Strengthening the U.S. Research Enterprise

Skip to main content

Strengthening the U.S. Research Enterprise

A strong research enterprise drives innovation and economic growth, improves Americans’ health and well-being, and protects our national security. The National Academies help the nation maintain a healthy and vital research system – recommending ways to strengthen U.S. leadership in science, offering guidance to protect the integrity of research, and supporting efforts to train a STEM workforce for the jobs of tomorrow.

Featured

An Enduring Guide to Responsible Research Gets an Update

Students questioning professor in classroom

Congress and Federal Health Agencies Should Take Steps to Better Align U.S. Investment in New Disease Therapies With Americans’ Unmet Medical Needs

The Science and Practice of Team Science

Interactive

New Report Lays Out Long-Term Vision for Particle Physics, Says U.S. Should Begin Development of the World’s Most Powerful Particle Collider

Welcoming International Talent Is Essential to American Prosperity

NAS, ASU Leaders on How Universities Drive U.S. Prosperity

Interview

Improving the Regulatory Efficiency and Reducing Administrative Workload to Strengthen Competitiveness and Productivity of U.S. Research

Consensus/Advisory Activity

From “Issues in Science and Technology”

“Issues” is a quarterly journal published by the National Academy of Sciences and Arizona State University

Don’t Rank Research Universities – Compare Them

The current system for comparing universities relies entirely on arbitrary rankings. An analytical framework for comparison can help.

View article

reopening research universities FEATURE - 16 9 ratio.jpg

Who Does Science and Technology Policy?

“Issues” ran a survey to gain a deeper understanding of the field of science and technology policy today, including career paths, motivations, activities, and opinions on how the field is changing.

View article

For a More Competitive U.S. Research Enterprise, the Work Begins Now

NAS President Marcia McNutt outlines how to keep the American scientific enterprise strong. With responses from Alexandra Fuentes, Matt Owens, James Manyika, J. Marshall Shepherd, and Stephanie J. Diem.

View article

Issues fall 2024 - 16 9 ratio.jpg

Ongoing Activities

The Strategic Council for Research Excellence, Integrity, and Trust

This council serves as a venue for multiple stakeholders to advance collectively the integrity, ethics, resilience, and effectiveness of the research enterprise, while at the same time preparing it for tomorrow's challenges.

View activity

council on research integrity - 16 9 ratio.jpg

Government-University-Industry-Philanthropy Research Roundtable

The roundtable focuses on the health of the U.S. R&D enterprise by providing a forum for leaders in science and technology from the federal government, academia, business, and philanthropy to discuss and take action on scientific matters of national and global consequence.

View activity

GUIPRR announcement - 16 9.jpg

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

As the flagship peer-reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences, PNAS is one of the world's most-cited and comprehensive multidisciplinary scientific journals, publishing more than 3,500 papers annually that span the biological, physical, and social sciences.

View activity

pnas - 16 9 ratio.jpg

New Voices in Sciences, Engineering and Medicine

This leadership program promotes collaboration among outstanding early- and mid-career scientists, engineers, and medical professionals during a two-year term of service. The program aims to expand the diversity of expertise engaged in the work of the National Academies while building a network of emerging U.S. leaders to address national and global challenges.

View activity

New Voices.jpg

Events

Innovative Models for STEM Workforce Development in Critical Technologies: Cross-disciplinary, Cross-sectoral Solutions

Symposium

Upcoming

January 29, 2026

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM (ET)

A man and woman at a electronics factory assembly line.

Rebalancing the Future Research Ecosystem: From Vision to Action

Workshop

Past

October 28 - 29, 2025

The Strategic Council for Research Excellence, Integrity, and Trust: Meeting 14

Meeting

Past

October 27, 2025

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Simplifying Research Regulations and Policies - Public Release Event

Webinar

Past

September 3, 2025

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)

Building Institutional Capacity for Public Engagement with Science

Webcast

Past

August 28, 2025

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM (ET)

Computing Breakthroughs and Innovation Patterns (Meeting # 1)

Meeting

Past

July 14, 2025

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Other Featured Topics

Our Work on Artificial Intelligence

As artificial intelligence increasingly becomes a part of daily life, the National Academies are advising the government on AI use, policy, ethics, and innovation. Explore our work, from the ethics of using facial recognition technology to improving pathways for women of color in tech.

View topic

AI theme card - 16 9 ratio.jpg

Our Work to Build a Robust Economy

An extensive body of work from the National Academies offers trusted, evidence-based advice to help build a stronger, more competitive U.S. economy. Discover our projects and activities aimed at spurring innovation, strengthening industrial capacity, modernizing America’s infrastructure, and developing a skilled technical workforce for the 21st century.

View topic

economy theme page card - 16 9 ratio.jpg

Subscribe to Email from the National Academies

Keep up with all of the activities, publications, and events by subscribing to free updates by email.