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Understanding the ups and downs of federal R&D obligations
A recently published InfoChart from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) presents an annotated walk through federal R&D obligations from FY 1951 through 2024, explaining key events influencing key moments in the surges and downswings along the nation’s path to supporting discovery, research, development and innovation. The data is presented in constant 2017 dollars.
Over SSTI’s 30-year history, it has seen federal R&D trends greatly influence state, university and regional innovation policy and investment priorities. Shifts in federal spending ripple through local economies, research‑intensive firms, workforce development, and public infrastructure investments. Understanding those factors influencing federal investment can be a useful guide for designing future regional innovation policy and financial commitments.
