American research does not know the crisis

American research does not know the crisis. In 2007, Uncle Sam has injected a total near $ 368 billion (EUR 249 billion) in R & D, 100 billion more than the Europe of the twenty - seven. This record amount aggregate spending of all American actors: companies, Federal Government, foundations, universities, colleges, non-governmental organizations (see illustration). Companies are by far the first contributor and continue to invest heavily in R & D. Last year, they have injected more than 245 billion in this position, up from $ 227 billion the previous year. In real terms (constant 2000 dollars), this increase represents a decade of billions of dollars more for essentially the development and technological innovation. But the current financial crisis could reverse an upward trend, verified continuously for a decade. "In 2008 and much more in 2009, US firms in R & D spending should decrease," anticipating Patrick Bernier, representative of CNRS at the France Embassy in Washington.

The situation is very worrying for academic research, funded by public funds. For his last year at the joysticks, the Bush administration has carved out the bright: 98.3 billion in 2007 according to data from the National Science Foundation (August 2008). This amount, which seems comfortable seen of France, is in reality barely higher than 2006 (97.7 billion). In constant dollars (adjusted for inflation), it was a decline of approximately $ 1.6 billion that affects many disciplines. "In some laboratories of physics, this slump is considered drama." "This means a drop in the hiring of the post-doc," judge Patrick Bernier.

Dependence of foreign

Scientific universities are very dependent on foreign post-docs who turn their labs, and a fall in credits translates into an immediate freeze of hiring. It is particularly clear in certain disciplines such as biology or the information technologies, where foreign students came from India, China and South Korea represent more than half of the workforce of university laboratories.

The breakdown of the U.S. research budget remains somewhat opaque and the available data are sometimes contradictory. It must be searched in documents of the NSF and the AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) to discover a subject that Washington refers to demi-mot: the share of federal R & D budget that file directly into the pockets of businesses.

In 2007, the Federal State injected about $ 141 billion in R & D. But nearly 56 of this ($79 billion) cash was used to irrigate the military research, and an important part of this amount colossal is siphoned off by the American defence industry. According to the specialist of the AAAS Kei Koizumi, which analyzes all the intricacies of the federal budget year research: 40 of the total federal is allocated to companies, and the majority of the Department of Defense (DoD) appropriations for R & D landed in industry Labs. In 2006, they have thus recovered not far from 46 billion dollars in subsidies and aid to technological development.

Asia risk

Despite these considerable challenges, research is rarely mentioned in election campaigns. Traditionally, American scientists vote Democrat. And the candidates spend little time and energy to convince a community whose intentions are known in advance. This year, several major scientific institutions yet mobilized to educate candidates. In a few weeks, more than smics questions () that bother them American researchers have collected and submitted to Barack Obama and John McCain. American researchers fear the rise of the Asian risk, lack of interest of young people for careers in science, the decrease of appropriations and, above all, the loss of attractiveness of the country, which remains the land of choice for researchers. To attract attention, they used an argument that French researchers would do well to ponder: "science and technology are responsible for half of the economic growth of the United States." Will what measures you take to ensure that the United States remains the world leader in innovation

For the moment, only the Democratic candidate has responded to fourteen series of questions asked by the US scientific community. Without resistance, Obama said that he "intend to make the R & D one of the keys to its mandate priorities". It notably plans to double funding for basic research in many strategic judged disciplines (physics, life, mathematics and engineering sciences). Obama has also promised to strengthen the education of the young Americans in scientific fields, is committed to invest $ 5 billion in an international bioterrorism surveillance plan. He also wished to facilitate research on stem cells and recognizes that the good health of the oceans is crucial to the global ecosystem and the need to revitalize Nasa, which must "be open to the private sector and contribute to the growth of the country." No doubt, at the time where the financial system falters on its foundations, the US political world expects research and science that they restore the morale in the country.