In answer to q1, Obama states: "My administration will increase funding for basic research in physical and life sciences, mathematics, and engineering at a rate that would double basic research budgets over the next decade....I will also... increase National Science Foundation (NSF) graduate fellowships" What would this mean for open science/open data efforts? If the funding climate is less competitive, would scientists be more likely to share their research? - Hilary

more graduate fellowships = more competition for jobs. the climate is already bad enough for fresh phds, do we need more graduate students or more job openings? - Kevin Z

Also, where is the Science Advisor position from Day one? How is he going address these concerns without a National Science Advisor? - Kevin Z

You say this because you think there should be a multiple cabinet-level posts responsible for science? "Where's my biochemistry czar?!" - j1m

Well, I was reacting more to the "graduate fellowships" comment. I'm not sure what "more funding for basic research" means if not "more job openings". - ⓞnor

Most funding for basic research goes to professors, who then can choose to spend part of that money on graduate student salary....The issue created by graduate fellowships is that you can think of basic science careers as a pipeline, and if you make it easier to get jobs earlier in the pipeline that then makes it harder to get higher-level jobs, for the now-increased number of people that get through the first part. - j1m

So Obama's proposing to increase research funds and increase graduate student fellowships. What else would you want him to do? Launch new universities? Or is more funding for science just pointless? Not all graduate students go on to become professors, not all universities refuse to grow in the face of more funding, and not all federally funded research happens on university campuses. - ⓞnor

Mind you, I just got into this to try to understand your previous comment (now deleted) which I thought was in reply to Kevin Z, and then explained the pipeline issue because it seemed worth clearing up. The policy solutions are fairly simple: gov't granting agencies pay many of these salaries, and most grants are explicitly to individuals at known points in their career. As long as you increase the faculty head-count you're funding as quickly as you increase it at the level of grad student head-count you're funding, you don't make things worse. (However, someone who's actually involved in this stuff might have a more nuanced opinion.) - j1m

I agree that grad student funding rate needs to = faculty position opening rate. Is there enough industry and non-profit to pick up the PhDs when faculty (or otherwise academic) openings aren't keeping pace? I think there it is great there is more grad student funding! But, that money is misplaced if those trainees can't go on into the field after commencement. I don't know where the money should be placed. If its more research money, well someone needs to do that stuff right? 2 grads = 1 technician lol - Kevin Z

Re: Science advisor - the crucial decisions in a presidency happen or get set up in the first 60-90 days right? Why have the last several presidents entered into their presidency without a cabinet level science and tech advisor, even though many of their platforms will based entirely, or loosely, about science. Is all i'm sayin - Kevin Z

I wonder if this statement is related to the "pipeline" problem: "Progress in science and technology must be backed with programs ensuring that U.S. businesses have strong incentives to convert advances quickly into new business opportunities and jobs" Perhaps the idea is to support more grad students, in order to encourage/support growth in science industry? There's been a recent trend towards the role of universities in supporting the economy rather than providing knowledge for knowledge's sake. - Hilary

@Kevin Z: Obama states "I have already established an impressive team of science advisors, including several Nobel Laureates". McCain states "I will work to fill early in my Administration both the position of Science Adviser and at least four assistant directors within OSTP". - Hilary