The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine through GUIPRR will convene a series of conversations exploring cross-sector perspectives and emerging opportunities for reimagining the U.S. research enterprise. The conversations may focus on system-level challenges affecting coordination, investment, and execution across the U.S. research enterprise and potential opportunities for improved alignment across research, workforce, and innovation systems among other areas. The output of the dialogues will include individually-authored essays for publication in venues such as Issues in Science and Technology.
The essays may address the following topical spaces:
Integrated research, engineering, and translation systems

• Improving coordination across discovery science, applied research, engineering development, and early-stage translation
• Examples of strategies to improve research efficiency through shared use of laboratory space, equipment, and core facilities, drawing on models used in industry and privately funded research organizations
• Exploring digitalization, automation, and AI-enabled tools to reduce friction in experimental workflows, data management, and reporting
• Exploring shared and precompetitive research and engineering platforms that lower overhead costs and promote collaboration
• Discussion of blended finance and shared-risk models that combine public, private, and philanthropic capital
• Addressing gaps in mid-stage and solutions-oriented research where traditional funding mechanisms are fragmented

Workforce development and regional capacity

• Redesigning workforce pathways that integrate education, research, engineering practice, and application
• Strengthening regional ecosystems linking universities, community colleges, applied research centers, and industry
• Potential indicators to monitor workforce supply, mobility, retention, and emerging risks

Regulatory, infrastructure, and data foundations

• Examples of strategies to align regulatory frameworks to support cross-sector research, engineering, and translation while managing risk
• Modernizing shared cyber, physical, and data infrastructure, including secure research environments
• Existing practices that support coordination, accountability, and public trust in data systems and indicators
• Examining institutional incentives and policies that affect space utilization, equipment sharing, and environmental footprint in research and engineering facilities