This report describes the National Science Foundation (NSF) that was created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (P.L. 81-507)

Matthews, Christine M.

UNT Digital Library

1 National Science Foundation, Federal Support for Research and Development: Fiscal Years1999, 2000, and 2001, Detailed Statistical Tables, NSF01-328, Arlington, VA, 2000.  p.  55-57.2 Ibid., p. 160.3 The NSF does not provide funding for research in clinical medicine, commerce, social work, orthe arts and humanities.Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code 95-307 SPRUpdated March 7, 2002U.S. National Science Foundation: AnOverviewChristine M. MatthewsSpecialist in Science and Technology PolicyResources, Science, and Industry DivisionSummaryThe National Science Foundation (NSF) was created by the National ScienceFoundation Act of 1950, as amended (P.L. 81-507).  The NSF has the broad mission ofsupporting science and engineering in general and funding basic research across manydisciplines. The majority of the research supported by the NSF is conducted at U.S.colleges and universities.  Approximately 82.8% ($2,634.1 million) of NSF’s FY2001$3,179.9 million research and development (R&D) budget was awarded to U.S. collegesand universities.1 Preliminary data reveal that for FY2001, the NSF providedapproximately 55.5% of all federally funded basic research conducted at the nation’scolleges and universities, with the exclusion of biomedical research sponsored by theNational Institutes of Health.2  In addition, NSF provides almost 30% of the total federalsupport for science and mathematics education.  For more on NSF, see CRS Issue BriefIB10083, Research and Development Funding: Fiscal Year 2002, John D. Moteff,Coordinator.  This report will be updated periodically. Background.  The NSF’s primary responsibility is to maintain the health and vitalityof the U.S. academic science and engineering enterprise. In addition to ensuring thenation’s supply of scientific and engineering personnel, the NSF promotes academic basicresearch and science and engineering education across many disciplines.3  Other federalagencies, in contrast, support mission-specific research (i.e., health, agriculture, defense).The NSF provides support for investigator-initiated, merit-reviewed, competitivelyselected awards, state-of-the-art tools, instrumentation and facilities.  The agency receivesCRS-24 While the FY2001 R&D appropriation of $3,179.9 million was only 3.9% of the total federalR&D budget, the agency plays an important role in maintaining the university-based researchenterprise.  The NSF provided 14.7% of all federally supported basic research and 22.9% offederal academic research.  Ibid., p. 95, 96, 160.+  NSF was the second largest federal supporterof academic research in FY2001, eclipsed by the Department of Health and Human Services, whichprovided 59.1%. The Department of Defense, the third largest supporter of academic research,provided 6.1%. Federal Funds for Research and Development: Fiscal Years 1999, 2000, and2001, p. 160-161.Figure 1.  NSF R&D Support in Constant 1996 Dollars: 1993-2002approximately 60,000 proposals annually, for research, graduate and postdoctoralfellowships, and science, mathematics, and engineering projects, and funds roughly one-third of them. Support is provided to academic institutions, industrial laboratories, privateresearch firms, and major research facilities and centers. While the NSF does not operateany laboratories, it does support Antarctic research stations, selected oceanographicvessels, and national research centers.  Additionally, the NSF supports university-industryrelationships and U.S. participation in international scientific ventures.Most of the research supported by the NSF is conducted at U.S. colleges anduniversities.  Approximately 82.8% ($2,634.1million) of NSF’s estimated FY2001$3,179.9 million research and development (R&D) budget was awarded to U.S. collegesand universities.  Preliminary data reveal that in FY2001,  NSF provided approximately55.5% of all federally funded basic research conducted at the Nation’s colleges anduniversities, with the exclusion of biomedical research sponsored by the National Institutesof Health.4CRS-3The NSF is an independent agency in the executive branch and under the leadershipof a presidentially appointed Director and a National Science Board (NSB) composed of24 scientists, engineers, and university and industry officials involved in research andeducation.  The NSB and the Director make policy for the NSF.Organization and Fiscal Year 2003 Request.  The NSF has enjoyedconsiderable growth during a period of constrained R&D budgets.  When measured incurrent dollars, its total appropriation increased more than 74% in 10 years — FY1993,$2,749.7 million;  FY1998, $3,425.7 million; and FY2002, $4,788.9  million.  Even wheninflation is taken into account, its growth increased (in constant fiscal year 1996 dollars)by 43.7% during this 10-year period.  