David Inouye on why basic research isn't a bridge to nowhere. The scientific community celebrated the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which prioritized US scientific understanding, competitiveness, and capacity by directing $3 billion to the National Science Foundation (NSF), including $2 billion for research and related activities. Part of the reason for the windfall was NSF's large backlog of unfunded but highly ranked proposals-something that complemented the stimulus act's emphasis on "shovel-ready" projects.
Read more, listen to the podcast and comment at http://www.esa.org/esablog/ecology-in-policy/picture-your-grant-on-the-hannity-show-david-inouye-on-why-basic-research-isn%E2%80%99t-a-bridge-to-nowhere/.
