Related to this, when we talk about a nation falling behind in math and science, what we actually care about is applied math and science (technology innovation)

Related to this, when we talk about a nation falling behind in math and science, what we actually care about is applied math and science (technology innovation) and how it affects economic competitiveness. A nation of Grothendiecks, Erdoses and Perelemans would not be a huge player in the world economy. What these metrics don't measure is that a lot of people who create important technology advances and businesses are dropouts, misfits, guys who did bad on their exams and people from completely different fields.