A new vision for American science.

America's scientific success is no accident. It has been powered by a decades-long commitment to federal investment in fundamental research that, in turn, nurtured both domestic and foreign talent and prompted the translation of breakthroughs to fuel the economy, improve health, fortify national security, and inspire awe. The world has benefited from the proliferation of this model, and partnerships between the US and other countries have resulted in game-changing discoveries, from medicines to machine learning.

Science is neither red nor blue.

Long before the 5 November US presidential election, I had become ever more concerned that science has fallen victim to the same political divisiveness tearing at the seams of American society. This is a tragedy because science is the best-arguably the only-approach humankind has developed to peer into the future, to project the outcomes of various possible decisions using the known laws of the natural world. Since the founding of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) during the Civil War, the most divisive period in US history, science and the NAS (of which I am the current president) have consistently served the nation, regardless of the political party in power.

Protecting the integrity of survey research.

Although polling is not irredeemably broken, changes in technology and society create challenges that, if not addressed well, can threaten the quality of election polls and other important surveys on topics such as the economy. This essay describes some of these challenges and recommends remediations to protect the integrity of all kinds of survey research, including election polls. These 12 recommendations specify ways that survey researchers, and those who use polls and other public-oriented surveys, can increase the accuracy and trustworthiness of their data and analyses.

Higher education for all.

Universities are one of the oldest human institutions, enduring with essentially the same blueprint for a thousand years. Before the current COVID-19 pandemic, there was much talk about the promise of massive open online courses, distance learning, and other innovations to scale and expand the reach of universities, but with only limited success. Given the experience gained from educating during the pandemic, it is time for educators to ask which innovations can be introduced and, importantly, sustained, to expand the accessibility of higher education to meet the needs of the 21st century.

A future for Ukrainian science.

As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth month, Russian forces continue to destroy the nation's scientific institutions and infrastructure, signaling Russia's intent to obliterate the future for Ukraine. In Kharkiv, for instance, the renowned Institute of Physics and Technology and its newly built Neutron Source nuclear facility have been heavily damaged. Even the Plant Production Institute with its underground national seed bank-one of the world's largest-has been bombed.

Scientists in the line of fire.

The devastation and despair gripping Ukraine following the unprovoked invasion by neighboring Russia is heartbreaking and unthinkable. Such a loss of life and homeland has stirred wide concern around the world. This war sets back progress to establish a peaceful and sustainable world and to address important problems faced by all humanity, including climate change, environmental degradation, public health, and inequality.

Five years of .

Looking back at the last 5 years of and looking forward to the next 5.

The Strategic Council for Research Excellence, Integrity, and Trust.

We announce the creation of a new body within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine called the Strategic Council for Research Excellence, Integrity, and Trust, charged with advancing the overall health, quality, and effectiveness of the research enterprise across all domains that fund, execute, disseminate, and apply scientific work in the public interest. By promoting the alignment of incentives and policies, adoption of standard tools, and implementation of proven methods, the Strategic Council seeks to optimize the excellence and trustworthiness of research for the benefit of society.

Combating COVID-19-The role of robotics in managing public health and infectious diseases.

COVID-19 may drive sustained research in robotics to address risks of infectious diseases.

Academies' Call to Action: Air Pollution Threatens Global Health.

Policies and actions that promote clean air have been shown to provide a triple benefit - to human health, to the environment, and to the economy. Five national academies are issuing an urgent call for all stakeholders to take immediate action to combat this global threat to human health and sustainable development.

Signaling the trustworthiness of science.

Trust in science increases when scientists and the outlets certifying their work honor science's norms. Scientists often fail to signal to other scientists and, perhaps more importantly, the public that these norms are being upheld. They could do so as they generate, certify, and react to each other's findings: for example, by promoting the use and value of evidence, transparent reporting, self-correction, replication, a culture of critique, and controls for bias.