Basic vs. Applied Research
LBNL's Advanced Light Source
Let's Get Some Background Information
There is a major controversy taking place these days in the scientific community regarding the value of various types of scientific research. Some of the issues being debated are:
- Who should be paying for basic research?
- Should the federal government spend less of the taxpayer's money on basic
research in order to concentrate more funding on research projects that have potential economic value?
- Should public funds be used to subsidize applied research being carried out by private industrial companies?
Before we can answer these important questions, we need to get a better understanding of the meaning and value of basic research and applied research .
Where Do We Go From Here?