by Steve Olson
First published 2008
Dr. Sarah Chen arrives at the National Convocation expecting routine policy discussions, but finds herself at the center of a power struggle reshaping American science. The federal government no longer controls research funding alone. State officials from twenty states plus Washington D.C. now make decisions affecting millions of lives daily. Chen watches as scientists, engineers, policy makers, and foundation representatives battle over who should guide research priorities. The National Academy of Sciences hosts this first-ever gathering with the National Academy of Engineering and Institute of Medicine, but tensions run high. State regulatory experts demand more control over scientific evidence in policy making. Foundation representatives push their own agendas. Chen realizes that states now bear responsibility for formalizing research programs and incorporating scientific expertise into governance. As plenary sessions give way to heated breakout discussions, she must navigate between competing interests while the future of American science hangs in the balance.
Genres: science, american-fiction, political-science, non-fiction, government, academic
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: competing-interests, power-struggle
Setting: National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Sciences, National Convocation, United States
Period: 21st Century
100 pages · Paperback · National Academies Press