Issues in Science and Technology has been leading science and technology policy discussions for more than four decades. Published by the US National Academy of Sciences in partnership with Arizona State University, the magazine is a platform where researchers, government officials, business leaders, and others with a stake in public policy can share ideas with a broad audience. Issues provides deeply informed but highly accessible contributions to public discussions and democratic decisionmaking, enhancing the contribution of science and technology to the creation of a better world.

There are big, open questions about the changing relationship between science and society: How should the public fund science, and what kind of science should it fund? What should society expect in return for its support? What is the role of research universities in the scientific ecosystem? And the relationship between science and society looks very different at the local, or even personal, level—and the questions are different too: How can research improve the quality of life in my community? Should I be worried about the refinery in my neighborhood? Is my town able to assist the most vulnerable when the power goes out during a storm? The essays in the Spring 2026 Issues explore all these questions to better understand how the social contract with science is evolving.