On May 10, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a roundtable with senior representatives of academia, industry, and the federal government to exchange ideas about how to maximize the benefits of international science and technology collaboration while strengthening U.S. economic and national security. 

International cooperation accelerates research and development (R&D) that contributes to the health and well-being of the American people and informs solutions to global problems. At the same time, certain aspects of cooperation can have adverse effects on the integrity of the R&D enterprise and, in turn, on U.S. economic and national security.

The discussion among leaders of the research, foreign policy, and national security communities was aimed at establishing a shared awareness of the benefits and risks of international science and technology cooperation and creating cross-sector connections that will support further exploration of these issues.

“I was impressed by how much progress was made in a short time by the roundtable participants in better defining the issues that must be addressed in order to balance competing priorities of encouraging an open national research system consistent with American values while still protecting our economic competitiveness,” said National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt.  “We hope the discussion lays the foundation for ongoing dialogue, and we look forward to continuing to provide a forum to advance this conversation further.”