The Endless Frontier: Sparking a National Conversation About Science and Discovery

<p class="">The world premiere of <em>The Endless Frontier</em> drew renewed attention to questions about how scientific discovery happens and why public investment in research matters.</p> <p class="">Premiering at the DC/DOX Film Festival in Washington, D.C., before continuing to a sold-out screening in New York City, the film brought scientists, journalists, filmmakers, and audiences together during a period of unprecedented uncertainty for the American research enterprise.</p> <p class=""><em>The Endless Frontier</em> follows <a href="https://eeb.princeton.edu/people/andrea-graham" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andrea Graham</a> (Princeton), <a href="https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/person/paul-barber/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paul Barber</a> (UCLA), and <a href="https://profiles.faculty.utah.edu/u1043304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jacob George</a> (University of Utah) as they pursue research addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges, from infectious disease and climate change to advanced prosthetics. Through their stories, the film illustrates the value of supporting unconventional ideas, training future scientists, and sustaining long-term research whose greatest returns often take years to materialize. Set against a period of profound disruption in the U.S. research ecosystem, <em>The Endless Frontier</em> confronts how shifting funding priorities are placing long-term scientific discovery at risk and redefining what research is possible.</p> <p class="">The documentary was executive produced by Aspen Institute Science &amp; Society Executive Director <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/aaron-mertz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aaron Mertz</a> and Mount Sinai immunologist <a href="https://naiklab.com/team/dr-shruti-naik/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shruti Naik</a>, directed by two-time Emmy Award winner <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1170802/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marilyn Ness</a>, and produced by impact-driven production company <a href="https://www.consequential.us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Consequential</a>. The film represents the first major public expression of the Aspen Institute Science &amp; Society Program’s broader mission to strengthen how science is understood, discussed, and engaged with in public life.</p> <p class="">Following its June 12 world premiere at the DC/DOX, <em>The Endless Frontier</em> was screened again on June 15 at the New York Academy of Medicine. Both screenings concluded with panel discussions that expanded on the film&#8217;s themes and engaged audiences in conversation about the future of scientific research.</p> <h1 class="wp-block-heading has-h6-variant" id="h-dc-dox-panel"><strong><em>DC/DOX Panel</em></strong></h1> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="1000" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/DC2-1500x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-248324"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Production team (left to right): editor Andrey Alistratov, director Marilyn Ness, producer Beth Westrate, executive producer Ruth Johnston, producer Ted Richane, executive producer Shruti Naik, executive producer Aaron Mertz, and associate producer Ruby Lanet. (Photo by Philip Friedman)</figcaption></figure> <p class="">Aneri Pattani of <em>KFF Health News</em> moderated the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBFZ7Zrw8Gg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">panel discussion</a> following the June 12 world premiere of <em>The Endless Frontier</em>. The panel brought together director Ness, Graham, George, and former NIH Director Francis Collins to reflect on the themes raised in the documentary. Taking place during a period of exceptional uncertainty for American science, the discussion underscored both the promise of scientific research and the growing challenges facing the institutions that sustain it.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="1001" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-10.28.23-AM-1500x1001.png" alt="" class="wp-image-248341"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Post-screening discussion following the Washington, D.C., premiere with moderator Aneri Pattani, director Marilyn Ness, cast members Andrea Graham and Jacob George, and former NIH Director Francis Collins. (Photo by Philip Friedman)</figcaption></figure> <p class="">Ness reflected on how the film evolved as the research landscape transformed during production. Originally conceived as a portrait of scientific discovery, the documentary increasingly became a record of a research ecosystem under strain. As Ness explained,<strong> “We felt urgency to get a film out that happened to be filming the last year science was normal in America.”</strong></p> <p class="">Drawing on his own experience, Collins described being given just 36 hours to leave the NIH following budget reductions, using the episode to illustrate the broader instability confronting the research community. He also reflected on the increasing politicization of scientific decision-making, observing, <strong>“When you mix science and politics, you just get politics. That&#8217;s where we are.”