The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Research and Development Infrastructure (RDI) Subcommittee (SC) co-chairs are conducting an assessment of the U.S. competitive position on research…

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Research and Development Infrastructure (RDI) Subcommittee (SC) co-chairs are conducting an assessment of the U.S. competitive position on research and development infrastructure. Guided by recent reports from academic organizations, the Department of Energy Office of Science¿s international benchmarking exercises, and the State Department¿s recent demarche requesting that U.S. embassies assess future research and development infrastructure plans in host countries, the RDI will assess the current position of the United States and make recommendations on how agencies should position themselves in the context of the global technology competition. The assessment will be assisted by science writers, supported by the Department of Energy, from our national laboratory system. STPI support is necessary to provide additional context, including from classified sources, on U.S. capabilities and to help ensure the document covers equities beyond those in the U.S. Department of Energy. Additional activities of the RDI include those undertaken by the Human Centered Infrastructure working group, which is hoping to build recommendations for RDIs (which are frequently government owned, company operated) to build more equitable and diverse teams, as well as a new Data Infrastructure working group intended to answer the complex computing needs required by our system of national laboratories. STPI would provide ongoing support for these activities, as well, through its assistance to the RDI executive secretary. These activities should culminate in a White House-hosted launch event for the report, taking place sometime between January and March, 2024. It will provide an opportunity to highlight the importance of research and development infrastructure in the context of the global competition, focusing on critical infrastructure needs in the RDI space, highlighting the need to build diverse teams and international partnerships, while also underscoring the societal value of these facilities and capabilities.