State Department Needs a Science and Technology Tune Up, Report Says

Science and technology remain undervalued in the State Department despite their increasingly important role in diplomacy, according to a National Research Council report. The two disciplines have a growing influence on everything from international economic development to combating hostile governments, so they should also play a key role in US foreign policy decisions, according to the report. The State Department needs a cultural tune up, according to the report.

Knowledge of science and technology should be considered just as important as language fluency and area knowledge. "The department should accelerate its efforts to engrain within the Foreign Service an appreciation of the significance of the S&T advances taking place at home and abroad," the report stated. The report included 27 recommendations for the State Department, including creating a science and technology advisory board of independent field experts and increasing staff. Also among the recommendations: Placing special tech counselors at those embassies where science and technology play especially important roles in diplomacy, and expanding and assessing the department's social media presence.