US physics research and education are in good shape but are having some growing pains, according to the recently‐issued Pake report. There are problems in administration, manpower utilization, advanced degrees, applied research and, most of all, financial support. The current budget squeeze is too tight; expenditures should increase by at least 21% a year until 1970.
National Academy of Sciences Physics Survey Committee
PHYSICS: SURVEY AND OUTLOOK, a report that assesses physics research and teaching in the United States and spells out requirements for future growth of the science, has been released by the National Academy of Sciences. The report is based on studies made during 1964 and 1965 by the Physics Survey Committee, an 18‐member group working under the auspices of NAS’s Committee on Science and Public Policy. The Physics Survey Committee was headed by George E. Pake, provost of Washington University in St. Louis and a member of the President’s Science Advisory Committee.
At the end of the turbulent 1960s, the postwar funding boom in US physics came to a crashing halt. The lessons learned then may be helpful to today’s physicists.
Interviews with 22 successful early-career physical scientists and engineers reveal that networking has been one of the most critical ways to nurture their careers.
An interview with a prominent member of the Marshallese diaspora delves into the ongoing impact of aboveground US nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific archipelago.
September 10, 2026 12:45 PM
This Content Appeared In
Volume 19, Number 4
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