Embedded The Harvard Plan: The Endless Frontier
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Dec 1, 2025 In this discussion, May Mailman, a former White House senior policy strategist, shares insights into the Trump administration's proposed university compact. She explains how this compact shifts the balance of power in university-government relationships. Mailman also defends the model's aim to promote viewpoint diversity while addressing claims of authoritarianism. The conversation further explores the implications of political pressures on academia and contrasts historical partnerships in scientific research with today's challenges.
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Bush's Enduring Research Compact
- Vannevar Bush's 1945 plan created a long-term, gov‑funded, university research ecosystem built on researcher independence and public accountability.
- That compact powered American science for decades and linked federal money to academic freedom.
Bush At The First Atomic Blast
- Vannevar Bush watched the first atomic blast in New Mexico and felt relief that the project succeeded.
- He saw professors' wartime work as proof that government-academic partnership could produce monumental results.
The Compact Became A Global Model
- For decades Bush's vision governed U.S. science: universities got federal funds while keeping research independence.
- This compact became a global model until it's now being challenged by executive pressure.
