Priorities in Science
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lated Disciplines; and those priorities continue to be adhered to even today. However, the intense current interest in MS&E as a unified field was reinitiated by the NRC's report, Materials Science and EnBill R. Appleton gineering for the 1990s. This study began in 1985 and was made public at the Solid State Sciences Committee Forum in 1989. The report not only presented a comprehensive évaluation of the needs and opMS&E Response to the Call for portunities in MS&E but was also a There has been much discussion reSelf-Assessment tremendous unifying force that involved cently concerning the need and advisabilhundreds of materials scientists and engiity of assigning priorities in science. To the The materials science and engineering neers from industry, universities, and govscientist or engineer this is an uncomforta(MS&E) community has, in my opinion, ernment laboratories in its assessments ble trend because it requires value judgresponded to this call for self-assessment and conclusions. ments across complex disciplines, and the in an unprecedented manner that few choices often hinge more on social or écowould hâve predicted possible for such a Further efforts to focus and implement nomie policy than technical considérdiverse field. Astronomers recently rethe broad opportunities identified in the ations. ceived considérable attention for their ef- MS&E report led to the organization of forts to forge a consensus on major new This process is equally difficult for the four régional meetings held in the Eastern, projects in their report, A Décade ofDiscov- Southeastern, Midwestern, and Western policymakers and supporters of science, ery in Astronomy and Astrophysics. However, régions of the United States from March who are forced to allocate limited funds unlike astronomy, which is a comparawithout sufficient guidance. Nevertheless, through September 1990. Thèse régional tively uniform discipline, not only does many of science's top advisers are acmeetings involved over 400 scientists and MS&E encompass many disciplines engineers and produced four régional reknowledging the need for the science com(physics, chemistry, engineering, etc.), but ports. Thèse régional reports were further munity to participate in making some of its practitioners réside in a broad spectrum condensed by représentatives from the the hard choices. Both Frank Press, présiof society (industry, universities, govern- four meetings into A National Agenda In Madent of the National Academy of Sciences, ment laboratories, etc.). The latest effort and D. Allan Bromley, adviser to the Présiterials Scimceand Engineering.** from the MS&E community is contained in dent for science and technology and direcIt is interesting that the need for this réA National Agenda in Materials Science and tor of the Office of Science and Technology cent in-depth assessment was driven from Engineering. Not only does this report suc- the beginning by enlightened concern at Policy (OSTP), hâve called on the science cessfully focus the broad opportunities in community to respon
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