The US National Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine have released an update to the 2005 “Rising Above the Gathering Storm” report. The release of the new report coincides with the expiration of the America COMPETES bill, which was a result of recommendations given in the 2005 version.
Norman Augustine, a former CEO of Lockheed Martin corporation, chaired the 17-member committee that authored the “Gathering Storm” update. While it recognizes that US lawmakers did indeed implement some of the 2005 report’s recommendations, the new report blames a lack of funding and implementation for a worsening of the country’s competitiveness in basic scientific research and education.
According to Nature News, the report states: “In spite of efforts of both those in government and the private sector, the outlook for America to compete for quality jobs has further deteriorated over the past five years.”
The 104-page report, entitled “Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited: Rapidly Approaching Category 5,” can be downloaded from the National Academies Press website.
[Source: Nature News]
