Leadership in innovation is essential to U.S. prosperity and security. In a global,knowledge-driven economy, technological innovation—the transformation of newknowledge into products, processes, and services of value to society—is critical tocompetitiveness, long-term productivity growth, and an improved quality of life.Preeminence in technological innovation depends on a wide array of factors, oneof which is leadership in engineering research, education, and practice. A threedecade-long decline in the share of federal investment in research and developmentdevoted to engineering and a perceived erosion of basic, long-term engineeringresearch capability in U.S. industry and federal laboratories have raised serious questionsabout the long-term health of engineering research in the United States. Thisbook illustrates the critical role of engineering research in maintaining U.S. technologicalleadership; documents major challenges and opportunities facing the U.S.engineering research enterprise; and offers specific recommendations for leaders infederal and state government, industry, and universities to help strengthen U.S.engineering research in the face of intensifying global competition.

Leadership in innovation is essential to U.S. prosperity and security. In a global,knowledge-driven economy, technological innovation—the transformation of newknowledge into products, processes, and services of value to society—is critical tocompetitiveness, long-term productivity growth, and an improved quality of life.Preeminence in technological innovation depends on a wide array of factors, oneof which is leadership in engineering research, education, and practice. A threedecade-long decline in the share of federal investment in research and developmentdevoted to engineering and a perceived erosion of basic, long-term engineeringresearch capability in U.S. industry and federal laboratories have raised serious questionsabout the long-term health of engineering research in the United States. Thisbook illustrates the critical role of engineering research in maintaining U.S. technologicalleadership; documents major challenges and opportunities facing the U.S.engineering research enterprise; and offers specific recommendations for leaders infederal and state government, industry, and universities to help strengthen U.S.engineering research in the face of intensifying global competition.

Leadership in innovation is essential to U.S. prosperity and security. In a global,knowledge-driven economy, technological innovation—the transformation of newknowledge into products, processes, and services of value to society—is critical tocompetitiveness, long-term productivity growth, and an improved quality of life.Preeminence in technological innovation depends on a wide array of factors, oneof which is leadership in engineering research, education, and practice. A threedecade-long decline in the share of federal investment in research and developmentdevoted to engineering and a perceived erosion of basic, long-term engineeringresearch capability in U.S. industry and federal laboratories have raised serious questionsabout the long-term health of engineering research in the United States. Thisbook illustrates the critical role of engineering research in maintaining U.S. technologicalleadership; documents major challenges and opportunities facing the U.S.engineering research enterprise; and offers specific recommendations for leaders infederal and state government, industry, and universities to help strengthen U.S.engineering research in the face of intensifying global competition.