1743
American Philosophical Society founded
1790
American Academy of Arts and Sciences founded
1803-05
Lewis and Clark Expedition
1846
Smithsonian Institution founded
1848
American Association for the Advancement of Science founded
1862
Passage of Morrill Act, establishing land-grant colleges
Department of Agriculture established by Congress
1863
National Academy of Sciences chartered
1876
Johns Hopkins University founded
1878
Coast and Geodetic Survey established
U.S. Geological Survey established
1884-86
Allison Commission hearings
1890
Weather Bureau established
1902
National Bureau of Standards created
1912
Public Health Service created
1915
National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics established
1916
Emphasis on scientific facilities in State of the Union message
National Research Council established by executive order on a temporary basis
1918
National Research Council established on a permanent basis
1921
Bureau of the Budget established within Treasury Department
1923
Social Science Research Council created
Hygienic Laboratory within Public Health Service renamed National Institute of Health
1933
Science Advisory Board (Compton Board) established
1935
National Resources Committee established
Science Advisory Board expires
1937
President’s Committee on Administrative Management report released
1938
Relation of Federal Government to Research , vol. 1 of Research: a National Resource released
1939
Executive Office of the President (EoP) created
Bureau of the Budget moved from Treasury Department to EoP
1940
National Defense Research Committee established
1941
Office of Scientific Research and Development established
1945
Science—the Endless Frontier transmitted to President Truman
1946
Council of Economic Advisors created within EoP
Atomic Energy Commission created
Office of Naval Research created on permanent basis
President’s Scientific Research Board (Steelman Board) created
1947
Unification of Armed Forces with creation of Department of Defense
National Security Council created within EoP
Secretary of State Marshall announces plan for reconstruction of Europe
A Program for the Nation , vol. 1 of the Steelman Board’s Science and Public Policy , transmitted to President Truman
1948
National Institute of Health renamed National Institutes of Health
1949
Federal Council for Science and Technology established
1950
National Science Foundation created
1951
Science Advisory Committee to Office of Defense Mobilization created
1957
Soviet Union places Sputnik into orbit
President’s Science Advisory Committee established
1957
International Geophysical Year begins
1958
National Defense Education Act signed into law
Defense Advanced Project Agency created within DoD
1961
Arms Control and Disarmament Agency created
1962
Office of Science and Technology created within EoP
1963
Nuclear Test Ban treaty ratified by Congress
1970
Bureau of the Budget renamed Office of Management and Budget
Environmental Protection Agency created
1972
Office of Technology Assessment created
1973
Abolition of presidential science advisory system made public
First Asilomar conference
1975
Energy Research and Development Agency created, absorbing Atomic Energy Commission
Second Asilomar conference
1976
National Science and Technology Policy, Organization and Priorities Act (PL 94-282) signed into law, establishing: President’s Council on Science and Technology; Office of Science and Technology Policy; Federal Coordinating Committee for Science, Engineering and Technology (renamed Federal Council for Science and Technology)
1977
Department of Energy created
1980
Bayh Dole Act passed by Congress
1982
White House Science Council created
1983
Strategic Defense Initiative proposed
1990
President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology created
1991
President’s Information Advisory Committee established
1992
Critical Technologies Institute created
1993
Government Performance and Results Act passed by Congress
1994
National Science and Technology Council created, absorbing and expanding membership of Federal Coordinating Committee for Science, Engineering and Technology
2001
National Nanotechnology Initiative approved by Congress
2007
America Competes Act passed by Congress
2009
American Recovery and Reinvention Act passed by Congress