Discover
/
Article

Physics and engineering in a free society: 3. The public

MAR 01, 1961
THE PUBLIC
Gerard Piel

How shall the universities of our free society meet the demand for quality and quantity in the scientific training of the next generation? That question has been well denned for our consideration by Julius Stratton. In the assignment of the next two speakers to the function of representing the interest of industry and of the public, respectively, there is just the barest hint that there might be an adversity of interest here. Since I have brought this possibility out in the open, I should assure you at once of my conviction that what is good for the US is good for General Motors. Moreover, I am willing to go the distance with the former Secretary of Defense and declare that the same is true vice versa—necessarily so in the long run. But in the long run, as John Maynard Keynes once observed, we are all dead.

This article is only available in PDF format

More about the Authors

Gerard Piel. Scientific American.

Related content
/
Article
Figuring out how to communicate with the public can be overwhelming. Here’s some advice for getting started.
/
Article
Amid growing investment in planetary-scale climate intervention strategies that alter sunlight reflection, global communities deserve inclusive and accountable oversight of research.
/
Article
Although motivated by the fundamental exploration of the weirdness of the quantum world, the prizewinning experiments have led to a promising branch of quantum computing technology.
/
Article
As conventional lithium-ion battery technology approaches its theoretical limits, researchers are studying alternative architectures with solid electrolytes.
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1961_03.jpeg

Volume 14, Number 3

Get PT in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.