U.S. research institutions are undergoing significant changes from patterns established in the decade following World War II. Declining undergraduate enrollments are predicted to lead to "steady-state" universities; federal policy is emphasizing industry-university research cooperation and calling for a decreased federal role in the direct support of research, with increased tension in relations between government and the scientific community noted by many. These and other areas are addressed in the papers presented in this informal overview of the major controversies related to the U.S. research system during the current transitional period. Papers include: "Introduction: The U.S. Research System under Stress" (John M. Logsdon); "Public Attitudes and the Control of Research" (Dorothy Nelkin); "Basic Research on Campus: A University View" (Steven Muller); "Science, Government, and Policy: A Four-Decade Perspective" (Emmanuel R. Piore); "Accountability in Federally-Supported University Research" (Linda S. Wilson); "A Bridge Reconnecting Universities and Industry through Basic Research" (Richard E. Lyon, Jr.); "The Scarcity of Ethical Resources: Strategic Planning for Science" (Mark Pastin); "New Academic Positions: The Outlook in Europe and North America" (Charles V. Kidd); "Engineering: The Neglected Ingredient" (F. Karl Willenbrock); and "Quantitative Methods in Research and Development Decision-Making" (Carolyn Heising-Goodman). (JN)