</strong></p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1000" height="1500" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/DC4-1000x1500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-248330"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Former NIH Director Francis Collins with executive producers Shruti Naik and Aaron Mertz outside the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Philip Friedman)</figcaption></figure> <p class="">Throughout the conversation and audience Q&amp;A, several themes emerged:</p> <ol class="wp-block-list"> <li class=""><strong>Scientific research depends on long-term stability.</strong> Graham and George described hiring freezes, delayed projects, and persistent uncertainty within their laboratories, emphasizing that scientific progress unfolds over years and cannot easily withstand abrupt disruptions.&nbsp;</li> <li class=""><strong>The next generation of scientists faces disproportionate risk.</strong> Collins repeatedly highlighted the vulnerability of graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career investigators, warning that continued instability could drive talented researchers away from science altogether.</li> <li class=""><strong>The research enterprise is an interconnected ecosystem.</strong> Panelists emphasized that research laboratories do far more than produce discoveries: they train future scientists, generate new knowledge, and sustain broader networks of innovation.</li> <li class=""><strong>Public engagement is now central to scientific work.</strong> Participants argued that scientists can no longer assume public support and must actively communicate the value of research through storytelling and community engagement.</li> <li class=""><strong>Today’s research investments shape tomorrow’s discoveries.</strong> The panel concluded by emphasizing that many of society’s most important medical and technological advances depend on sustained investments made years or even decades before their benefits become visible.</li> </ol> <h1 class="wp-block-heading has-h6-variant" id="h-new-york-academy-of-medicine-panel"><strong><strong><em>New York Academy of Medicine Panel</em></strong></strong></h1> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="1000" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/NY1-1500x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-248333"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Executive producers Shruti Naik and Aaron Mertz outside the New York Academy of Medicine before the New York premiere. (Photo by Philip Friedman)</figcaption></figure> <p class="">Following the June 15 screening at the New York Academy of Medicine, Mertz moderated a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhefExJx67Y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">panel discussion</a> with Ness, Naik, and <em>Science Friday</em> host <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/person/ira-flatow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ira Flatow</a>. The conversation also featured opening remarks from Graham and George.&nbsp;</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="995" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-29-at-10.23.20-AM-1500x995.png" alt="" class="wp-image-248338"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Executive producer Aaron Mertz with cast members Andrea Graham and Jacob George at the New York premiere. (Photo by Philip Friedman)</figcaption></figure> <p class="">Although the film remained the same, the conversations evolved. In Washington, panelists focused on immediate threats facing the U.S. research enterprise. In New York, the discussion shifted toward a broader question: how can scientists, journalists, and storytellers help the public understand how science works and why sustained support for discovery matters?</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="1000" style="object-position:50% 50%" src="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/NY3-1500x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-248339"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Post-screening discussion following the New York premiere with moderator Aaron Mertz, director Marilyn Ness, executive producer Shruti Naik, and journalist Ira Flatow. (Photo by Philip Friedman)</figcaption></figure> <p class="">Throughout the conversation and audience Q&amp;A, five themes emerged:</p> <ol class="wp-block-list"> <li class=""><strong>Science is a process, not a product.</strong> Graham emphasized that scientific knowledge advances through observation, experimentation, revision, and continual learning. As she explained, <em>“[Science] is not a product, it’s a process, a wonderful process during which we observe the world, observe it as closely as we possibly can, think about what we see, and then develop ideas to explain what we see.”</em> She argued that scientific progress depends upon a willingness to revise one&#8217;s understanding as new evidence emerges: <em>“You have to be willing to evaluate the new information coming in and admit you’re wrong most of the time, and update your understanding of the world. Being wrong is really fun and fascinating. It’s just this endless process of learning more and more about the world every day.”