What scientific innovations have come from investments by the United States? Mr. Burdick and Emily Anthes share some of the most important ones in “9 Federally Funded Scientific Breakthroughs That Changed Everything,” including GPS, diabetes and obesity drugs, and the sign language dictionary. Here, for example, is how quantum dots — the billions of specks you’re looking at on your screen right now — came to be:
Quantum Dots
If you’re reading this on a screen, you’re looking at quantum dots, billions of them.
Quantum dots are tiny crystals of semiconductor stuff, 10 nanometers (billionths of a meter) or smaller in size, and they have become a mainstay of consumer electronics. Being nano, they are subject to the weird laws of quantum mechanics and absorb and emit light more efficiently than other materials.
Their colors are vibrant, great for TVs, smartphones and computer monitors. They fluoresce to identify cancer cells. They’re in clear windows that double as solar panels. In military sensors, they detect microwave radiation. First baked in 1980, quantum dots have been refined and made mass-producible with funding from NIST, the U.S. Army Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies and other agencies. In 2023, three scientists, including an M.I.T. chemist supported by Army grants, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and development of quantum dots.
While Mr. Trump’s proposed budget in the next fiscal year makes large cuts to many areas of scientific research funded by the federal government, it will continue to funnel dollars toward several sectors:
According to a White House summary document, Mr. Trump’s proposed budget “maintains funding for research in artificial intelligence and quantum information science at key agencies, to ensure the United States remains on the cutting edge of these critical technologies’ development and responsible use.”
Victoria LaCivita, a spokeswoman for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, defended the overall science budget, saying in a statement that the administration was “refocusing investments in the priority areas that America must continue to lead in, securing our standing as a global tech leader and ending woke science spending.”
That is the administration’s code word for both climate programs and ones seeking to encourage diversity, equity and inclusion.
Students, read one or more of the above articles, and then tell us:
What, if anything, were you surprised to learn about the United States government’s role in funding scientific research?
Do you think the federal government should invest in science? Why or why not?
What is your reaction to the Trump administration’s cuts to scientific agencies and universities? Do you agree with them? Are there any cuts that worry you? What do you think about the administration’s limited focus on artificial intelligence and quantum information science?
If you do think the government should fund scientific research, tell us about one specific area that you would like to see more money for and focus on. For example, look at artificial intelligence, cancer research, climate change or space exploration. Why should the government fund this research? How might it benefit you, your community, the country or the world?
The Trump administration says it wants to end “woke science spending,” and agencies have flagged hundreds of words to limit or avoid, such as “bias,” “inequality,” “disability,” “race” and “women.” What is your reaction to that? How important, in your opinion, is considering diversity, equity and inclusion when it comes to scientific research? Why?
Are you interested in science? Are you thinking of pursuing a degree or a job in a particular scientific field someday? If so, tell us about it and why it appeals to you. How, if at all, are the Trump administration’s cuts to science funding affecting your future plans?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.
