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Topic 3: Science and its place in Developing Countries
- Angelica Antonakopoulos
- Mar 8, 2022
- 2 min read
One of the most important modern scientific booms occurred in 1957 when the United States government increased federal funding for science in light of the ongoing space race with Russia. This increase in funding caused a cascade of booms and busts for science in the modern world. One of the more recent booms in biomedical sciences occurred between 1998 and 2003, when the budget for the National Institute of Health was doubled. Funding has perpetually been a driving force for scientific discovery. Most developed nations have the ability to spend anywhere between 1% and just shy of 5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on scientific research and development. Conversely, most developing nations allocate as little of 0.1% of their GDP to the same activities. The top 10 countries with the most scientific and technical journal articles also fall within the top 25 countries with the highest R&D budgets. As of 2021, less than 1% of Nobel Prizes of physiology or medicine were awarded to scientists residing in developing countries. This link between scientific productivity and available funding paints a somber image for developing nations, who often lack the funding required to provide their scientists with the necessary means to fulfill their potential.
Implementing research opportunities in countries that lack resources have proven to be beneficial for all. Strengthening the research infrastructure of developing countries provides opportunities for future discoveries. Development of scientific infrastructure is especially important in terms of health care as common causes of death amongst children in developing nations are malaria, measles, diarrhea, and pneumonia, which are all curable diseases. Therefore, science in developing countries is linked to the improvement of health and life-expectancy rates.
Beyond the scope of biomedical sciences, the prioritization of sciences in developing countries will allow for advances that will alleviate the effects of poverty as well as allowing for economic, cultural, and economic growth. Understanding the link between funding and scientific developments gives rise to the following questions:
How can scientists convince government officials to allocate more funding to the sciences?
How can STEM-based education be promoted in disadvantaged neighborhoods?
How can equal opportunities be ensured for all students interested in pursuing a career in stem? Is aiming for such equality realistic?
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