Some try to capture the interactive nature of the scientific process by building maps. Researchers at both the Sandia National Laboratories and the Bergstrom laboratory at the University of Washington have built maps by sifting through publications, compiled by Thomson Scientific, to understand the strength of connections between various disciplines. The resultant diagrams resemble, in the words of one of the Sandia creators, “a filamentous microorganism you might see under a microscope.”

What's compelling about these maps? For starters, they are beautiful abstractions that, in the words of Lederberg and McCray, direct one's attention “to an eventual goal, of which only a few parts may be at hand.” They depict a familiar landscape in new ways; over time, they may tell us much about the evolving nature of scientific research, the emergence of new fields, the impact of decisions made today. Taken by themselves, however, these maps provide little guidance for navigating the present and it's the present that provides cause for concern, notwithstanding our very real excitement about the expansion of HHMI's scientific community.

The pressing question we face today is how to ensure the vitality of our nation's research enterprise, the future of which will most certainly rely on the next generation of investigators. Scientists who are about to launch their independent research careers after a decade of specialized postgraduate training currently face daunting obstacles; conservative funding decisions constrain their opportunities as well as the larger prospects for potentially transformative research.

A committee I chaired for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences released its findings in June on these very issues. The ARISE report—short for “Advancing Research in Science and Engineering”—concluded that, while we await a rebound in the level of research funding, we can't hold off making major changes in the mechanisms by which research dollars are distributed. Federal agencies, universities, and foundations need to take steps to nurture young faculty and invest in high-risk, high-payoff research. These entities can begin remapping their relationships with each other and with young investigators to sustain the landscape of strength and innovation that has long characterized the U.S. research enterprise.

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