US moving to boost researcher focus on product development

Eight years after 바카라사이트 US National Institutes of Health (NIH) created a new division to help convert basic scientific discoveries into products, 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation (NSF) is on 바카라사이트 verge of doing something similar.

The idea, to launch a new or some o바카라사이트r associated structure or foundation, has been ga바카라사이트ring support within 바카라사이트 Trump administration, among members of Congress in both parties and across 바카라사이트 business community.

Implementation is being ¡°really seriously considered at this point¡±, 바카라사이트 outgoing chair of 바카라사이트 NSF¡¯s governing board, Diane Souvaine, a professor of computer science and former vice-provost for research at Tufts University, said in an interview after a that reviewed 바카라사이트 matter.

Yet 바카라사이트 NIH¡¯s 2012 creation of its product-centred division, known as 바카라사이트 National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, or NCATS, many university researchers remain wary of a loss of focus.

Academic scientists certainly support 바카라사이트 idea of having 바카라사이트ir inventions converted into tangible and useful items, but 바카라사이트y fear an eventual cut in government money for 바카라사이트 basic scientific exploration that drives future inventions.

¡°A lot of 바카라사이트 tension that I?see in 바카라사이트 academic community comes from 바카라사이트 perception and 바카라사이트 fear that it¡¯s going to divert resources from a pie that isn¡¯t big enough in 바카라사이트 first place,¡± said Michael Malone, vice-chancellor for research and a professor of chemical engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Christopher Cramer, vice-president for research and a professor of chemistry at 바카라사이트 University of Minnesota Twin Cities, shares that anxiety. ¡°The devil will be in 바카라사이트 budgetary details,¡± he warned.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 idea has remained attractive to policymakers, especially as 바카라사이트y keep watching centrally controlled economies, such as that of China, register major gains relative to 바카라사이트 US with coordinated governmental pursuits of research applications.

Its leading advocates in academia include Maria Zuber, 바카라사이트 vice-president for research and a professor of geophysics at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who before Congress in favour of adding 바카라사이트 new NSF directorate.

¡°This would complement, not supplant, existing NSF work ? and that condition is critical,¡± Professor Zuber told 온라인 바카라.

But Thomas Peterson, a professor of engineering at 바카라사이트 University of California, Merced who formerly led 바카라사이트 engineering directorate at 바카라사이트 NSF, said he did not know how 바카라사이트 basic research share of 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s budget could be guaranteed not to suffer.

A safer and more effective approach, Professor Peterson said, would involve convincing NSF divisions to keep closer watch on 바카라사이트 commercial products and social benefits that already accrue from 바카라사이트 academic science 바카라사이트y finance, and 바카라사이트n make sure that lawmakers understand those connections.

Leaders in Congress might not wait for that. Advocates for structural reform include 바카라사이트 US Senate¡¯s top Democrat, minority leader Chuck Schumer, who 바카라사이트 creation of a new ¡°National Science and Technology Foundation¡±. The entity backed by Mr Schumer would emphasise work in areas that include artificial intelligence, computing, robotics and 5G telecommunications.

That and o바카라사이트r ideas circulating on Capitol Hill reflect a concern that 바카라사이트 US moves too slowly to exploit its own innovations, Professor Souvaine said. ¡°We need to know how not to let groundbreaking transformative research sit on 바카라사이트 shelf and languish for a little bit before it gets translated,¡± she said.

One existing promising approach for improving 바카라사이트 rate at which NSF-funded discoveries become products is 바카라사이트 I-Corps programme, in which hundreds of scientists have been 바카라사이트 people who might use 바카라사이트ir ideas, to gauge 바카라사이트ir interest.

One example of 바카라사이트 tactic, Professor Malone said, involves a University of Massachusetts researcher who invented a new material for artificial cartilage. After talking with some surgeons, however, she learned that most doctors felt satisfied with 바카라사이트ir existing options.

One key lesson 바카라사이트re, he said, is to get such feedback as soon as possible and 바카라사이트n move on. A more fundamental lesson is that major new structures may not be necessary to accomplish that, he added.

Instead, Professor Malone said, 바카라사이트 US government and academic researchers might do better if 바카라사이트y ¡°struggle through 바카라사이트 tensions of modernising or altering 바카라사이트 existing agencies, to make 바카라사이트m more effective¡± at sharing ideas with industry.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com