The lives we lead today are made possible by the scientific discoveries we made in the past. From the food on our plates to the phones in our hands, from the medicines we take to how we travel and transport things, from the clothes we wear to how we teach our kids, all are better today because of science.

Science is about discovery, and the research often starts decades before it has a practical impact on the world. All the more reason to choose our research investments wisely.

Discoveries can be used for good or bad, so we need to think carefully about the tradeoffs and unforeseen consequences of our research investments. Research into nuclear fusion gave us a new source of power, but it also led to the most devastating weapons humans have ever had.

The long time to results makes it hard to pick the most fruitful research topics today, but there are some rules of thumb.

If a dollar spent on research is likely to generate a hundred dollars in benefit, it’s clearly a top investment candidate. Conversely, if it’s going to take a lot of effort for modest gains, there may be better ways to spend the money.

Practical, personal and scientific priorities all have an impact on our choice of research projects.

Reducing poverty is at its core about creating a system in which people are supported when they need it.

By ensuring children start their lives well-fed and educated, we increase their life-long ability to contribute to the world.

In our modern world, individuals and societies with surplus resources could easily provide for the needs of the world while still having very comfortable lives themselves.

While we have official benchmarks for poverty, there is not much discussion on the other side of the scales about what counts as too much.

What should rich individuals and countries give up to improve the lives of those in poverty? Should we only aspire to eliminate extreme poverty, or can the world’s rich support a higher standard of living for all? How should we choose?

Depending on your circumstances you might be facing choices about your own individual health, supporting people around you, or changing the health care system.

Health decisions are deeply personal. Any system we design needs to honor those choices and individual needs.

This is part of the challenge created by separating how we treat physical and mental health. Individuals often use up their limited resources fighting battles, some inside themselves, some external, leaving little energy for the rest of their needs.

A system that supports good individual decisions will improve overall health.

How can a limited number of doctors, nurses, hospitals and supplies best serve a population of patients in need? How do we weigh the trade-offs between allowing same-day visits and delaying scheduled visits?

What is the right population of medical professionals to serve patient needs? How can we create an environment where the right number of people choose a career in healthcare?

How do we balance the costs with the benefits? How can we measure progress?

A dollar spent in one part of the world can have a dramatically larger impact than in other regions. How do we design a system that reflects our values while serving all needs?

What am I willing and able to do? How can I apply my skillset to this problem? Which options will provide the greatest return compared to the effort involved?

The first challenge is to decide what should we give to our students, and the second is who pays for it. Both issues are intertwined.

Parents sometimes choose non-public schools because they are able and willing to invest more of their personal resources. College students in some countries pay drastically more for their education because of the way college is funded. Some vocations require you to pay out of pocket for your education, while others provide on-the-job training.

The consequences of a change today may only be fully realized decades from now. For example, take away or add a certain kind of support for elementary school, and it will take over a decade to see how it impacts those students as adults.

Our quest for efficiency in education raises difficult questions. For example, if kids have almost as good an experience when they have 20 classmates as 30, is it worth losing a couple kids who need more individual attention?

The relentless push for more efficiency takes a toll on teachers too. Over the past several years educators have been burning out at record rates.

If we want a future with qualified doctors, engineers and teachers, we need to maintain the availability of college. If we want to have an educated population who can follow a budget or apply for a job, we need to achieve at least moderate quality for our youngest citizens.

• Which causes are most important to me personally? Can I get started with something small or get involved with a group to learn what my options are? Talking to people on the other side of the issue can help you understand the complexity and clarify your beliefs.
• Do I want to work in government directly to deliver the improvements I desire? First-hand experience of the inner workings of government can help you understand why it has so many problems and give you smarter ideas for how to address them.
• What am I willing and able to do? How can I apply my skillset to this problem? Which options will provide the greatest return compared to the effort involved?

With smart focus and a dash of luck, influencing government is a great opportunity to have a huge impact. When your actions shape new policies, hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people can benefit from those changes.