Technology development is not a goal in and of itself. In addition to being driven by their quest to push S&T to new frontiers, scientists and engineers develop new technologies to meet established or perceived needs of society. Comments received from regional experts with whom we consulted clearly linked TAs to specific problems and issues that are important in different parts of the world.

This section examines which of the top 16 TAs of Table 2.2 might be relevant to the problems and issues listed below that will likely confront societies in the future. Our choice of these problems and issues was significantly influenced by the fact that they are both present-day concerns and will likely continue in the future to be fundamental to the well-being of societies across the globe, although their specific characteristics and importance might differ across time and space: ^[180]

• Promote economic growth and international commerce

• Improve public health

• Improve individual health

• Reduce resource use and improve environmental health

• Strengthen the military and warfighters of the future

• Strengthen homeland security and public safety

• Influence governance and social structure

Table 3.3 shows our assessment of the relevance of the TAs of Chapter Two to these problems and issues. This table is based on a crosswalk between the 12 sectors of Table 2.2 and the eight problems and issues. In some cases (e.g., reducing resource use and improving environmental conditions, strengthening the military and warfighters of the future, and influencing governance...