The FY2003 request for the National ScienceFoundation (NSF) is $5,035.8 million, a 5% ($239.9 million) increase over the FY2002estimate of $4,795.9 million. Support is provided for several interdependent priority areas:biocomplexity in the environment ($79.2 million, 36.3% above FY2002), informationtechnology research ($285.8 million, 3% above FY2002), learning for the 21st century($184.7 million, 27.5% above FY2002), nanoscale science and engineering ($221.3million, 11.3% above FY2002), mathematical sciences ($60.1 million, 100.3% aboveFY2002), and social, behavioral and economic sciences ($10 million, new in the FY2003request).  The request provides a second installment of $200 million for the President’sMath and Science Partnerships program (MSP).  Additional FY2003 highlights includeincreased funding for graduate students ($26.2 million), continued support of plantgenome research ($75 million), increased investment in NSF’s administration andmanagement portfolio ($268.1 million), and funding for the Partnerships for Innovationprogram ($5 million).  In FY2003, the Administration proposes the transfer of threeprograms from other agencies to the NSF.  The proposed transfers include the NationalSea Grant program, currently at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration($57 million), Environmental Education, currently at the Environmental Protection Agency($9 million), and Hydrology of Toxic Substances, currently at the United States GeologicalSurvey ($10 million).The FY2003 request supports seven major directorates and other programs andactivity accounts. The directorates are the Biological Sciences; Computer and InformationScience and Engineering; Education and Human Resources; Engineering; Geosciences;Mathematical and Physical Sciences; and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences.  Sixof the seven directorates are contained in the Research and Related Activities Account(R&RA).  In addition to the directorates, the R&RA includes the U.S. Polar ResearchPrograms ($235.7 million),  the U.S. Antarctic Logistical Support Activities ($68.1million), and Integrative Activities ($110.6 million).   The seven major directorates aredescribed below.Biological Sciences (BIO).  The FY2003 request of $525.6 million for the BIODirectorate supports programs structured to improve scientific understanding of biologicalphenomena, ranging from the study of fundamental molecules of living organisms to thecomplexity of biological systems.  Types of support provided include research workshops,symposia, conferences, the improvement of research collections, purchase of scientificequipment, and operation of research facilities.Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).  The CISEDirectorate, proposed at $526.9 million in FY2003, supports programs focused on thefundamental understanding of computing and information processing, and the use of state-CRS-4of-the-art computational techniques in scientific and engineering research.  Currently, areasof research emphasized are parallel processing, automation and robotics, large-scaleintegrated electronic systems, scientific computing, and networking.Education and Human Resources (EHR).  The FY2003 request of  $908.1million for EHR supports science, engineering, mathematics, and technology education.People receiving support from the EHR include senior researchers, postdoctoralassociates, graduate and undergraduate students, and teachers and students at theprecollege level. Additional support is provided to individuals through informal scienceactivities.  More than 150,000 people are involved in  the various activities and programsof the EHR.Engineering (ENG).  The ENG, with a request of $488 million in FY2003, isdirected at enhancing the long-term economic strength and security of the Nation byfostering innovation and excellence in engineering education and research. It focuses onintegrating education and research in interdisciplinary areas such as information andcommunication technologies, biotechnology, and environmental research.Geosciences (GEO).  The FY2003 request of $691.1 million for the GEODirectorate provides support to programs that promote knowledge and discussionsconcerning earth, including the sun, atmosphere, continents, oceans, and interior, and thelinkages among them.  One of the objectives of the GEO is to expand the knowledge ofthe biological, chemical, geological, and physical processes in the ocean, and at itsboundaries, with the atmosphere and the earth’s crust. Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS).  The FY2003 request  of$941.6 million for the MPS would fund programs designed to increase the knowledge basein the relevant sciences; improve the quality of educational programs, with emphasis at theundergraduate level; improve the rate at which research efforts are translated into societalbenefits; and increase the diversity of approaches and individuals in the mathematical andphysical sciences.Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE.)  