Why the Price of Defunding Research Is Far Too High

From the Internet to the human genome project to cancer treatments, someone’s research becomes the foundation of everything we do. This can be such a time-consuming process that organizations often don’t see the fruits of this labor for several decades. There can be many twists and turns with the research process as scientists work their way through a series of questions—the answers of which can create a new business or innovation, ultimately improving  our lives. “Whatever the question is, you just start exploring it. You try to learn about what that one little thing is, and you learn as much as you can,” explained Chris Shaw, Chief Marketing Officer at NTT Research. “Out of the learning of whatever area it is that you’re studying, you can then come up with what might be a new invention.” One recent example of a new invention that came from years of research is the mRNA technology used as the platform for the COVID-19 vaccine. It took time, dedication, and, of course, funding. However, with the recent trend of research being defunded, similar discoveries may not be possible. If this trend continues, everyone will pay the price. “If you’re going to make meaningful changes that really benefit humanity, it usually will come out of some type of fundamental research. It could be how to produce safer foods. It could be the solution to climate change. It could be many disease treatments,” Shaw said. “Whatever the possible discovery, cutting funds makes it very difficult to do the research, and there will be a considerable human cost as a result.”

The Research Paper Is the Innovation

Research papers are not just found in the pages of academic journals sitting on a dusty shelf in a library. On the contrary, a peer-reviewed paper is not separate from innovation—it is the innovation because it becomes the seed for more ideas to grow. “People read these papers and build on them,” said Shaw. “I might see a paper that was written by somebody in a field similar to mine and it’ll move my research forward, because I thought, ‘Oh, I had no idea.’ And then everything just keeps building.”  These light bulb moments eventually become the basis for the products we use every single day. This means research is not solely an academic exercise. Research becomes something tangible that makes our lives easier—which is the evidence of its benefits. 

The High Price of Stop-Start Funding

Stop-start funding may sound like a reasonable alternative to cutting research funds entirely, but it’s not much better. Shaw describes the problem this way: “Imagine driving somewhere and you run out of gas. Then you come back five years later and hope the car is still there, still works, and you can put the gas in and get your journey going again.” Much like cars speeding around a track, researchers are in a race to the finish line of discovery. When funding is cut off in the middle of an experiment, any progress made may be lost. Data can be misplaced. New information can render what was previously done obsolete. Researchers who don’t have continuity in funding get left behind, while those with the steady monetary fuel they need go on to win the race.  “Research is always moving and none of it goes on in a vacuum. Researchers all over the world are tackling some of the same problems and coming at it in different ways. They’re always looking at everything else that’s going on, and may say, ‘That could really fit with what I’m doing and could help me do more with my research.’” Shaw said. “So research has to be a continuum. It can’t stop and start like a summer vacation.”  

AI’s Role in Accelerating Discovery

Artificial intelligence was an important scientific discovery, but it’s more than that: It’s a vehicle that can exponentially speed up numerous scientific processes, leading the way to untold amounts of new discoveries. The key to this, says Shaw, is the volume of information AI can access, and the speed the technology can review it.  “AI has access to the same things that everybody has access to—it’s just that it has it all at once,” Shaw said. “It can move a bit quicker than researchers can.” For example, drug development can be significantly accelerated with the use of AI. However, it’s important for researchers not to rely too heavily on the technology, warns Shaw. “If you’re a researcher, AI gives you another lab assistant to bounce questions off of because it can dive into anything as long as you treat it like a person, and not assume that it’s infallible and won’t make something up,” Shaw said.  

Defunding Research Puts America’s Global Standing at Risk

Defunding research has far-reaching implications that are much bigger than what goes on in the lab. In fact, falling behind on discoveries can actually diminish the country’s perception on the world stage.  “Our great universities have a magical mix of capitalism and government funding. Other countries don’t have that, so people come to the United States because of those universities and because of the opportunities,” said Shaw. “We attract the greatest talent in the world, but if we’re not funding research, people are going to go somewhere else when other countries are saying, ‘Hey, come here.’ Countries like Canada, France, and Denmark are all doing it.”

Corporate Support May Not Bridge Funding Gaps

People may not think that government cuts to research are a big deal. After all, the private sector will pick up the slack, right? Not necessarily.  “A lot of companies don’t do research anymore because they’ve got short-term goals. They have to make their quarterly goals, and so it’s all about selling something,” Shaw said. “They’ll just wait for something new to be created somewhere and use that technology. Not every company is going to fund research because you need to be able to have a long vision.” However, companies that are willing to think in the long-term may forge collaborations with universities to fund their work. NTT Research, for example, has partnered with Harvard and Stanford, so the company is able to help keep vital research going. This doesn’t mean public funding isn’t needed to make progress, but these types of partnerships can be useful.  

Research Needs More Robust Marketing

Scientists know the value of research, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the general public does too. Especially in today’s climate where scientific funding has become highly politicized, it’s more important than ever for scientists to educate the public about what the impact of their research truly is—and how defunding does a disservice to everyone. “I think marketing is critical to help people understand the importance of research,” said Shaw. “You can’t just expect people to understand it if they don’t hear about it.” Unfortunately, many universities have not embraced the power of marketing when it comes to science—and they are truly doing their work a disservice.  “Marketing gets dismissed in some ways as a soft science, but marketing is the halo over everything,” Shaw said. “In terms of research, what you’re trying to sell is the importance of it, and explaining that for humanity to continue to move forward, we need research.” And this is the story that needs to be told far and wide. Research has improved people’s daily lives in every way imaginable. When it’s defunded, humanity will lose its footing, making it impossible to progress.  This is not a price that anyone can afford to pay.