</em></li> <li class=""><strong>Curiosity drives discovery.</strong> Naik highlighted how transformative breakthroughs—including CRISPR, cancer immunotherapy, and the internet—emerged from basic research that initially had no obvious practical application. The discussion underscored the importance of sustained investment in curiosity-driven science, where the most significant impacts often cannot be anticipated in advance.</li> <li class=""><strong>Scientific infrastructure is largely invisible.</strong> Panelists emphasized that laboratories, universities, and research institutions do far more than produce discoveries. They train future scientists, cultivate new ideas, and provide the infrastructure that enables scientific advances to become medicines, technologies, and other public benefits, much of which remains unseen by the public.</li> <li class=""><strong>Scientists are people.</strong> A recurring theme was the film&#8217;s portrayal of researchers as individuals with families, ambitions, setbacks, and commitments rather than abstract experts. By humanizing scientists, the documentary offers audiences a more personal understanding of both the realities of research and the people who make scientific progress possible. As Ness put it, <em>“these are real people with their own families, and they&#8217;re working on their own problems at the same time as they&#8217;re doing science, which is what we&#8217;re all doing in our life.”</em></li> <li class=""><strong>Public understanding is essential to the future of science.</strong> Echoing themes from the Washington discussion, panelists argued that public engagement has become an indispensable part of scientific work. As Flatow observed, <em>“People love science. They just don’t know where to get it.”</em> Storytelling, journalism, film, and direct engagement help bridge the gap between the scientific community and the public, strengthening support for the long-term investments that make scientific discovery possible.</li> </ol> <h1 class="wp-block-heading has-h6-variant" id="h-"></h1> <p class="">The Washington, D.C., and New York City premieres are only the beginning of <em>The Endless Frontier</em>’s engagement with audiences across the country. Together, the two premieres demonstrated that audiences are eager not only to learn about scientific breakthroughs, but also to understand how discovery happens. The film will continue screening at festivals, universities, museums, and community venues, creating new opportunities for public conversations about the future of scientific discovery. At its heart, <em>The Endless Frontier</em> aims to spark thoughtful dialogue about science and the role it plays in society. By inviting audiences to ask questions and reflect on how scientific knowledge is created, the film encourages the very curiosity and critical thinking at the core of the scientific process, fostering greater public understanding of the long-term investments that make scientific discovery possible.</p> <p class=""></p> <h1 class="wp-block-heading has-h6-variant" id="h-media-coverage"><strong><em>Media coverage</em></strong></h1> <p class=""><em>The Endless Frontier</em> has attracted coverage from two of the world’s leading scientific publications. Ahead of the world premiere, <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/new-documentary-follows-researchers-increasingly-fraught-career-path" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Science</em> profiled the documentary</strong></a> and interviewed executive producer Aaron Mertz about the inspiration behind the film, the decision to follow three researchers across different fields and career stages, and the importance of helping audiences understand how scientific discovery actually happens.</p> <p class="">Following the premiere, <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Nature-Review-of-The-Endless-Frontier.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Nature</em> published a featured review</strong></a> by senior reporter Max Kozlov, calling <em>The Endless Frontier</em> “a timely reminder that science isn’t an invincible machine.” The review praises the film&#8217;s portrayal of research as a deeply human endeavor driven by curiosity, mentorship, and persistence, and concludes that scientific breakthroughs ultimately depend on sustained public trust and reliable long-term investment in research.</p> <p class=""></p> <p class=""><a href="https://youtu.be/rZ6sMhPDVZI?si=r7OAhsJUP5vdJZ1o" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Watch the trailer</strong></a></p> <p class="">New to <em>The Endless Frontier</em>? Watch the official trailer to learn more about the documentary and the scientists whose stories it follows.</p> <p class=""></p> <p class=""><a href="https://www.goelevent.com/WoodsHoleFilmFest/e/TheEndlessFrontier" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Next screening: Woods Hole Film Festival</strong></a></p> <p class="">Join us on July 28, 2026, at the Woods Hole Film Festival in Massachusetts.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center"></p> <p class=""></p> <p class=""></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/the-endless-frontier-sparking-a-national-conversation-about-science-and-discovery/">The Endless Frontier: Sparking a National Conversation About Science and Discovery</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org">Aspen Institute</a>.</p>