Abstract: In his classic letter to US President Harry Truman titled “Science, The Endless Frontier” Vannevar Bush argued that basic research was necessary for society’s progress. His passionate plea was heeded; in 1950 President Truman signed a law creating the National Science Foundation, which has since funded 24% of the basic research conducted in US colleges and universities. Yet Bush’s legacy also has a dark side. Its exclusive focus on basic research devalued applied research. As can be seen in Software Engineering, the rush towards fundamental work led to a huge disconnect between academic research and industrial practice.

Fortunately, there is a well-trodden path forward. Drawing from lessons in Donald Stokes’ book “Pasteur’s Quadrant – Basic Science and Technological Innovation” I will illustrate the differences between the pure basic research currently embodied in academia, pure applied research found mainly in startups, and rare use-inspired research found most often in industrial research. Using deep dives into my own projects and referencing other relevant examples I will argue that, for our field to achieve the fullest impact, we need more use-inspired researchers.