Washington Update

NAS President Delivers Her Final State of Science Address

By: Galen Cobb
Thursday, June 11, 2026
On June 2, National Academy of Sciences (NAS) President Marcia McNutt, PhD, delivered her third and final annual State of the Science address at the NAS building in Washington, D.C. The address presented data and evidence on the state of the U.S. research enterprise, trends in education and employment, and strategic priorities. Dr. McNutt opened by surveying the serious challenges currently facing American science, including downsizing at federal science agencies, uncertainty in research funding, the export of scientific talent abroad, and a broader decline in U.S. scientific leadership.

Rather than focusing on top-down policy and legislative remedies, Dr. McNutt oriented her remarks around a central question: what can the scientific community do for itself? To that end, she organized her address around four themes, illustrating each with pilot programs from institutions around the country that are pioneering new approaches:
  • Reimagining the relationship between universities and industry
  • Realigning academic reward systems
  • Meeting the needs of the STEM workforce
  • Increasing the rate of innovation through automation in shared facilities
Throughout, Dr. McNutt framed the value of science through the lens of innovation and economic competitiveness, citing scientific investment as essential to U.S. technological leadership and economic growth. She called on the scientific community to align around shared strategies to strengthen domestic research capacity and secure that leadership in the decades ahead.

The address was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Brandon Ogbunu, PhD, Associate Professor at Yale University. Panelists included leaders from science and research, technology and innovation, policymaking, government, industry, and philanthropy, including the U.S. Chief Technology Officer and representatives from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Microsoft. 

Meeting materials and a recording of the address are available on the National Academies event webpage.