OSTP Report Outlines New Vision for the U.S. Research Enterprise

On July 21, 2026, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released Science: A New Golden Age, a comprehensive report examining the future of the U.S. research and development (R&D) enterprise. Presented as a modern successor to Vannevar Bush’s landmark 1945 report, Science: The Endless Frontier, the document argues that the nation’s scientific ecosystem must evolve to meet demands of emerging technologies, global competition, and the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in research. The report will be used as the basis for forthcoming federal agency guidance and policy revisions, including new research funding models that may require legislative action to enact.  

The report concludes that the post-World War II model of scientific research, built around a linear progression from basic research to applied research and commercialization, no longer reflects how innovation occurs today. Instead, it argues that scientific discovery increasingly depends on close collaboration among government, industry, academia, entrepreneurs, and engineers. The report also highlights the growing role of private-sector investment in research and development, the need to modernize federal research institutions, and the importance of translating scientific discoveries into domestic manufacturing capabilities and economic growth. 

To support this vision, the report offers several recommendations aimed at modernizing the nation’s research enterprise.  

Modernizing Federal Research Funding: The report recommends reducing administrative burdens placed on researchers while introducing more flexible funding mechanisms that encourage innovative and interdisciplinary research. Proposed reforms include expanding long-term and rapid-response grant programs, supporting a broader range of research organizations beyond traditional universities, creating new funding pathways for high risk, high-reward research, and improving how federal agencies evaluate the effectiveness of their research portfolios. The report argues that these changes would enable scientists and engineers to devote more time to research while fostering a more dynamic and adaptable federal R&D ecosystem. 

Strengthening America’s Innovation Ecosystem: Recognizing that scientific leadership alone does not guarantee economic or technological leadership, the report calls for stronger connections between research, engineering, manufacturing, and commercialization. Recommendations include expanding industry access to Department of Energy national laboratories, NASA facilities, and other federal research infrastructure; strengthening public-private partnerships; supporting mission-driven research initiatives; encouraging pre-competitive industry consortia; and improving pathways that move discoveries from laboratory into commercial application. Together, these proposals seek to strengthen domestic innovation capacity while improving the nation’s ability to translate into real-world technologies. 

Expanding the Science and Engineering Workforce: The report also emphasizes workforce development as a critical component of U.S. competitiveness. It recommends greater integration of hands-on technical training within science and engineering education, expanded apprenticeship opportunities in STEM fields, stronger partnerships with community colleges, and increased support for advanced manufacturing career pathways. The report argues that scientific leadership depends not only on researchers, but also on technicians, skilled trades, engineers, and manufacturers who transform discoveries into deployable technologies. 

Preparing Science for the AI Era: Finally, the report identifies artificial intelligence as a transformational tool for scientific discovery. It recommends expanding AI-enabled research infrastructure through the Administration’s Genesis Mission, improving scientific reproducibility and transparency, investing in verification systems that strengthen research quality, supporting autonomous laboratories, and modernizing institutions to better leverage AI-driven discovery. According to the report, these investments could significantly accelerate research productivity while improving confidence in scientific results. 

Read the full report here.