Depending on the request, studies may be narrow in scope, designed to answer very specific and technical questions, or broad-based examinations that span myriad academic disciplines, industries, and even international borders. A sampling follows.

Agriculture: From the nutritional needs of farm animals to the biodiversity of crops, the institution's studies have explored a variety of agricultural concerns. One recent report called on U.S. farmers to adopt integrated pest management techniques such as crop rotation and organic pest controls, to help curtail the use of pesticides. Another explored the state of the nation's rangelands and proposed new mechanisms for protecting this important resource.

Education: As a leader in the movement to improve science and math literacy, the institution has coordinated development of new national science standards for kindergarten through grade 12, and continues to pioneer outreach efforts through its Mathematical Sciences Education Board and the National Science Resources Center. The center, co-sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution, is creating exciting, real-world lessons for elementary school children on topics ranging from electricity to plant growth to magnification. Another effort, Project RISE (Regional Initiatives in Science Education), is teaming scientists with teachers to improve instruction and resources at the local level. Through its study committees, the institution is examining new findings in education research, focusing on such areas as testing and assessment, the science of learning, and methods for training the work force for the challenges of a new, highly technological world.

Health: The institution has addressed numerous major medical issues, from the ethical questions surrounding genetic testing to concern over the adverse effects of vaccines administered to children. Its AIDS reports provided the nation with the first comprehensive overview of the disease; it continues to assess the medical and social issues surrounding this epidemic. The institution was among the first to warn the public about the re-emergence of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. More recently it proposed measures to help prevent nicotine addiction in children and adolescents. Engineering and Technology: The information superhighway, the revolution in materials and biotechnology, and the processes of industrial innovation are some of the issues that have been addressed. Other studies have examined the need for buildings that can better withstand high winds and hurricanes, and regulatory changes that would allow grounded oil tankers to jettison some cargo to avoid breakup of their vessels in turbulent ocean waters. A recent report on new technologies offers recommendations for redesigning U.S. currency to foil counterfeiters, including using inks that change color when viewed from different angles. International: Science and technology are global enterprises. The institution regularly provides the government with counsel on international issues, and meets with scientific and technological organizations from other countries to discuss areas of common concern. These activities have included a summit in New Delhi, India, which produced a statement by 60 of the world's academies of sciences on the topic of global population concerns, and a joint study by the U.S. and Mexican Academies on the Mexico City water supply. Meetings of the international Council of Academies of Engineering have focused on harnessing technology for development. The institution's endeavors abroad also include human rights work on behalf of scientists, engineers, and medical professionals who are being persecuted by their governments.

The Environment: How can we best use our understanding of science and technology to protect the environment? This question underlies a large number of studies tackled over the years. One report confirmed that factory and automobile emissions cause acid rain, polluting lakes and streams. Other studies have revealed the technological limitations of cleaning up polluted ground water, and the importance of controlling low-level ozone when fighting urban smog. A standing committee is providing ongoing scientific counsel to the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles, a government-industry collaboration to develop prototypes of safe, affordable, high-mileage, and nearly pollution-freecars.

Social Issues: Even the most challenging social issues can be enlightened through scientific study. The institution has produced recommendations for providing welfare and medical assistance to the homeless, and determined which approaches are working -- and which are not -- in the challenge to reduce teen pregnancy rates. The growing threat of violence in the home and elsewhere has prompted examination of various facets of this problem. The Board on Children, Youth and Families was created to provide non-partisan analysis of child and family issues that informs policy decisions -- including where and how to invest public resources.

The Economy: Over the years, science has played an increasingly important role in determining strategies to measure and improve the health of the nation's economy. Recent Academy studies have focused on such economic issues as:

• increasing saving and investment in America to create new jobs and boost productivity,
• easing export restrictions on widely available technologies to increase business competitiveness, and
• developing better methods for measuring trade performance worldwide.

National Security: Two standing boards advise the Army and the Navy on science-related defense issues. Reports have outlined the nation's wartime technology needs, forecast new naval technologies through the year 2030, and addressed ways to safely dispose of obsolete chemical weapons. Studies on nuclear disarmament have called for dramatically lowering existing arsenals and strengthening limits on the transfer of technology. Other studies have proposed measures for keeping the plutonium byproducts of dismantled nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists.

Space: Throughout the history of the U.S. space program, the institution has served as a key scientific adviser. It recommended safer space shuttle designs following the explosion of Challenger and urged the development of large research instruments including the Hubble telescope, which today is unraveling the mysteries of space. More recently, study committees have examined such issues as the space station's design, the concern over the large amount of debris left behind by space missions, and the software needed to ensure safe operation of the space shuttle.