Science the Endless Frontier - A Report to the President (Bush, 1945)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Vannevar Bush's Science the Endless Frontier (1945), including the proposed National Research Foundation, the Five Fundamentals, divisions, policy on publication and declassification, and strategies for rebuilding scientific talent after wartime.

Five Fundamentals

Five basic principles guiding government support for science: stable funding over years; an independent agency with non-governmental Members; funding research via contracts/grants (not running labs); basic research should stay under institutions’ control; agency responsible to the President and Congress.

National Research Foundation

Proposed independent federal agency to promote basic research, develop scientific talent in youth, coordinate military and civilian research, and oversee long-range scientific programs.

National Research Foundation Members

Nine individuals, not connected to government, selected for their interest and capacity to promote science, serving four-year terms with no immediate reappointment.

Director of the National Research Foundation

Executive officer who handles fiscal, legal, and administrative functions under the Foundation, reporting to the Members.

Divisions of the National Research Foundation

Five professional divisions created to organize funding and programs: Medical Research; Natural Sciences; National Defense; Scientific Personnel and Education; Publications and Scientific Collaboration.

Division of Medical Research

NF Division dedicated to supporting medical research across universities, medical schools, and related institutes.

Division of Natural Sciences

NF Division supporting research in physical and natural sciences.

Division of National Defense

NF Division funding long-range scientific research on military matters to strengthen national defense.

Division of Scientific Personnel and Education

NF Division that oversees scholarships and fellowships to develop scientific talent.

Division of Publications and Scientific Collaboration

NF Division promoting dissemination of scientific knowledge and international information exchange.

Patent Policy (NRF context)

Foundation policy to protect public interests: government typically receives a royalty-free license for governmental use; no absolute requirement to patent; policy flexible by director/division.

Publication and Declassification in Reconversion

Efforts to publish wartime scientific information and declassify material once safe, ensuring wide dissemination and international coordination.

Board to Control Release (Declassification Board)

A board of scientists and military officers authorized to declassify and approve publication of information currently classified.

Lid Must Be Lifted

Policy stance advocating release of wartime scientific information to the public as soon as it no longer endangers security.

Coordination of Information Release

Coordinated planning to prevent uneven release across agencies and to work with allies on shared information.

International Exchange of Scientific Information

Promotion of global sharing of scientific findings through congresses, translations, fellowships, and exchanges.

Centers of Basic Research

Universities, colleges, and endowed research institutes that primarily conduct basic, foundational science.

Basic Research vs Applied Research

Basic research seeks fundamental knowledge without immediate practical ends; applied research aims to solve specific problems and commercialize results.

Role of Government in Science

Government should foster new frontiers, support basic research, coordinate national programs, and maintain freedom of inquiry.

Freedom of Inquiry

Core principle that research should be pursued freely without undue restriction, preserving curiosity-driven exploration.

Science Advisory Board (permanent)

Proposed stable body to advise the President and Congress on policy, budgets, and coordination of scientific research across agencies.

Centers of Basic Research vs Industry/Government Labs

Universities and institutes provide greater freedom for fundamental discovery, while industry/government focus more on applied work.

The Means to the End

The plan to establish a single over-all mechanism (National Research Foundation) to unify, fund, and guide science policy and research.

New Agency Recommendation

Proposal to establish a dedicated, independent agency to support basic research, science education, and military-related long-range research.

Cost and Scale of a Federal Science Program

Estimated initial funding around $10 million, rising to about $50 million annually within ~5 years to support basic and applied research.

Salvaging Scientific Talent in Uniform

Policy to identify and transition military personnel with scientific potential back into civilian scientific roles after or during service.

Moe Committee Recommendations

Appendix-based plan proposing undergraduate scholarships (24,000) and graduate fellowships (900) with a total indicative cost around $30 million annually to build scientific talent.

War Against Disease – In War vs In Peace

Demonstrated that basic medical research, vaccines, and treatments (e.g., penicillin, sulfa drugs) are essential to national welfare and require ongoing public funding.

National Security Through Science

Emphasizes sustained civilian-led military research, with government coordination but preservation of freedom for basic science.