The Future of U.S.

Chemistry Research:
Benchmarks and Challenges

This report highlights the main findings of a benchmarking exercise to rate the standing of U.S.
chemical research relative to other regions or countries, key factors that influence U.S. perfor-
mance in chemical research, and near- and longer-term projections of research leadership.

C
hemistry plays a key role in conquering diseases, solving energy problems, address-
ing environmental problems, providing the discoveries that lead to new industries, and
developing new materials and technologies for national defense and homeland security.
However, the field is currently facing a crucial time of change and is struggling to position itself to
meet the needs of the future as it expands beyond its traditional core toward areas related to biology,
materials science, and nanotechnology. Additionally, there has been growing concern by the Presi-
dent, Congress, and American public about U.S. competitiveness and the ability to lead the world in
innovation and job creation. At the request of the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department
of Energy, the National Research Council conducted an in-depth benchmarking analysis to gauge the
current standing of the U.S. chemistry field in the world. This report highlights the main findings of
the benchmarking exercise.
Today, chemistry research in the United States is stronger than in any other single country, but
competition from Europe and Asia is rapidly increasing.
In 2003, the United States published about 19 percent of the world’s chemistry papers, down
from 23 percent in 1988. Although the United States published a larger percentage of any single
nation, it is about four percent less than all of Western Europe. Although U.S. chemists have been
publishing at a steady rate of about 15,000 chemistry papers per year, chemists from other nations
are increasing their rate of publication.
More importantly, U.S. chemists lead in the quality of their publications, with about 50%
of total citations in 30 prominent chemistry journals over the last 16 years as shown in Figure 1.
When all of the journals indexed in the ISI Essential Science Indicators between January 1996 and
November 2006 are considered, U.S. chemistry citations account for 28 percent of total citations
compared to the next two ranked countries of Japan and Germany, both with 9 percent. The United
States also leads in the number of citations per paper. In addition, U.S. chemists are the most
prolific authors in high-profile journals such as Science and Nature. U.S. chemists contributed to

Figure 1. Region/coun-
try breakout of most
highly cited chemistry
articles in 30 prominent
chemistry journals,
selected by the report’s
authoring committee to
represent the breadth,
depth, and international
scope of the discipline.
50 percent of the 100 most frequently cited chemistry academic institutions, major centers and facilities that pro-
papers, while Western Europe contributed 41 percent. vide research infrastructure, and a steady supply of Ph.D.
Finally, 50 percent of the world’s most frequently cited chemistry graduates, many of them foreign-born.
chemists are from the United States. U.S. chemistry will be particularly strong in emerging
In a further effort to characterize chemistry leader- areas.
ship, experts from the United States and abroad were
asked to identify the “best of the best” in chemistry who Areas such as nanoscience, biological chemistry,
they would invite to an international conference. The and materials chemistry continue to attract new fund-
national makeup of these “virtual congresses” provides ing initiatives. Even in these areas, the U.S. leadership
another indicator of U.S. leadership in chemistry by the position may erode due to growing competition. At the
strong predominance of U.S. speakers (ranging from same time, the growth in applications-oriented research
about 40 to 70 percent for the different areas of chemis- has been accompanied by a decrease in funding for basic
try) selected for virtual world congresses. U.S. chemistry research in some fundamental core areas like physical,
is particularly strong in emerging cross-disciplinary areas inorganic, and organic chemistry.
such as nanochemistry, biological chemistry, and materi- U.S. chemistry leadership will diminish in core areas.
als chemistry.
Fundamental aspects of core research areas, such
Chemistry research in the United States is projected to as in physical chemistry and organic chemistry, are likely
remain stronger in the next decade than in any other to continue to struggle for research support. Japan and
single country, but competition is increasing. Europe maintain more balanced support between core
In the near future, U.S. chemistry is projected to be and emerging areas of chemistry. In some core subareas,
the leader or among world leaders in all areas, but not in such as main group chemistry and nuclear and radio-
all subareas. For example, virtual congress data showed chemistry, the U.S. position has already diminished
that the United States has a very strong, perhaps even based on publication and citation rates and the virtual
dominant, position in nanocrystal and cluster science, congress results.
but revealed strong competition in self-assembly science The sustainability of the supply of U.S. chemists may
from Europe, Israel, and Japan. Because of the advance be in jeopardy.
of chemistry in other nations, competition is increasing
It is likely that the number of U.S. citizens receiving
and the lead of U.S. chemistry will shrink. There will be
chemistry Ph.D.s will continue to decrease. At the same
increasing competition from European competitors such
time, U.S. chemistry may find it increasingly difficult
as the European Union, Japan, and other Asian countries,
to attract and retain outstanding international graduate
particularly China and India. Also, U.S. leadership in
students and postdoctoral research associates as chemistry
chemistry publications will continue to diminish. As U.S.
and other opportunities in other nations improve.
publication rates remain steady, the number and quality
of papers from other countries are increasing. U.S. funding of chemistry research and infrastructure
will remain under stress.
Key Determinants of Chemistry Leadership
U.S. funding of chemistry is projected to continue
U.S. research leadership in chemistry is attribut-
to barely keep up with inflation and to be concentrated in
able to a combination of factors. They include the wide
emerging and interdisciplinary areas. Core research areas
range of funding sources supporting academic chemistry
of chemistry, which underlie advances in the emerging
research (including industry, multiple federal agencies,
areas of science, will not be as well funded. Support
state initiatives, universities, and private foundations),
for a diverse range of facilities to support leading-edge
a scientific culture with strong professional societies,
research in chemistry will be equally stretched thin.
cross-sector collaborations and international partnerships,
early independence of investigators, and mobility across

This brief was prepared by the National Research Council based on a report by the Committee
on Benchmarking the Research Competitiveness of the United States in Chemistry. The
report was sponsored by the National Science Foundation ahd the U.S. Department of Energy. For
more information, contact the Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology at (202) 334-2156 or
visit http://dels.nas.edu/bcst. Copies of The Future of U.S. Chemistry Research: Benchmarks and
Challenges are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington,
D.C. 20001; (800) 624-6242; www.nap.edu.

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