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Commentary: How a new president can advance science -- and the U.S. economy

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon: October 20, 2008 - The political campaigns for state and national office have focused on how the candidates will address many important topics. Among them are stabilizing and growing the economy, protecting the environment, addressing the rising cost of food, reforming health care, strengthening education, preserving national security and promoting affordable energy.

What is missing is a critical discussion of how the candidates will use science to develop solutions to these challenges that will insure a sound future for our nation.

This is not good news for communities, such as ours, that are working toward a knowledge-based economy, or for the economic competitiveness of our nation as a whole. Missouri is going through a remarkable transformation that will, if successful, create new jobs in the plant and life sciences, including in bioenergy and biomaterials, medical devices, communications technologies, agriculture and high-precision manufacturing. Whether we in the heartland will achieve our goals depends in large part on how firmly the next president embraces science when setting policies that will affect our future.

We need leadership that:

  1. Puts education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics as the highest priority, including in technical schools and colleges. We must prepare teachers of the highest quality to lead a resurgence in science and mathematics. An educated workforce will drive U.S. innovation that will lead the world in building sustainable living and environmental protection.
  2. Selects a White House science adviser of the highest caliber and integrity to be a member of his inner circle, perhaps on a Cabinet level.
  3. Restores our commitment to a healthy environment that considers clean, renewable and affordable energy essential to gaining energy independence and as a key component of reducing emission of greenhouse gases.
  4. Commits to an economic policy that makes investments in science and technology a priority in the coming years of economic recovery.

How do we determine which candidate is most likely to adopt these kinds of strategies? Earlier this year, a group of more than 35,000 scientists and engineers hoped that the national candidates would engage in a "science debate." Unfortunately, such a debate never happened. However, the McCain and Obama campaigns recently answered 14 important questions presented to them. Not surprisingly, their answers are markedly different. Sen. Barack Obama focuses on the role that government can play in directing our country to economic success through innovation powered by education. Sen. John McCain indicated he would rely more on private enterprise to "pull solutions" generated by an educated society.
Although both candidates want to protect scientific research in their budgets, a good indicator that they are aware of the importance of science, their stance on other important issues varies significantly. Perhaps we also should ask the statewide candidates in Missouri to answer similar questions. Responses to the 14 questions can be found at ScienceDebate2008.com. I hope that you will read their answers before casting your vote. Our economy, well-being and security may rest on it.

Roger Beachy is the president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, one of the largest independent research institutes devoted to plant science and agricultural biotechnology in the world. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and considered by many to be a founding father of agricultural biotechnology.