The National Science Foundation is presently under serious attack by the House of Representatives. I am taking this opportunity to bring this matter to the attention of the corrosion community because the viability of NSF affects the extent of fundamental research in corrosion.
Further, I am suggesting that the Corrosion Society, and indeed all technical societies, should take a greater interest in the political framework within which science and technology operate. Specifically, I believe that the Corrosion Society should actively monitor the political pulse as it influences or could be influenced by a knowledgeable and publicly articulate corrosion community.
In a sense, we only serve half the needs of our members by avoiding the political realm. It is certainly time for us to reassess this stance and develop policies and mechanisms for: (1) monitoring the vicissitudes of national and international politics as they are pertinent to corrosion, (2) advising our...
