SSTI Digest

During the past few weeks, the National Science Foundation has released more than a dozen reports, issue briefs, and early release statistical tables of potential interest to the S&T community. Due to limited space in this week's Digest, we are offering brief descriptions and links for more information. Federal Funds for Research and Development: Detailed Historical Tables: Fiscal Years 1951-2000 [nsf01308] -- Table 57 presents federal obligations to intramural performers by state: 1970-1998 URL: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf01308

The National Science Foundation’s Division of Educational System Reform is funding cooperative agreements with 13 urban school districts: Birmingham, Chattanooga, Chicago, Fresno, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, Newport News, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia to improve K-12 mathematics and technology education. The awards are aimed at districts that already have improvement programs in place. The funds will help them expand current programs in science, mathematics, and technology as well as initiate new activities so all students have access to the programs.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has recommended awards for 24 projects in communities around the country to help translate knowledge gained from basic research into new products, businesses and services, as well as to provide workforce education and training opportunities focused on innovation. Totaling more than $14 million, each averaging about $600,000 over two or three years, the first-ever Partnerships For Innovation (PFI) awards cover projects in 20 states and Puerto Rico.

The PFI program is designed to build creative interactions in local communities between colleges and universities, government agencies, foundations and private corporations. Each partnership is tailored to help a specific community better position itself to accommodate research and development at the local and regional level, with the goal of advancing local economic and educational opportunities.

This week, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the establishment of four new Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) and two new Engineering Research Centers (ERCs).

Materials Research Science & Engineering Centers The MRSECs will explore innovative materials and stimulate the integration of research and education in the field of materials science. NSF will invest $24 million over five years in the new centerst to be located at the California Institute of Technology, the University of Oklahoma/University of Arkansas, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Virginia. Each award is initially for five years, and continued NSF support is possible through competitive review. State governments and industry partners will also contribute substantial support to the new centers.

The first $90 million has been awarded through NSF’s new program Information Technology Research (ITR) initiative. The goal of the program is to build US leadership in information technology (IT) through support of fundamental research and innovative applications of IT. The ITR program is designed to strengthen the nation’s IT knowledge base as well as the IT workforce.

Only 210 projects were chosen from the more than 1,400 proposals submitted. Sixty-two large projects, and averaging $1 million per year for three to five years, were funded (involving 41 institutions in 22 states). Each of the remaining 148 projects total $500,000 or less for up to three years; these went to 81 institutions in 32 states. The accompanying table presents the distribution of awards by state.

During its six years in operation, the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program has awarded more than $150 million in grants to strengthen the education of technicians for the high tech fields driving our economy. The ATE Program is managed jointly by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Division of Undergraduate Education and the Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education.

The recently released 1999 Awards and Activities for the ATE Program shows the diversity of projects funded in effort to prepare technicians for rewarding careers in strategic technology fields. The program supports the development and dissemination of educational materials and curricula, professional development of college faculty and secondary school teachers, and technical internships for students. In FY1999, 164 projects were funded and 11 Centers of Excellence received continued funding.

Since its inception in 1975, the Alan T. Waterman Award remains the highest honor awarded by the National Science Foundation. The award is conferred annually to the young researcher who has demonstrated exceptional individual achievement in scientific or engineering research of sufficient quality to place them at the forefront of their peers. The awardee receives a $500,000 nonrestrictive grant over a three-year period for continued research.

The deadline for nominations for the 2001 award is December 31, 2000. Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and either be 35 years old or younger or not more than seven years beyond receipt of their Ph.D. More information on the Waterman Award, including past recipients is found at: http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/awards/waterman/

"How we view -- and treat -- the environment is a critical question for the 21st century," begins the letter from Eamon Kelly, chair of the National Science Board, that accompanies Environmental Science and Engineering for the 21st Century: The Role of the National Science Foundation. The study outlines the scope of the $600 million in current NSF environmental activities and conveys policy guidance for NSF to design a future $1.6 billion portfolio of programs and initiatives. Twelve recommendations are described in detail, including, in addition to the increased funding for NSF: 

Two-thirds of all U.S. research and development (R&D) expenditures in 1997 were concentrated in just ten states according to a July 10, 2000 Data Brief from the National Science Foundation. In contrast the 20 lowest ranking states in R&D expenditures accounted for only four percent of the $199 billion total. 

The top 10 states by total R&D expenditures were: California ($41.7 billion), Michigan ($14.0 B), New York ($12.3 B), New Jersey ($12.1 B), Massachusetts ($11.1 B), Texas ($9.5 B), Pennsylvania ($8.2 B), Illinois ($8.0 B), Washington ($7.5 B), and Maryland ($7.4 B). 

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and its sponsors have more than $1 million available through several programs to support and recognize science students and teachers. Applications are currently available for the following programs: 

Increasing globalization of research and development (R&D) and the prolific growth of information technology (IT) are major elements in a "science and engineering enterprise that is in transition," the National Science Board (NSB) reports in Science and Engineering Indicators 2000.

The new S&E Indicators report emphasizes a changing context for the National Science Foundation, and for science and engineering, generally. According to Science Board chair Eamon Kelly, there has been rapid worldwide growth and emphasis in science and technology, heightened by broad collaboration among nations. Recognizing the trend, the NSB devoted portions of each of the nine chapters in the new S&E Indicators to international comparisons and global patterns in science, engineering, education and technology.

The National Science Foundation has released two statistical reports that present several science and engineering statistics by state: