US still leads the world in science and technology – RAND study

According to a new study by the non-profit RAND Corporation,USA outspends the world in research and development and employs most of the world’s Nobel Prize winners. Furthermore, three-fourths of the world’s Top 40 Universities are in the United States.Research and development spending in the US is actually growing faster than Europe and Japan according to the study and while China is investing heavily in R&D, it does not account for a large share of innovation and scientific output.To maintain this scientific edge, the study recommends that highly skilled foreign scientists and workers be allowed to visit and stay in the United States.In addition foreigners who have graduated with scientific degrees from US universities should be allowed to stay in the country indefinitely.The study found that roughly 70 percent of foreign scientists and engineers who received Ph.D.s from U.S. universities remained in the country after receiving their degree,but that situation could change as salaries and research opportunities improve overseas.According to the study, the United States accounts for 40 percent of all scientific R&D spending in the world employs 70 percent of world's Nobel Prize winners and houses 75 percent of the world's top 40 universities.The report has underlined that the recent reduction in skilled immigrant visas (H1-B) has the potential to reduce the inflow of foreign science and engineering workers; and curtailing the supply of these scientists ,engineers can lead US firms to outsource more research and development works to foreign countries and locate new facilities overseas.