Jiri Jonas, director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, spoke to congressional representatives in Washington, D.C., last fall at the invitation of the coalition. Jonas and Joe Lyding, UI professor of electrical and computer engineering, also attended a forum last spring that brought academic and business leaders from across the country together to meet with U.S. Senators. Informing the public about the positive impact of research on everyday living has been a rallying cry. Neal Lane, director of the National Science Foundation, repeatedly has called upon scientists to be advocates for their own research. We are all challenged to help correct this problem by getting the word out.
Federal funding is seen as a battle ground for the next five years.
It is difficult to predict how any one agency may do from year to year. Uncertainty appears certain. Everybody could take a haircut. This will be an on-going battle that we'll have to fight year in and year out.