The SBE Directorate,proposed at $195.6 million in FY2003, supports programs directed at developing basicscientific knowledge about human behavior, culture, interaction, and decisionmaking, andabout social, political, and economic systems, organizations, and institutions. The SBEalso serves as the nation’s primary data source on science and engineering human,institutional, and financial resources. Other Program Activities and Accounts.  The Major Research Equipment andFacilities Construction (MREFC) account is funded at $96.3 million in FY2003, a 20.6%decrease ($25 million) from the FY2002 level. The MREFC, established in FY1995,supports the acquisition and construction of major research facilities and equipment thatextend the boundaries of science, engineering, and technology.  Seven projects aresupported in this account for FY2003, five ongoing projects and two new projects - -construction of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array ($30 million), the Large HadronCollider ($9.7 million), the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation ($13.6million), the South Pole Modernization Project ($6 million), Terascale Computing Systems($20 million), Earthscope ($35 million), and the National Ecological ObservatoryNetwork, Phase I ($12 million).  No funds are requested in FY2003 for the High-CRS-55 National Science Foundation, Large Facility Projects Management & Oversight Plan, September10, 2001, Arlington, Virginia, 9 p.6 While NSF does not directly construct or operate the facilities it funds, its does retainresponsibility for overseeing the successful performance and completion of the projects.  7 This directive was contained in A Blueprint for New Beginnings: A Responsible Budget forAmerica’s Priorities, Executive Office of the President of the United States, January 2001,Washington, DC, p. 161.Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER) orthe IceCube R&D project because they have been determined to be of lower priority. The FY2003 request for the Education and Human Resources Directorate (EHR) is$908.1 million, a 3.8% increase ($33.1 million) over FY2002.  Support at the variouseducational levels in the FY2003 request is as follows: precollege, $359.6 million;undergraduate, $157.4 million; and graduate, $136.9 million. Support at the precollegelevel includes $200 million for the MSPI, a cornerstone of the President’s educationreform agenda.  The MSP will provide funding for states and local school districts to joinwith colleges and universities to strengthen K-12 science and mathematics education.Funding increases to $27 million for Centers for Learning and Teaching (CLT).  The focusof the CLTs will be on developing the next generation of professionals to manage anddirect the development of instructional materials, large scale assessments, and educationresearch and evaluation.  Support will continue for Systemic Reform Initiatives andInstructional Materials Development.  Selected programs at the undergraduate level areScholarship for Service, Advanced Technological Education, Louis Stokes Alliances forMinority Participation, Historically Black Colleges and Universities-UndergraduateProgram, and Tribal Colleges and Universities Program.  An increase of 21.7% in FY2003for graduate level programs will allow NSF to raise the stipend of graduate fellows and toincrease the number of offers to new fellowships.  Funding for the Experimental Programto Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is $75 million. (An additional $30 millionfrom R&RA will support EPSCoR activities.)   It is anticipated that the H-1Bnonimmigrant petitioner fees collected in FY2003 will approximate $92.5 million, $2.5million above the FY2002 estimate.Policy Issues.  In September 2001, NSF submitted to the Office of Managementand Budget its  report, Large Facility Projects Management & Oversight Plan5, detailingthe schedule for implementing the major components of an improved system for selecting,managing, and overseeing large facilities.6  The plan was an outgrowth of the directivereceived by the NSF from the Bush Administration to improve its oversight of largeprojects.7  The report provided a detailed implementation plan, including anticipated datesfor the development of comprehensive guidelines and project oversight review, and therelease of a large facility project manual.  NSF acknowledged in the report that:. . . The portfolio of facilities has grown and diversified to include distributed projectsthat challenge traditional management and oversight approaches.  Emergingmultidisciplinary science and engineering opportunities have resulted in NSF movingtowards a greater number of large facility projects that are increasingly complex andpresent challenging technical and management issues.  