Research is vital
By Bennett Link, Ph.D. - 10/02/08
Our nation faces urgent challenges that can be addressed only through focused, well-funded scientific research and its application to the development of new technologies.
As the presidential election approaches, I urge voters to compare the candidates’ science policies, and to ask which policies best address our country’s needs.
The cost of energy is an urgent problem in Montana. Senator Obama proposes to double federal funding of energy research over the next decade to develop clean, efficient and renewable energy technology that we and future generations can depend on; for details, see barackobama.com. By contrast, Senator McCain proposes to maintain funding of research for alternative energy at its current inadequate level and to increase domestic drilling. Senator McCain is proposing largely temporary, environmentally destructive solutions that do not adequately address the simple fact that the world is running out of oil.
The strength and focus of Senator Obama’s science and technology policies have gained overwhelming support from the scientific community. In a strong statement that cannot be ignored, 61 Nobel Laureates recently endorsed Senator Obama’s strong commitment to science, technology and innovation to meet the nation’s challenges and to drive economic growth.
Bennett Link, Ph.D., Astrophysics
1110 N. Spruce Drive Bozeman
As the presidential election approaches, I urge voters to compare the candidates’ science policies, and to ask which policies best address our country’s needs.
The cost of energy is an urgent problem in Montana. Senator Obama proposes to double federal funding of energy research over the next decade to develop clean, efficient and renewable energy technology that we and future generations can depend on; for details, see barackobama.com. By contrast, Senator McCain proposes to maintain funding of research for alternative energy at its current inadequate level and to increase domestic drilling. Senator McCain is proposing largely temporary, environmentally destructive solutions that do not adequately address the simple fact that the world is running out of oil.
The strength and focus of Senator Obama’s science and technology policies have gained overwhelming support from the scientific community. In a strong statement that cannot be ignored, 61 Nobel Laureates recently endorsed Senator Obama’s strong commitment to science, technology and innovation to meet the nation’s challenges and to drive economic growth.
Bennett Link, Ph.D., Astrophysics
1110 N. Spruce Drive Bozeman
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crush720 wrote on Oct 2, 2008 8:38 AM:
It seems that many world leaders are cutting funding of research in other areas in favor of large funding increases for energy development.
Clearly, energy development is not the only important area of research. Moreover, striping funding from areas outside the political arena has already been felt by the scientific community. Fewer and fewer are entering the academic field choosing to earn a living rather than barely scrape by from grant to grant.
I'm not saying that clean energy research is unimportant, but I think we must look at the big picture here and what is happening as science becomes more and more politicized. "