WHOI-90-52

support for scientific resech at WHOI averages about one percent of tota sponsored resech,
well below the national average of six percent for all disciplines.) It is possible that the presence
of only minimal industr support of or interest in tehnology trsfer in a basic resech-intensive
field, such as ocography, wil be perceived as an indicator of the lack of "usefulness" or
"value" of resech done in that field. In this case, technology transfer activity ma be an
inaquae measure of the usefulness or value of research. For example, fundamenta resech
directe at understading global sce ocic-atmospheric interactions would have limite
commercia value, at least in the ealy stages. Other criteria base upon: scientific merit, such
as those currently employed by NSF, ONR, NOAA, and other government sponsors, may be
more appropriate methods for determining the usefulness or value of resech results in this field.
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