Federal R&D Spending Rises in FY 2014, But Does Not Keep Pace With Economy
Though federal support for R&D increased in FY14, federal spending on research and R&D facilities is currently at its lowest point in a decade, according to new data from the National Science Foundation (NSF). After hitting an all-time high in FY09, U.S. federal funding for R&D slid downward for the four years. By FY13, funding for R&D, and R&D plant (buildings and fixed equipment), had fallen by 19.4 percent. Federal funds only began to tick back upward in FY14, when increased support for basic research, agriculture and natural resources led to a 2.4 percent increase.
New Report by Battelle Explores Growth of Global Innovation Ecosystem
Battelle Memorial Institute and R&D Magazine have released their annual Global Funding Forecast, an assessment of global political and economic impacts on worldwide industrial research. The report notes that although global R&D spending by leading countries has remained virtually unchanged since the Great Recession, the flows of innovation research have changed substantially.
Uber Partners With Universities to Support R&D, Entrepreneurship
Over the last couple months, the San Francisco-based Uber, a mobile-app-based transportation network, announced partnerships with institutions of higher education in the Northeast. In February, Uber and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) launched a strategic partnership that includes the launch of the Uber Advanced Technologies Center, a Pittsburgh-based research laboratory to advance Uber’s mission of bringing safe, reliable transportation to everyone, everywhere.
With R&D Recognized as Investment in GDP Statistics, U.S. R&D-to-GDP Ratio Falls
Because of recent changes in the methodologies used by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), research and development is now recognized as investment in statistics on U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). As a result, from 1929 to 2012, the average annual growth rate of GDP is 0.1 percentage point higher than in the previously published estimates.
MIT Committee: Decline in Basic Research Investment Threatens U.S. Innovation
Although the benefits of basic research are often misunderstood due to their lack of immediate payoff, a new report by the MIT Committee to Evaluate the Innovation Deficit finds that this research is of the utmost importance in sustaining U.S. economic competitiveness. In The Future Postponed: Why Declining Investment in Basic Research Threatens a U.S.
The Changing Nature of U.S. Basic Research: Trends in Federal Spending
Innovation in the United States, once a hallmark of economic success, finds itself resting on an increasingly weak foundation, according to an article in The New York Times. The author, Eduardo Porter, suggests that two trends – increased international competition and a stagnant R&D-to-GDP ratio – pose key challenges for the U.S. First, government funding for basic research continues to fall and is politically vulnerable. Second, evidence suggests that American corporations are walking away from basic science as well. Each of these challenges, Porter notes, bodes poorly for American progress. Using a variety of data sources, this Digest series provides a long-term analysis to assess how basic research has changed over time within the larger context of research and development in the United States.
NSF InfoBrief: Federal R&D Obligations Dropped by 9 Percent in FY13
Funding obligated by federal agencies for research and development (R&D) and R&D plant (facilities and fixed equipment) dropped from $141 billion to $127 billion (9 percent decrease) in current dollars from FY12 to FY13, according to a new National Science Foundation (NSF) InfoBrief. NSF researchers found that federal funding for research dropped by 4 percent; support for development efforts dropped by 14 percent; and, R&D plant funds were reduced by 11 percent.
The Changing Nature of U.S. Basic Research: Trends in Funding Sources
The second in SSTI’s series on basic research, this article focuses on the ways that the funding sources of R&D and basic research have changed over time. Ultimately, the nature of basic research – long horizons, unknown rewards, and high costs – indicates why some sectors, namely the private sector, may seek shorter term options. A better understanding of the changing nature of funding sources for basic research may be useful in understanding the current state of research and development in the U.S.
The Changing Nature of U.S. Basic Research: Trends in Performance
Using the latest data update of the National Science Foundation’s National Patterns of R&D Resources series, this article, the third and final of SSTI’s series on basic research, describes how the performers of R&D and basic research in the U.S. have changed over time.
MI, IA, VA, Others Target Future Demand for Autonomous, Connected Vehicles
Uber and the City of London are among the growing number of backers of a nearly driver-free world. Proponents of autonomous vehicles contend that they will lead to large cost savings for both consumers and transportation organizations while delivering a faster, more efficient transportation experience. However, there are still major strides to be made before the technology can be safely deployed in real world settings. Several U.S.
U.S. Treasury Proposal Would Allow Research Tax Credits for Prototypes
Under a new set of proposed rules issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, companies will be able to claim the federal research and experimentation (R&E) tax credit on eligible expenditures regardless of any subsequent actions taken by businesses with the purchases. The change would allow businesses to claim the credit on research expenses used to create prototypes, pilot models and process improvements.
NSF Surveys Show Diversity of Relationships between University-Industry Partners
According to the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey the percentage of university R&D funded by private sector investment has remained mostly stable since the late 1970s, hovering between 5 percent and 7 percent of total R&D expenditures. In FY 2011 the private sector invested $3.2 billion, or 4.9 percent of the total $65 billion university R&D expenditures.
How Do Local Tech Economies Affect University Research Output?
In tech-based economic development circles, universities are frequently thought of as engines for regional economic growth, engines whose effectiveness is determined by the volume of research conducted and the ability of faculty and staff to turn discoveries into commercially available goods and services. The authors of two recent academic articles suggest that regional economies are also a key determinant of university success.
