The State of the Science
Issues in Science and Technology
An award-winning journal devoted to the best ideas and writing on policy related to science, technology, and society.
Modern US presidents almost invariably describe the state of the union as “strong” in their annual address to Congress. As a scientist, when Marcia McNutt delivered her State of the Science address earlier this year, she naturally took “a hard look at data to get an informed assessment of the health of the US research enterprise and current trends in science leadership.”
What she found is that US science is indeed strong—but action is required to address competition from China, declining federal investment in science, and a decrease in public trust of science and scientists. McNutt identifies the core challenges that the research community must tackle to ensure that American science remains strong. And in the Fall 2024 edition of Issues, members of the community respond to her challenge.
Essays in this issue examine different aspects of the scientific enterprise. Juliana (Jewel) Kling, MD, MPH, MACP, MSCP, IF , Sara Hill Collina , and Lindy Elkins-Tanton aim to reverse the neglect of women’s sexual health in research and clinical practice. Amanda Ballantyne , Jodi Forlizzi , and Crystal W. make the case that labor unions should be much more involved in technology research, development, and deployment.
Terry Yosie offers ideas for updating how the US Environmental Protection Agency does science, and Natalie Aviles describes a unique group of scientist-bureaucrats who innovate in the public interest. Both authors see government science and its role in policy entering a period of uncertainty after the Supreme Court ruling on the Chevron doctrine earlier this year.
To read these and other fascinating essays—including the initial results from our survey of who does science and technology policy—and see astonishing artwork from Xavier Cortada , Dr. Imo Nse Imeh , and a group of fiber artists, subscribe to the print edition of Issues today.
Announcing Future Tense Fiction
We are thrilled to announce a new collaboration with the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University.
Future Tense Fiction is a speculative fiction series that leverages imagination to explore how science and technology will shape our future. It features short stories that are written by acclaimed authors across a wide range of styles.??
Each story is paired with original artwork and a response essay from an expert who connects the fictional narrative to real-world policy debates.?
In this month’s story, “Parasocial ,”?Monica Byrne envisions a future where celebrities can license their image—and their bodies—to an ambitious hologram start-up. The story dissects a novel legal and technological space, raising questions about what it means to sign away one’s image to the highest bidder.
What if we could all sell holographic versions of ourselves? In response to Byrne’s story,?Vance Ricks explores the psychological and privacy risks of a future that may be closer than you think .