Arati Prabhakar, the director of the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, delivered a speech at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine on Jan. 7, where she underscored the need for the federal government to continue investing in research and development, Nextgov/FCW reported Wednesday.
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Addressing the Needs of the Public
Prabhakar said that although innovation is rightfully driven by the private sector, companies cannot be expected to carry out R&D specifically to address public needs.
“These are the responsibilities that government has for national security, the responsibility we have in health, the responsibility for energy and the environment and agriculture, for space and for education and for transportation and more,” the OSTP head pointed out.
Uncertainty in Public R&D
Prabhakar made the remarks amid what she described as the uncertainty in federally-funded R&D as the new administration comes in. President-elect Donald Trump has called for reductions in federal spending and has endorsed the establishment of an advisory body that would offer recommendations on how the government could save on costs, the Department of Government Efficiency.
In light of the possible changes that the Trump administration may introduce, the OSTP chief said, “[We’re] at a pivotal moment for federally-funded R&D,” adding that now is “an important time to get ready for the future.”