The report, 80 years ago, defended the need to promote basic science: “A nation that depends on others to obtain its new basic scientific knowledge will have slow industrial progress and will still be weak in its competitive position in world trade of their mechanical ability”, and does not forget industrial research.
The war forced cooperation between countries and Bush underlines in his report the need to cooperate between nations for scientific development and the training of young talent, so that any project has continuity in the future.
Vannevar Bush was an engineer, but he does not forget that “it would be madness to establish a program in which the natural sciences and medicine expanded at the expense of the social sciences, humanities and other studies so essential to the national well-being.” being.”
…And Roosevelt’s plan came true
Five years after Roosevelt’s death, and driven by the tenacity of Dr. Bush, the Truman administration created the aforementioned NSF, which today is the leading research agency in the world, and a scientific program that pushed his country to lead, for years, not only world science, but also the economy.
In his letter to Roosevelt regarding his report, Vannevar Bush’s conclusion may still be applicable today. The science is there, but we lack a Roosevelt.
“The pioneer spirit still retains its strength in our nation. Science offers largely unexplored territory to the pioneer who has the right tools for his task. The benefits of such exploration to both the nation and the individual are great. Scientific progress is an essential key to our security as a nation, to improving our health, having better quality jobs, raising the standard of living and advancing culturally.”
Roosevelt’s letter.#politicians #note
What were the main contributions of Vannevar Bush to U.S. scientific policy during and after World War II?
Vannevar Bush and the Legacy of Scientific Policy
Vannevar Bush was a precursor of the World Wide Web.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
During the years surrounding the Manhattan Project, Dr. Vannevar Bush orchestrated various classified scientific projects for the U.S. government that addressed significant challenges through science and technology. In a letter to Bush dated November 17, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt posed four questions that resonate deeply in today’s context, addressed comprehensively in Bush’s subsequent report.
First Question: The Military Use of Science
“What can be done, in a manner consistent with military security and with the prior approval of military authorities, to let the world know about the contribution we have made to scientific knowledge during our war effort?
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Dissemination of such knowledge should help us stimulate new businesses, provide jobs for our retired soldiers and other workers, and make strides toward national well-being.”
Second Question: Science’s War Against Disease
“What can be done today to organize a program aimed at continuing scientific work in medicine?
>
The fact that annual deaths in this country from one or two diseases far exceed the total number of lives lost in combat during this war should make us aware of the obligation we have to future generations.”
Third Question: Support for Science
“What can the government do today and in the future to support research activities undertaken by public and private organizations?
>
The appropriate role of public and private research and their interrelationship should be considered with great care and attention.”
Fourth Question: Looking for Scientific Talent
“Can an effective program be proposed to discover and develop the scientific talent of America’s youth, so that it will be possible to ensure the future continuity of scientific research in this country, at a level comparable to that achieved during the war?”
The Bush Report
On July 25, 1945, Vannevar Bush submitted a pivotal 25-page report titled Science, the Infinite Frontier to President Harry Truman (following Roosevelt’s passing on April 12, 1945). This report not only responded to the president’s inquiries but also outlined a strategic vision for U.S. science policy. Bush envisioned the establishment of a federal research agency—the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The Bush Report emphasized placing the advancement of scientific knowledge at the forefront of government policy, a concept that still holds significant relevance in the 21st century. Its core objective was to position the United States as the leading scientific power globally.
The Safety of Money
Before the Bush Report, the United States had awarded 17 Nobel Prizes in Medicine, Physics, and Chemistry. Following the report, this figure surged to 255, underscoring the document’s transformative impact on American science.
The report elucidates that a nation reliant on external sources for its scientific knowledge faces sluggish industrial growth and weakened competitiveness in global trade. It advocates for a national science program supported by stable funding that requires a governing body composed of individuals experienced in scientific research.
“Our future as a nation depends in large part on how wisely we apply this (science) in the war against disease, in creating new industries, and in strengthening our military.”
Promote Basic Science
Eighty years ago, the Bush Report championed the necessity of nurturing basic science: “A nation that depends on others to obtain its new basic scientific knowledge will have slow industrial progress…”, while simultaneously recognizing the importance of industrial research.
In essence, Vannevar Bush’s vision and the policies he proposed have cultivated a legacy that continues to influence contemporary scientific and educational landscapes in the United States.