New products and new processes do not appear full-grown. They are founded on new principles, which in turn are painstakingly developed by research in the realms of science.

—Vannevar Bush

In 1945, Vannevar Bush, the head of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, laid out his vision for the future of science in the United States in a report to President Franklin D. Roosevelt titled "Science: The Endless Frontier."

Before the 1940s and the advent of World War II, sparse attention was paid to the vital role technology plays in sustaining a country and propelling it into further development and prosperity. However, the value of the technological advances developed for the military during the war could not be denied. Guided by Bush, the government started to take heed of the importance of sponsoring scientific research and innovation.

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