Materials proficiency for national progress
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Materials Proficiency for National Progress
W.O.
BAKER
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A s s o c i e t y m o v e s t o w a r d a n e w e r a of i m p r o v i n g t h e q u a l i t y of l i f e , t h e r e q u i r e d t e c h n o l o g i c a l a d v a n c e s c a l l f o r m a t e r i a I s s y s t e m s a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h t h e i n t e r a c t i o n of m a t e r i a l s s c i e n c e a n d e n g i n e e r i n g w i t h d e s i g n . A t i s s u e i s t h e r o l e of t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r - i n d u s t r y and the u n i v e r s i t i e s . The following p a p e r r e v i e w s the r e c e n t m o v e s t o w a r d g o v e r n m e n t c o n t r o l of e m e r g i n g m a t e r i a l s p o l i c i e s , and d i s c u s s e s p o l i t i c a l f o r c e s f a v o r i n g s u c h i n t e r v e n t i o n . The a u t h o r s u g g e s t s that the p r i v a t e s e c t o r can r e d u c e the p r e s s u r e for p u b l i c c o n t r o l b y t a k i n g t h e i n i t i a t i v e , b y p r o d u c i n g n e e d e d i n n o v a t i o n s t h r o u g h u s e of computer-aided design and modern, realistic ideas about "imperfect" matter.
THE great public expectations for science and t e c h n o l o g y h a v e s h i f t e d in t h e l a s t d e c a d e . T h e m i d c e n t u r y s u r g e , i m p e l l e d by d e f e n s e c h a l l e n g e s , r e a c h e d o v e r i n t o t h e s p a c e p r o g r a m and m i x e d e c o n o m i c s with e n g i n e e r i n g , technology and e v e n s c i e n c e . This gave a grand illusion that research and development, d o m i n a t e d by f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t s p e n d i n g and adm i n i s t r a t i o n , w e r e a s s u r e d p a t h w a y s to a c h i e v i n g the w o n d r o u s , and e v e n the i m p o s s i b l e ! But a p e a c e f u l society, eventually and u n e a s i l y attained, n e v e r t h e l e s s d o e s not c o m m i t its r e s o u r c e s to o r f i n d s a t i s f a c t i o n s in m o n o l i t h i c t e c h n i c a l p r o g r a m s l i k e m i s s i l e s o r s p a c e . R a t h e r , it s e e k s a
m a r k e t - g u i d e d q u a l i t y of l i f e . T h i s n o w a d a y s m u s t i n c l u d e v a s t s y s t e m s of t e c h n o l o g y , s u c h a s e n e r g y , transport, public health, ecology and environment, c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , a n d s o f o r t h . But e v e n in t h e s e a r e n a s , t h e t o t a l p u b l i c p o s i t i o n i s not g i v e n b y n a t i o n a l p o l i c y , b u t m o r e by t h e s u m of a h u g e n u m b e r of i n d i v i d u a l p r e f e r e n c e s a n d j u d g m e n t s . T h e s e goals, along with the w e l l - e s t a b l i s h e d m a r kets for food, clothing, housing, e n t e r t a i n m e n t , c o m m u n i c a t i o n and, indeed, the a r t s , a r e g e n e r a l l y what A m e r i c a n i n d u s t r y t r i e s t o r e a c h in b e h a l f of i t s c o n s u m e r s a n d s p o n s o r s . B u t t h e f u n c t i o n s t h a t h a v e to be provided are primarily highly personalized,
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