The US Will Lose Its Innovation Leader Role

For years now, political analysts have been talking about the fact that America is currently in its final years as a world superpower, and that it will soon fall back to the benefit of other countries, while its place will be taken by another nation. And although many have contradicted their opinions with potent arguments, it would appear that more than half of the general population believes that, indeed, the country will lose its status soon, in favor of another one.

The recent poll, conducted on 808 participants and released by the Duke University on Tuesday, shows that some 50 percent of all Americans believe that another country will take over the reins as the world's scientific and technological leader in the 21st century. Of those, approximately 20 percent consider that China will be the one to do it, while 10 percent bet on Europe. Other 4 percent say that India has the potential required to take on the US technologically, while an additional 10 percent share that Europe, as a Union, has the potential to foster massive innovations.

“Americans understand that innovation is critical to their future, but also recognize that our country's continued leadership isn't assured just because we invented everything from the airplane to the personal computer. The survey shows that when Americans focus on how central engineers are to solving our biggest problems, they come to view the discipline as essential and want to attract more talented young people to it,” the Dean of the Pratt School, Thomas Katsouleas, explains.

The latest survey, which has taken place between January 22-25, is just the latest in a larger series ran by the Duke University. Investigators from the institution have it that the trend among the general population is a very strange one, as people seem to want scientists to focus more on issues such as finding better drugs for the world's most dangerous diseases, as well as on coming up with a way to ensure that all citizens of the globe have fresh water available. Developing alternative and clean power sources is also ranked high on the list, as opposed to developing urban infrastructure and ensuring cyberspace security, which is ranked low.

Nearly 58 percent of respondents hold that the main problem in America is now the fact that less and less young individuals turn their attention to fields such as engineering, where new “recruits” are badly needed. Without new work force, the other scientists cannot foster progress for much time, at a level where it would exceed that of other countries or regions (such as Hong Kong or Japan), where exact sciences are highly praised.