WASHINGTON – The Science Coalition (TSC) today released results from a national poll conducted in the weeks following the 2018 election, which focused on Americans’ perceptions of federally-funded fundamental scientific research.

The poll found that nearly all Americans – regardless of political affiliation – believe that it is important for the U.S. to be the global leader in scientific research and technology. Further, 8 in 10 voters surveyed approve of the federal government using taxpayer funds to invest in scientific research. Majorities of voters (60 percent) support investing more federal dollars in scientific research.

“Fundamental research plays a vital role in our nation’s success. These results show that the American people place a high value on this type of science, and believe the federal government has a responsibility to promote the future of American innovation,” said Anna Quider, President of The Science Coalition and Director of Federal Relations at Northern Illinois University. “Last year, Congress funded fundamental research at the highest level in 17 years. It is imperative to keep up that momentum, and the overwhelming majority of Americans agree.”

Background

 Topline Findings:

  • 94 percent of voters believe it is important for the United States to be the global leader in scientific research and technology (61 percent believe it is very important; 33 percent believe it is somewhat important)
  • 82 percent of voters approve of the federal government using public funds to invest in scientific research
  • 72 percent of voters believe that scientific research helps grow the U.S. economy
  • 60 percent of voters support the federal government investing more in scientific research

Methodology:

Public Opinion Strategies conducted a national telephone survey among N=800 registered voters from November 10-14, 2018 on behalf of The Science Coalition. The margin of error is +3.46%.

Quotas were set by specific demographics such as cell phone households, region, age, gender, ethnicity, and education based on data from the U.S. Census and voter files to ensure the sample is representative of the national registered voter population.

For more information, see here for Public Opinion Strategies’ memo and presentation on the poll’s findings.

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About The Science Coalition

Established in 1994, The Science Coalition is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of more than 50 of the nation’s leading public and private research universities. It is dedicated to sustaining the federal government’s investment in basic scientific research as a means to stimulate the economy, spur innovation, and drive America’s global competitiveness. To learn more, visit www.ScienceCoalition.org.

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