The Effect of Foreign Science Policy on U.S. Research

Increased emphasis on strengthening national scientific communities has been seen around the world in recent decades. The US scientific community will feel the effects. The global scientific landscape has changed. Over the past decade many governments became convinced that their economic futures lay with knowledge-based economies in which research is central. Governments sought to strengthen national research, swiftly building capability and fostering a sharper competitive culture. As a result, foreign scientific communities have become more competitive and publication output increased. From within the fast-paced US research community these changes may be little noticed, their significance obscure. The effects of these changes have been easy to underestimate because the size of the US scientific enterprise still dwarfs that of any other country. Nevertheless, in aggregate these shifts are beginning to have an impact on US research.