The United States has been a world leader in science and engineering for the last seven decades. The nation’s successes in these fields have been driven largely by federally funded fundamental research performed at colleges and universities. Today, other nations, especially China, are investing just as much or more money into research and development, and if current trends continue, China may invest $200 billion a year more in R&D than the U.S. by 2030. Victor McCrary, vice chair of the National Science Board, will discuss the federal government’s vision for the future of science and engineering in the U.S. and how the U.S. can remain the world innovation leader in 2030.
Author Bio: Victor McCrary is vice president for research and graduate programs at the University of the District of Columbia. Prior to joining the university, he was vice chancellor for research at the University of Tennessee and the first vice president for research and economic development at Morgan State University. A renowned physical chemist, he has served on numerous committees across the United States, including the Intelligence Science and Technology Experts Group of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine; the advisory board for electrical and computer engineering at The Citadel; and the advisory board of the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State. McCrary was appointed to the National Science Board by President Barack Obama in 2016 and named vice chair in 2020.