扒哥吃瓜

1.听Science and Technology Landscape

The United States spent an estimated $940 billion听in research and development (R&D) across all sectors of the economy in 2023, the most recent year for which statistics are available. US scientists,听innovators, and technology companies听demonstrate听excellence in听nearly every听research field and economic sector.听

The majority of American R&D (78% in 2023) is funded and听operated听by the private听sector.听A significant portion听of this R&D is funded by US technology companies听Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft,听which each spend tens听of billions of dollars each year听on research and development.听At the federal level, science funding is highly decentralised, with over 20 executive departments and agencies supporting research听primarily focused on fundamental science. Leading funding agencies include:

• the National Science Foundation (NSF)
• the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• the Department of Energy (DOE)
• the Department of听War听(DOW).

Federal laboratories span the country, including the 17 DOE National Laboratories.听

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) acts as a convener and co-ordinates cross-agency priorities on federal science initiatives. Many federal agencies also provide competitive or strategic research funding to external delivery partners,听mainly the听vast network of US public and private universities.听The Department of Commerce also has an influential role in the regulation听and growth听of听the USA鈥檚 technology sector.听听

In addition to the US federal system, state and local governments have considerable discretion to provide funding or policy support for science and innovation. Implementation varies by state, and innovation programmes are often tailored to fit a state鈥檚 economic focus - for example, life sciences in Massachusetts, agriculture in Iowa - and may be supported by public and private stakeholders, including local universities.听States also have license to regulate technologies such as AI, with some听taking a more interventionist approach听than听others.听听

The US has 7 of the top 10 universities in the world, with the UK home to the other 3.

US science, innovation and technology priorities

The Trump听administration鈥檚听priorities in science and technology have included:

• AI: In July 2025, the Administration published听, which sets out priorities for AI research, infrastructure development, and workforce training. In听November 2025, the administration launched the听听to form听a national effort to use AI to accelerate scientific research

• quantum science:听In November 2025, the Department of Energy announced $625 million in funding to renew its five National Quantum Information Science Research听Centers听(NQISRC).

• 鈥淕old Standard Science鈥�:听In May 2025, the Trump Administration issued听Executive听听which directed federal agencies to听conduct听scientific activities听in a manner听which听the Administration defines as听reproducible, transparent, communicative of error and uncertainty, collaborative and interdisciplinary,听skeptical听of its findings and assumptions, structured for falsifiability of hypotheses, subject to unbiased peer review, accepting of negative results as positive outcomes, and without conflicts of interest.

Other priority areas听include听Nuclear Technologies, Biotechnology & Health, Space Science,听Spectrum & 6G, and Advanced Manufacturing.

2.听UK partnership with USA on science, technology and innovation

The UK and US have a long history of collaboration on science, innovation and technology, and there are countless examples of organic partnerships between researchers, innovators, and funders.听In听2025,听the UK and US agreed a听Technology Prosperity Deal听to听facilitate听investment and听collaboration on AI, quantum science, and civil nuclear (including both fusion and fission technologies).听听

The UK and US have many听previous听agreements that included science and technology as a core theme including:鈥�听

• the 2017 government-to-government鈥�Science & Technology Agreement , which outlines a commitment to collaborate on world-class science and innovation

• the 2021 trilateral security听AUKUS Partnership, including collaboration in quantum,鈥�AI鈥痑nd cyber technologies

The Science and听Technology听Network in the US听(Formerly: Science and Innovation Network)听includes 18听officers working across seven regions to develop science and innovation opportunities for the benefit of the UK. The team is led from the British Embassy in Washington DC.听

In the period听2026听to听2029,鈥�STN鈥疷S will focus on听5听overarching themes:听

• artificial intelligence and compute听听

• quantum science and technology听听

• engineering biology听听

• space science and technologies听听

• energy: nuclear fusion energy, critical minerals, battery storage听

These workstreams reflect both the high-level听HMG听areas of focus in Science and Technology听under the听UK鈥檚听Modern Industrial Strategy听(2025),听the Science and Technology Framework (2025)听and the breadth of opportunity for bilateral partnerships at the US federal and regional levels.听

US听STN听supports multi-stakeholder UK-US research and innovation collaborations;听identifies听and supports听emerging opportunities for UK听industry; tracks听US science and innovation policy; and supports听UK policy development. The team works closely with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and听the Ministry of Defence, alongside other听UK organisations.听STN also has听a strong partnership with听听who have听an听office in Washington DC.

3. Science and Technology Network 鈥痗ontacts

For further information or to reach an individual鈥疷S听STN听officer, write to鈥�usa.si@fcdo.gov.uk