While serving in the Senate, John Glenn made dedication to scientific research one of the core tenets of his legislative legacy. (JOHN MINCHILLO/AP PHOTO)
Like so many, I was deeply saddened to learn of John Glenn's recent passing, and I continue to mourn the loss of this true pioneer and American hero. I was privileged to know the late senator as a neighbor, a colleague and a friend. Over the last few days, I've been reflecting on a sentiment he often shared with me when we spoke. The next frontier of discovery, he would say, pausing to make sure I listened and understood, is to learn more about what's between our ears.
This may seem a strange sentiment coming from a fearless explorer who flew missions in World War II and in Korea, who, as a test pilot, jetted from California to New York in three-and-a-half hours, and who, as an astronaut, was the first American to orbit the earth. But John was firm in his convictions, and he truly believed that nothing in life was as essential – and as thrilling – as the pursuit of knowledge. He viewed scientific discovery as a journey often as arduous and as breathtaking as anything undertaken by the daring men and women who put on helmets and launched into space.
When we spoke of our respective careers and professional pursuits, John took great interest in learning more about the medical research my colleagues and I were conducting, and surprised me by showing real passion for – and command of – the minute details of the scientific process. We spoke about his observations of pioneers in heart surgery in Texas transforming the care of heart patients, and the parallels now taking place for innovations in brain surgery, such as the use of brain pacemakers to treat Parkinson's disease. John often asked key questions about how neurostimulation technology can be improved and wanted us to collaborate with colleagues in the space program to accelerate research that would benefit both of our fields.
We often think of astronauts and researchers as being two distinct species, the one brave and adventurous and the other meticulous and cautious, but John had a keen appreciation for both. He understood that true scientific revolutions, the ones that change mankind's destiny, require both boldness and precision, both devotion and humility in the face of repeated frustrated attempts at breaking through barriers – whether the goal is to launch into space or to pioneer new discoveries.
While serving in the Senate, John made dedication to scientific research one of the core tenets of his legislative legacy. He introduced legislation to enhance scientific education and award scholarships to math and engineering students. He spearheaded the effort to recognize November as Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month and, in one of his more audacious moves as a legislator, sought to establish a governmental department of industry and technology that would harness the same collective energy once applied to put a man on the moon and use it to guide the United States' progress across scientific and industrial domains.
If we truly wish to honor John's legacy, we could do no better than to follow his lead and continue to advocate for robust support for scientific research. Sadly, this kind of commitment, so dear to my late friend, is now in decline. When John first took his oath of office, government funding for basic research amounted to more than 2 percent of our national gross domestic product. This ratio, known as "R&D Intensity," plummeted to 0.78 percent by 2014. This means that young men and women eager to follow in John's footsteps and conquer new frontiers – be it flying to Mars or curing Parkinson's disease – are frequently finding less and less government investment for their endeavors.
John understood the vital importance of that kind of support very well, and spent his career making sure the U.S. remained the daring and accomplished country he helped shape. Now, it is up to us to make sure this great man's legacy continues to shine a light on brilliant new horizons of scientific discovery.
http://health.usnews.com/health-care/for-better/articles/2016-12-21/to-honor-john-glenns-legacy-we-must-continue-to-invest-in-scientific-research
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