February 2025

The Science and Technology Action Committee (STAC), a group of 25 nonprofit, academic, foundation, and corporate leaders working to strengthen U.S. science and technology, recently released Vision for American Science and Technology (VAST), a roadmap with avenues for scientific discovery and technological innovation.

STAC, chaired by Bill Novelli (Georgetown University, AARP), Sudip Parikh (American Association for the Advancement of Science), Mary Woolley (Research!America), and Keith Yamamoto (University of California, San Francisco), released the vision and recommendations on February 25.

Work began in August 2024 on a brief, nonpartisan document intended to provide the new administration and Congress with a blueprint for science looking ahead.

A VAST letter states, “Without a strong compass and rapid action, America’s primacy in science and technology will be lost and we will be unable to confront rising threats to our security, our prosperity, and our wellbeing. . . . We offer a vision of a future state in which American science and technology can continue to serve our country. We provide bold avenues for actions that will be new and sometimes disruptive, but not destructive.”

The full vision, which is available on VASTfuture.org, describes three avenues for action:

1. Unleash the full power of America’s science and technology enterprise by reducing inefficiencies and breaking down barriers that hinder progress today;
2. Build and empower the strongest and most adaptable workforce in human history to benefit our people and sustain our leadership as science and technology innovators; and
3. Drive breakthroughs, advance global competitiveness, address societal challenges, and strengthen our national security with commitments to fundamental discovery research, applied, research, and research infrastructure.

For more information, visit the VAST website or email info@sciencetechaction.org.