State Governments Becoming Important Source of R&D Funding, Reports NSF
State government agencies spent $1.4 billion on research in FY11, an 11.3 percent increase over the previous year, according to a release from the National Science Foundation. Much of the increase was concentrated in the top five states, New York, Ohio, Florida, California and Pennsylvania, which together represent about 51 percent of total U.S. state R&D spending.
Higher Education R&D Expenditures by State, Source
U.S. spending on higher education research and development (R&D) declined in FY12 (after adjustments for inflation) for the first time in almost 40 years, according to data from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The decrease marks the end of a period of modest growth since 2009 in which R&D expenditures increased at an average of five percent each year. While data on higher education R&D spending by state is not yet available for FY12, NSF has released state data through FY11, including expenditures by funding source
Useful Stats: U.S. Research and Development Expenditures by Stage of Work, 2002-12
U.S. R&D spending began to rebound in 2011 and 2012 after several years of stagnation, according to new survey data released by the National Science Foundation. During the economic crisis of 2008-10, R&D expenditures froze at just over $400 billion. Newly revised data for 2011 and preliminary data for 2012 indicate that R&D spending began to recover in those years, outpacing U.S. GDP growth. This resurgence, however, has not materialized for all stages of research.
Tech Talkin’ Govs: Part I
Now in its 14th year, SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series has returned as governors across the country formally convene the 2014 legislative sessions. The series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from governors' State of the State, Budget and Inaugural addresses. The first edition includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Idaho, Kentucky, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Useful Stats: U.S. R&D Spending and Intensity by State, 2006-11
Despite a small decline in research investment in 2011, New Mexico continues to have the country’s most research-focused economy, according to the National Science Foundation National Patterns of R&D Resources survey. Maryland, Massachusetts, Washington and California also ranked among the top most R&D intensive economies in 2011. SSTI has prepared tables, based on the NSF data, showing total R&D spending and R&D intensity at the national and state level from 2006-11.
Three High-Tech Tax Credits Expanded in Maryland Gov’s Budget
Gov. Martin O’Malley’s FY15 budget includes increased funding for the state’s biotech tax credit, cyber tax credit and R&D tax credit, and provides level funds to continue longstanding tech-based and workforce initiatives.
Canada Reveals Updated S&T Strategy, $1.5B Fund to Spur Academic R&D
On December 4, the Canadian government revealed their national Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy – Seizing Canada's Moment: Moving Forward in Science, Technology and Innovation 2014. An update to the original report released in 2007, the S&T strategy identifies five priority research areas for federal support over the next seven years: environment and agriculture; health and life sciences; natural resources and energy; information and communications technology; and, advanced manufacturing.
President Obama Signs Spending Bill, Keeping S&T Funding Stable
This week, President Obama signed off on the continuing resolution omnibus spending package that will keep the federal government open for another nine months (see last week’s analysis).The spending bill provides stable funding for R&D and most research agencies, according to analysis by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Useful Stats: Federal Obligations for Science & Engineering to Universities and Colleges
A total of $30.8 billion for science and engineering (S&E) was given by federal agencies to 1,073 academic institutions across the United States in FY 2012, according to new research from the National Science Foundation. Although these obligations are 2 percent less than they were the year before, commitments to science and engineering increased more than 9 percent from 2007 to 2012. During that same time, per capita commitments to academic S&E decreased 7 percent.
Fewer Postdoctoral Researchers Employed at Federally Funded R&D Centers in 2013
In fall 2013, 21 federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) in the U.S. employed 2,613 postdoctoral researchers in 2012, down 6.4 percent from the previous year, according to a recently released InfoBrief from the National Science Foundation. Postdocs, who help government agencies meet their research and analytic needs and in turn receive relevant training and experience, are more than 75 percent male and more than 50 percent international, according to the brief.
Useful Stats: State business R&D performance paid for by companies, 2009-2018
A thriving innovation economy requires a robust R&D enterprise — with participation by academia, government, and the private sector. As a substantial performer and funder of R&D in the United States, the strength of private industry’s R&D activity in a region can provide an indication of the region’s capacity for bringing innovative technologies to market.
A thriving innovation economy requires a robust R&D enterprise — with participation by academia, government, and the private sector. As a substantial performer and funder of R&D in the United States, the strength of private industry’s R&D activity in a region can provide an indication of the region’s capacity for bringing innovative technologies to market. Using data from the recent release of the National Science Foundation’s 2018 Business Enterprise R&D Survey, this SSTI analysis shows that while total R&D performed domestically by private companies in 2018 increased over 2017, as did the share of the R&D that was paid for by companies, this was not the case for all states.
Useful Stats: Microenterprise R&D performance by state
Stemming from a collaboration between the Census Bureau and the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF), a new data set aims to untangle the dynamics of research and development (R&D) performed by private companies.
Stemming from a collaboration between the Census Bureau and the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF), a new data set aims to untangle the dynamics of research and development (R&D) performed by private companies. Specifically, the new Annual Business Survey incorporates previously experimental data on the R&D performance by microenterprises — businesses which employ between one and nine people. SSTI’s analysis of this new data shows the total R&D performed by microenterprises in each state, and the portion of that R&D which the companies paid for themselves.