Contribution by Pim de Boer
In May 2019, the Task Force on American Innovation (TFAI) published a benchmark report and advice on a commitment to increase federal investments in scientific research and education. TFAI is a non-partisan alliance of leading American companies and business associations, research university associations, and scientific societies. The report: “Second Place America? Increasing Challenges to U.S. Scientific Leadership” points out that during the past decade the USA has been lagging and is no longer the first in research investments like computers and nanotechnology sciences, research publications, filing patents and attraction of foreign students and talents. Other countries like China and for some aspects, South Korea, India or the European Union have taken over first place. The advice is to have a national strategy to address these issues, increase the federal research budget, introduce dedicated top talent programmes and stimulate the intersectoral collaboration.
