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American dominance in the STEM fields since 1945 has rested on federal support. Both military and civilian agencies have poured money into academic research, remaking the economy and society as well as the armed forces. However, the political developments of 2026 pushed that system to the brink and promised to alter the relationships between researchers and government. This course begins by exploring the development, justification, and operation of federal research funding as it took shape in the late 1940s and 1950s. We will then trace shifts over time, including new federal spending patterns reflecting a quest for global economic competitiveness. Finally, we will examine the nature and possible outcomes of the current reconfiguration.