The U.S. lags in research

“The creation of physics is the shared heritage of all mankind. East and West, North and South have equally participated in it...”

These resounding words were spoken at a Nobel Prize Banquet by an unsung hero of Pakistan, Abdus Salam, recipient of a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979. A fairly young nation at that time, Pakistan produced one of the finest physicists of the 20th century.

Moving into the 21st century, many Asian countries have progressed in sciences and have emerged as global leaders in research. Inevitably, this has tipped the balance of the Nobel Prize itself, with a global shift from West to the East.

The United States for many decades has dominated the sciences but is now showing signs of diminished research performance. Overshadowed with political wars and domestic problems, the government and media outlets are inundated with meaningless rhetoric and narratives that obscure the real issues at hand.

Hence it is imperative that our nation, with all its potential, shift its focus on research so we can win back the sciences and stimulate industrial innovation, ensuring a sustainable future for job growth.