Sociotechnology: IEEE speaks out on R&D: In a key position paper addressed to President Ford, the Institute cited the ominous impact of declining R&D funding

At the April meeting of the IEEE Board of Directors, a historic action was taken: by a vote of 27 for and 1 against, the Institute´s Board adopted an official IEEE position on Federal support of research and development. This position paper, entitled ¿Science, Technology, and America´s Future,¿ calls on the United States Government to reverse what IEEE views as an ominous trend ¿ the continuing decline of the real value of R&D funding in the U.S. ¿ and, to correct this dangerous fall-off, the paper recommends specific actions by the Government to maintain R&D support at 3 percent of the gross national product.