Office of Scientific Research and Development

Office of Scientific Research and Development

The Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) was an agency of the United States federal government created to coordinate scientific research for military purposes during World War II. Arrangements were made for its creation during May 1941, and it was created formally by Executive Order 8807 on June 28, 1941. It superseded the work of the National Defense Research Committee (NDRC), was given almost unlimited access to funding and resources, and was directed by Vannevar Bush, who reported only to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

The research was widely varied, and included projects devoted to new and more accurate bombs, reliable detonators, work on the proximity fuze, radar and early-warning systems, lighter and more accurate hand weapons, more effective medical treatments, more versatile vehicles, and, most secret of all, the "S-1 Section", which later became the Manhattan Project and developed the first nuclear weapons.

From October 1943 to October 1946, OSRD used conscientious objectors from Civilian Public Service as subjects for research of malaria, altitude pressure, life raft rations, high altitude, frost bite, psycho-acoustics, poison gas, ingestion of and exposure to sea water, temperature extremes, climate, physiological hygiene, thiamine, bed rest and aero medicine.

To study the effects of diet and nutrition, Dr. Ancel Keys of the University of Minnesota Laboratory of Physiological Hygiene placed 32 conscientious objectors on a controlled diet. For three months they were given a normal 3200 calorie diet. This was followed by six months of an 1800 calorie diet, fewer calories than provided by the famine diet experienced by the civilian population in wartime Europe. The research documented the men's ability to maintain physical output and the psychological effects such as introversion, lethargy, irritability and severe depression. The study then studied the men's recovery as they returned to a normal diet and regained the weight lost during the experimentation. The men indicated later they would not have volunteered for this project had they known how rigorous it would be.

The OSRD was discontinued during December 1947.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Office of scientific research and development — L’Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD, en français, « Bureau de recherches et de développement scientifiques ») était une agence du gouvernement fédéral des États Unis créée pour coordonner la recherche scientifique à… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Office of Scientific Research and Development — L’Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD, en français : « Bureau de recherches et de développement scientifiques ») était une agence du gouvernement fédéral des États Unis créée pour coordonner la recherche… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Office of Scientific Research and Development — Das Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) war eine Behörde der US amerikanischen Regierung zur Koordinierung der Forschung zu militärischen Zwecken während des Zweiten Weltkrieges und ging aus dem NDRC hervor. Der Direktor des OSRD …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Office Of Scientific Research And Development — (OSRD)    Established in June 1941 to recruit scientists to work on defense related projects, the OSRD also compiled a roster of the nation’s scientific experts. Headed by Vannevar Bush, the office led developments in sonar, radar, fuses, bomb… …   Historical Dictionary of the Roosevelt–Truman Era

  • European Office of Aerospace Research and Development — The European Office of Aerospace Research Development (EOARD), is a London based detachment of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), which is part of the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).ources* [http://www.london.af.mil/… …   Wikipedia

  • Research and development in Japan — Research and development are important to the Japanese economy.As its economy matured in the 1970s and 1980s, Japan gradually shifted away from dependence on foreign research. Japan s ability to conduct independent research and development became …   Wikipedia

  • research and development — Introduction abbreviation  R and D,  or  R & D,         in industry, two intimately related processes by which new products and new forms of old products are brought into being through technological innovation. Introduction and definitions        …   Universalium

  • NIDDK Office of Technology Transfer and Development — The Office of Technology Transfer and Development (OTTD) [1] is an office within the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is an agency of the United States… …   Wikipedia

  • Atomic Research and Development —    During his tenure as prime minister, David Ben Gurion suggested that Israel s scientists begin to develop atomic energy as a source of power for a country essentially devoid of natural resources and as a component of broader scientific… …   Historical Dictionary of Israel

  • Scientific research in Canada — This article outlines the history of natural scientific research in Canada including, mathematics, physics, astronomy, space science, geology, oceanography, chemistry, biology, medical research and psychology. The social sciences are not treated… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”