SSTI Digest

Math and science students exposed to high expectations, challenging curriculum and sound instructional methods may hold an advantage over their peers, suggests a report funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).



Academic Excellence for All Urban Students presents data from a study of 22 urban school districts comprising the NSF's Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI), showing great gains in student achievement by school districts that participated in the USI program for the longest period of time. The report is the result of eight years of research under the USI program, which began in 1993. It also is part of a larger ongoing study by Systemic Research, Inc., How Reform Works: An Evaluative Study of National Science Foundation's Urban Systemic Initiatives.

With an overall positive review, the Office of the Inspector General within the National Science Foundation (NSF) has made several recommendations for improving the performance of NSF's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). EPSCoR plays an important and strategic role in many states’ efforts to build a stronger research enterprise and tech-based economy. In FY 2000, the NSF EPSCoR program distributed $51.7 million to 19 states and Puerto Rico. The FY 2001 budget is $74.8 million.



Created in 1978, the NSF EPSCoR program has served as a model for other agencies’ efforts to increase the research culture of states that have historically received a small share of federal research dollars.

Between 10 and 15 Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC) will be funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in early 2002. In a recently released request for proposals, NSF indicates that it has $24 million available for the centers. The MRSEC program supports interdisciplinary, university-based group research and education in the areas of materials science and engineering, condensed matter physics, solid state and materials chemistry, and related areas. Each of the 24 existing MRSECs encompass one or more interdisciplinary research groups.



The request for proposals is toward making between 10 and 15 awards to universities for the establishment of new MRSECs or continuation of existing centers. Existing MRSECs will be in open competition with new proposals. If an existing MRSEC is unsuccessful, phase out funding may be provided at a reduced level for up to two years.

Research and development activity in the nonprofit sector share of total U.S. R&D held steady at 3 percent from 1973 to 1997, according to a February 15 Data Brief prepared by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Data Brief reports on the first survey of nonprofit R&D activity since 1973.



The new study captured R&D funding and performance by nonprofit organizations for fiscal years 1996 and 1997. In 1997 nonprofit organization intramural R&D expenditures totalled $7.3 billion. The average annual current dollar increase from 1973 to 1997 was five percent when adjusted for inflation. Extramural R&D activity for nonprofits was estimated to be approximately $1.5 billion for the same year.

Partnerships for Innovation (PFI), a National Science Foundation (NSF) program started just last year, has released its Program Solicitation for FY 2001. The program will support 10-15 new government-university-industry partnerships that explore new approaches to support and sustain innovation. An academic institution must be the lead for the partnership 



The program was designed to: 

Rex Pelto has left the Advanced Technology Program to take the position of Director of Federal R&D & Business Development for Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology.