Citizen-Scientists

The Defense Department needs more scientists and engineers with one thing in common: U.S. citizenship.

Demand is high for specialists to carry out Defense technology initiatives in hypersonic flight, space access, power generation, energy storage, surveillance systems and information networking. Many jobs in these fields require security clearances only given to citizens. But at U.S. colleges and universities, the supply of qualified computer, electrical and mechanical engineering specialists is low.

"[We] need to address an uncertain world in the 2ist century with a higher rate of change of technology . . . bringing forth the technical talent to enable us to be on the leading edge," says the director of research and engineering at the Pentagon. Ronald Sega, who oversees all science and technology programs for the military, says the need for U.S. citizens in Defense work is an "inescapable fact." With a retirement bubble poised to burst in the next few years, Sega says, the downturn in America's science and engineering workforce has become "an issue of national security."