America’s Science Drain

Re “When Science Flees the U.S.,” Commentary, Nov. 29: There are some realistic solutions not mentioned by David Baltimore in his timely and important commentary. Yes, other nations are catching up and may surpass the U.S. in science and technology. And yes, our national security, health and welfare are at stake.

It is time for this nation to move into a Sputnik-type crisis mode as it did decades ago. We solved the problem then, and we can do it again.

There are many solutions, but why not focus resources on those that are already proving successful? Large federal programs, such as those at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, are bringing thousands of talented undergraduates into the research pipeline by providing fellowships and support. Projects through the No Child Left Behind: Improving Teacher Quality program, the California Science Project and others are bringing thousands of K-12 youngsters into the research pipeline at a very early age.

I can speak firsthand because I’ve been dedicated to some of these programs for decades. Expanding these sorts of programs with much greater resources will help assure that our U.S. youngsters and U.S. immigrants get involved in U.S. science.

The national security, health and welfare depend upon it.

Steven B. Oppenheimer

Trustees Outstanding

Professor, California

State University system

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Baltimore’s article on science is by default a sad commentary on our corporate-hedonist culture that breeds mediocrity, misplaced values and pretentious claims. Though our universities continue to be the envy of the world, our complacence seems worrisome.

Demise of dissent, lack of respect for seniority and scholarship, and the pernicious politics of diversity have only generated a dysfunctional culture that is hardly conducive to epistemic growth. Science without a higher purpose is a monstrous instrumentality of self-destruction.

Academic institutions must therefore help build systems of knowledge that are universally productive. This might resolve some of the newest challenges of globalism.

Brij Mohan

Professor, Louisiana State

University, Baton Rouge

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Will Baltimore explain how the United States became “the world’s biggest beneficiary of the global economy”? By exploitation? By intimidation? By bribing the corrupt foreign heads of state? By blackmailing? By political assassinations? I am sure he is as vivid a follower of political history as he is of scientific innovations!

Tammanur Pattabhiraman

Pasadena

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Baltimore’s commentary on science education in the United States raises a real problem but is wildly off on the cause and cure.

He attacks parents for being too easy on their children. Not true and not relevant.

The real problem is that taxpayer revolts have starved the schools of money, and “back to basics” programs like the No Child Left Behind Act have redirected what money there is away from science education. Then too many universities compound the problem by leaving science education to underpaid, overworked temporary faculty or graduate students, so that the senior faculty can concentrate on research.

E.N. Anderson

San Bernardino

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Baltimore is spending too much time in his ivory towers and not much time earning a living. Whether in science or factories, it is the same story -- workers are going downhill.

The difference now for U.S. workers and the rest of the world is that workers here reached the pinnacle some time back. Workers in Asia and Europe are still reaching their pinnacle. They can work hard to get ahead. In their expanding economy, there is room for job growth.

In the U.S., workers may dream of spas, but few can afford them. The idea of working hard and getting ahead has become you’re lucky to have a job, so don’t expect a raise, benefits or an increase in your standard of living. Most workers are seeing their real salaries go down. They work hard and live vicariously, watching the corporate heads enjoy the spas and the profits from their labor.

It’s difficult to motivate the workforce with threats and disincentives.

Baltimore also fails to mention the salary gap in this country as compared with the rest of the world. Corporate heads in the U.S. reap astronomical rewards while their Asian and European counterparts are content to stay in the stratosphere.

If Baltimore yearns for the days of late hours, hard work and problem-solving, then workers need to see the rewards for those investments.

Robert Cohen

Santa Barbara