Forty years ago, on July 20, 1969, the United States achieved an historic first when Apollo 11 Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to land on the moon. Armstrong's now famous words, "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," fulfilled the challenge set out nearly a decade earlier by President John F. Kennedy to land a man on the moon.

The Science Coalition, which is dedicated to strengthening and sustaining the federal government's investment in basic research as a means to stimulate the economy, drive innovation, and secure America's global competitiveness, is calling attention to this important landmark because it illustrates what is possible when the nation invests in science.

America's race to the moon launched a generation of scientists. They were inspired by a sense of patriotism and the wonders of space and enabled by the country's newfound commitment to science following the Soviets' successful launch of the Sputnik satellite. The new R&D enterprise, built to support America's scientific ambitions and based largely on federally-funded research conducted at universities across the country, has had a remarkable effect on society and the economy. It has produced innovations in health, technology, energy, security, and defense. It has helped fuel the nation's economic growth. And, it has continued to educate new generations of scientists, engineers and doctors.

There are countless more scientific frontiers ahead. By continuing to value science and investing strongly in basic research, the nation will reach them.

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were themselves graduates of TSC member institutions - Armstrong received degrees from Purdue University and the University of Southern California, and Aldrin received his doctorate from MIT.

France A. Córdova and Shirley Ann Jackson: Take Lessons from Moon Walk and Apply Them Today

France A. Córdova, President, Purdue University

Shirley Anne Jackson, President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Writing in an op-ed on the U.S. News website, the presidents of two TSC member universities reflected on Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon and the impact they had on their own careers, as well as on the future course of the nation. France A. Córdova, president of Purdue University, and Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, said the space race was in actuality a "defense-based science race." And, like it did in the 1960s, the United States today faces a major opportunity in science and public policy.

"The challenges of energy and climate change, healthcare, food and water - all require solutions designed by people educated in science," they wrote. "The question is whether our nation will, once again, rise to the challenge and succeed. We believe we can - if we remember the lessons we learned 40 years ago to inspire and enable the next generation of scientists."

Elaborating on the lessons of the past, Córdova and Jackson wrote, "To spark a new generation of innovation we need intense national focus on a common set of goals, with sustained financial support, and strong public engagement. We need to value our scientists and engineers, and celebrate their successes."

Córdova and Jackson are both physicists and were both inspired by America's response to the Soviet launch of the Sputnik satellite and the race to put a man on the moon. Indeed, Córdova was working as a journalist in California and switched career paths - returning to school to earn a doctorate in physics. She spent a decade at Los Alamos National Laboratory, became the first female chief scientist at NASA, and eventually, president of Purdue University. Jackson earned degrees from MIT, conducted research at AT&T Bell Laboratories, and was the first woman to lead the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission before she became the president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Read their op-ed, "40 Years After Moon Landing, Time to Launch the Next 'Giant Leap for Mankind'" on the US News website.

On the Horizon: Cures for Diseases, "Holistic Reinvention" of Vehicles, Understanding the Human Brain

The Science Coalition asked university researchers across the country to reflect on the Apollo moon landing and share their thoughts about the next frontiers in science and what America must do to ensure that these scientific frontiers are reached. Their responses make clear that research in such areas as energy and climate change, curing human disease, understanding the human genome, and answering questions about the Universe are, indeed, leading us to new frontiers. Some highlights:

• "Perhaps more than anything, we need to address the scientific challenge of providing more effective, efficient and diverse sources of energy to drive the global economy, its citizens, and its infrastructure," said William McDonough, professor of geology at the University of Maryland.
• "Instead of looking for a single innovation to transform transportation, the next great challenge will be a revolutionary and holistic reinvention of vehicles. The next 'moon landing' will be a new science-driven way of approaching automobiles ... that goes beyond slashing mpg or substituting gas with electricity," said Dennis Assanis, Director of the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute and the W.E. Lay Automotive Laboratory at the University of Michigan.
• "The 21st Century equivalent to putting a man on the moon will be our understanding of the human brain - and in particular, achieving the ability to stimulate the brain to repair itself, including restoring old memories and learning new information after damage and disease. ... That understanding will revolutionize the way we treat devastating neurological injuries and disease," said Elissa Newport, Chair of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester. "We're almost there - if we merely stop cutting science funding, these discoveries are around the corner."

Most of the researchers have relied on federal grants throughout their careers to help support their work. And, like Dr. Newport, many spoke of the critical need for the U.S. to continue to invest in science and of what will be possible if there is strong and sustained funding for research.

• "We as a nation must realize that without a dedicated continuous support of scientific endeavors, our and our children's wellbeing cannot be sustained and improved. America must preserve its leadership in creativity by increasing funding for research and, even more importantly, by educating its children," said Alexander Rakhel, Distinguished Professor of Entomology, University of California Riverside, and Member of the National Academy of Sciences.
• "Like putting a man on the moon, answering these big questions would be a part of a journey to find our place in the Universe as well as preparing to extend our presence beyond earth. Few investments would leave a greater legacy to future generations or say more about our species," said Michael Turner, Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of Chicago and former Chief Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory.

The perspectives of 29 scientists from universities across the country are available on The Science Coalition website.