Science Progress and Priorities
Reflecting on 2020 US Science Progress
Section 01
Survey Overview and Demographics
General Overview
Geographic Coverage: United States
Expertise:
- 71% Biology
- 18% Civil and Environmental Engineering
- 11% Geography
Response Overview
Sample Size: 2436
Valid Responses: 451
Response Rate: 18.8
Date initial findings posted: 01.18.21
Most recent update: 01.18.21
Days survey in field: 34
Average response time: 7.5
Survey Demographics
Respondent Demographics:
- 35% Female
- 65% Male
- 100% Academic
- 0% Industry
Language(s): English
Section Overview
We asked scientists to rate the amount of progress made by the U.S. on 22 science and technology topics over the past 12 months.
The following graphs show the top 10 topics overall, followed by the top-ranked issues grouped into three topic areas: science practice, science communication, and science policy.
Question
Top 10 areas with the most progress made in 2020.
Finding
The only field in which most scientists believe that “Excellent” of “Very good” progress has been made over the last 12 months is the COVID-19 research one (55%). The second area in which scientists believe the greatest progress has been made in 2020 is “Advancing open access to scientific data” (27%).
Question
Top scientific practice areas characterized by the greatest progress over the last 12 months.
Finding
Most respondents (51%) believe that poor progress has been made to reduce the administrative burden associated with scientific research.
A third of the respondents (33%), reported poor progress has been made to the reform of the grant funding system.
Question
Top science communication issues characterized by the greatest progress over the last 12 months.
Finding
Most respondents agree that little progress has been made on science communication issues within the last 12 months.
Very few scientists (8%) reported that excellent or very good progress has been made to enhance public/stakeholder inputs and involvement in scientific research.
More than half of respondents feel that progress to address science denialism (62%) or enhance public trust in science (58%) has been poor.
Question
Top science policy areas characterized by the greatest progress over the last 12 months.
Finding
Over half (55%)of respondents believe that expediting COVID-19 research has been considered as the area in which the greatest progress has been made in 2020.
Conversely, almost three-quarters of scientists (72%) believe that in 2020, poor progress was made to improve the immigration policy for scientists.
Question
Gap between the top ranked science priorities for 2021 and the progress made within those same areas in 2020.
Finding
Respondents reported that expediting COVID-19 research was the area in which the greatest progress has been made, but also continues to be one of the top priorities for 2021.
95% of the scientists believe that enhancing public trust in science should be considered a top priority or one of the top priorities in 2021, even though only 4% of the respondents believed excellent or very good progress was made in this area over the last 12 months.
