If my memory serves, the chemistry community is slightly better, as a lot of the funding sources are related to solving real world problems that are increasingly become more important (energy and resources, medical, synthesis, mining, catalysis, high performance materials etc.), thus the motivation aligns with the aims of the research.
some do, however lament about the relative unpopularity of fundamental researches such as those I joined back in my honours year. One of the talks I attended has the speaker emphasising the importance of fundamental research