Time for an Update: The Fundamental Framework for Managing Science and Technology, Which has Changed Little Since the 1940S, Needs to Adapt to What has Become a Very Different World (Science Policy Tools‪)‬

A11 of us involved in science and technology (S&T) policy are fond of commenting on the increasing pace of change, the upheavals caused by novel technologies and expanded scientific understanding, and the unprecedented challenges to Earth's resources and natural systems. Yet we typically find ourselves responding to these developments within the conceptual framework established by Vannevar Bush more than 60 years ago. From time to time, we need to step back from the specific challenges we face to reflect on the effectiveness of the assumptions, the strategies, and the institutions that shape our responses. Does the policy framework that underlies the U.S. S&T enterprise need to be updated? My short answer is that many things need to change if the United States is to continue to be a leader in S&T and ensure that the American people are the beneficiaries. Government agencies and many other institutions are of a different era and ill-equipped to function well in todays world. But to that I would add several caveats: Positive change is very hard to bring about in this system and usually comes slowly; there are fundamental elements of the Vannevar Bush philosophy that should be protected; and in the U.S. political system, especially at this moment in time, we should be careful what we ask for! With those provisos in mind, I will offer a few suggestions for policy changes that are feasible and would help move the country forward.