简体中文
EnglishHow the National Academies Inform Policy and Public Debate
Updated
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine inform policy and public debate by providing independent, objective advice to decision-makers and the public, and by publishing that advice as reports, statements, news releases, and feature stories. This explainer is for readers who want to understand the institution's role and see concrete examples of its influence, rather than a full history of the organization.
What the institution says it does
The National Academies describe their purpose as "driving progress for the benefit of society by providing independent, objective advice to advance science, engineering, and medicine." That single sentence contains the two elements that matter most for understanding their policy role:
- Independence and objectivity — the advice is positioned as non-partisan and evidence-based.
- Advice as the product — the Academies do not set policy themselves; they produce analysis that policymakers and the public can use.
The site frames this through three connected lenses: science helps understand and anticipate the future, engineering helps invent and shape it, and medicine helps treat and cure illness. The stated goal is that together these fields "help us build a thriving and healthy society."
How the advice reaches the public
The Academies' influence is visible in several output types, each aimed at a different audience and moment in the policy cycle.
| Output type | What it is | Example from the site |
|---|---|---|
| Feature story | Explains a complex topic for a general audience | How the National Academies are informing discussions of AI progress and safety |
| Statement | A formal position, often on a time-sensitive event | U.S. National Academies presidents commenting on the attack on the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine |
| Decadal survey | A long-range set of scientific priorities that agencies use for planning | A 2020 survey that identified astronomy and astrophysics priorities |
| News release / announcement | Announces new publications and leadership changes | New edition of a widely used guide to responsible research |
The decadal survey example is the clearest illustration of how advice becomes policy. NASA announced it would begin preliminary design and technology development for the PRIMA far-infrared telescope — described as the first of a new class of telescopes recommended by the 2020 National Academies decadal survey. In other words, a National Academies report set priorities, and a federal agency then acted on them.
Who does the work
The advice is not produced by a small permanent staff alone. According to the site, in 2025 more than 20,000 volunteers, Academy members, and staff "fulfilled our mission to help policymakers and the public understand and find solutions to complex problems." The same page notes that over 7,300 local, state, and federal transportation leaders met with business leaders and researchers — an example of convening as a form of influence, not just publishing.
This matters if you are trying to use the site: the people behind a report are typically a mix of appointed experts and volunteers, which is the basis for the "independent, objective" claim.
How to use the site for your own question
If you want to see how the Academies have weighed in on a topic:
- Start with the news and feature sections to find recent statements and explainers, which are written for non-specialists.
- Look for a decadal survey or consensus report when you need the underlying priorities or evidence, since these are the documents agencies cite.
- Check the date and the output type — a statement responds to an event, while a decadal survey sets a multi-year agenda. They carry different weight.
- Follow the citation trail — when an agency like NASA announces a program, the announcement often names the National Academies report it is responding to.
A practical limitation: the site presents the Academies' own framing of their impact. For a contested policy area, treat their reports as one authoritative input among others, and read the report itself rather than only the summary.