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Manheim Lectures on Trends in Scientific and Technological Innovation
On February 6, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist Frank Manheim presented a seminar at USGS headquarters in Reston, VA, entitled "Science and Technology Effectiveness of Five Nations—Britain, France, Germany, US, and Russia/USSR—from 1800 to the Present, with Special Notes on WWII Science in the United States and Its Impact on the USGS."
The lecture reflected several years of avocational research by Frank Manheim (Reston, VA) with Chris Barton (St. Petersburg, FL). The talk reviewed approaches to the measurement of national scientific and technological effectiveness and reported a new "outcome based" index of national innovation. This type of index is derived from chronological compendia of international discoveries and inventions. The decline in U.S. technology in the 1960s and 1970s is corroborated by other indices, such as patents. A recent update of the curves, which were based on data published in 1988, demonstrates a renewed upswing for the United States beginning in the middle 1980s. Other noteworthy features of the graph are the steep decline in German technology accompanying the Nazi assumption of power in 1932, and a period of enhanced USSR technology stimulated by the reform policies of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Soviet achievements in this period included the first space flight (Sputnik) in 1957, manned orbit of the Earth, automated lunar landers, and the first commercial jet aviation. The last part of the talk discussed the impact on the USGS of post-World War II U.S. science-policy developments. This part of the talk was based on new compilations of USGS publications (not including topographic maps) during the period.
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in this issue: Congressional Briefing on Gas Hydrates Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety International Deep-Sea Corals Workshop Northeastern Coastal Ecosystems and Resources Workshop
Coastal and Marine Scientists Win 2002 Shoemaker Product Excellence Awards Behrendt and Poag Elected AAAS Fellows Marine Geophysics Pioneer Honored Celebrating Careers of Five Retirees Manheim Lectures on Trends in Scientific and Technological Innovation
Effectivenes of Marine Reserves in Central California Human Influence on Diatom Productivity and Sedimentation in Chesapeake Bay |
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U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
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