Growth and diversificationrequire that NSF remain attentive to the ever-changing issues and challenges inherentCRS-68 Ibid., p. 2.9 Based on data in Table 25, National Science Foundation, Federal Funds for Research andDevelopment, Detailed Historical Tables: Fiscal Years 1951-2001, NSF01-331, Arlington, VA.10 House Committee on Science, “Members Raise Concern Over Balance of Federal R&D Budget”February 13, 2002.  Available at [http://www.house.gov/science/welcome.htm] and WashingtonFax, “Congress Will Have to “Show Its Mettle” and Provide Cash to Balance Science Funding”,February 15, 2002.[http://www.washingtonfax.com/pl/2002/20020215.html]. 11 National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2000, NSB00-1, Arlington, VA,January 13, 2000,  p. A-22.   See, also, National Science Foundation.  Data Brief. “U.S. IndustrialR&D Performers Report Increased R&D in 1999; New Industry Coding and Size Classificationsfor NSF Survey”,  NSF01-326, Arlington, VA, May 17, 2001,  4 p.12 National Science Board, “The Scientific Allocation of Scientific Resources”, Discussion Draftfor Comment, NSB01-39, Arlington, VA, March 28, 2001, p.1.in planning, construction, operation, management and oversight of large facilityprojects.8Rita R. Colwell, director, NSF, stated that there is concern in the scientificcommunity about the major realignment of federal research support across the scientificdisciplines. Data indicate that from FY1980 to FY2001, research support for the lifesciences increased from 36.1% to 47.2%.  During that same time period, support for thephysical sciences and engineering decreased from 41.7% to 29.8%.9 Several members ofCongress and others in the scientific community have stressed the importance inmonitoring the structure of the federal research portfolio in order to determine thepriorities that should be assigned the various disciplines.10  There is added concern about the trend in federal versus private sector support  forresearch.  While total national R&D funding is at a high, the federal government’s shareof support for R&D has declined, losing ground to industry.  The federal governmentprovided 60.7% of R&D support in 1968, 44.9% in 1988, and 29.5% in 1998.11   In March2001, the NSB released a report on the allocation of federal resources for science andtechnology.  The report stated that:Today’s environment demands effective management of the Federal portfolio forresearch, including a sustained advisory process that incorporates systematicparticipation by the science and engineering communities.  Expert input is particularlyimportant for decisions on long-term, high-risk investments in research-sponsoredmainly by the federal government - which are steadily losing ground in the nationalresearch portfolio to short-term investments.12

U.S. National Science Foundation: An Overview

1 National Science Foundation, Federal Support for Research and Development: Fiscal Years1999, 2000, and 2001, Detailed Statistical Tables, NSF01-328, Arlington, VA, 2000.  p.  55-57.2 Ibid., p. 160.3 The NSF does not provide funding for research in clinical medicine, commerce, social work,or the arts and humanities.Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code 95-307 SPRUpdated October 29, 2002U.S. National Science Foundation: AnOverviewChristine M. MatthewsSpecialist in Science and Technology PolicyResources, Science, and Industry DivisionSummaryThe National Science Foundation (NSF) was created by the National ScienceFoundation Act of 1950, as amended (P.L. 81-507).  The NSF has the broad mission ofsupporting science and engineering in general and funding basic research across manydisciplines. The majority of the research supported by the NSF is conducted at U.S.colleges and universities.  Approximately 82.8% ($2,634.1 million) of NSF’s FY2001$3,179.9 million research and development (R&D) budget was awarded to U.S. collegesand universities.1 Preliminary data reveal that for FY2001, the NSF providedapproximately 55.5% of all federally funded basic research conducted at the nation’scolleges and universities, with the exclusion of biomedical research sponsored by theNational Institutes of Health.2  In addition, NSF provides almost 30% of the total federalsupport for science and mathematics education.  For more on NSF, see CRS Issue BriefIB10100, Research and Development Funding: Fiscal Year 2003, Michael E. Davey,Coordinator.  This report will be updated periodically. Background.  The NSF’s primary responsibility is to maintain the health andvitality of the U.S. academic science and engineering enterprise. In addition to ensuringthe nation’s supply of scientific and engineering personnel, the NSF promotes academicbasic research and science and engineering education across many disciplines.3  Otherfederal agencies, in contrast, support mission-specific research (i.e., health, agriculture,defense).CRS-24 While the FY2001 R&D appropriation of $3,179.9 million was only 3.9% of the total federalR&D budget, the agency plays an important role in maintaining the university-based researchenterprise.  The NSF provided 14.7% of all federally supported basic research and 22.9% offederal academic research.  Ibid., p. 95, 96, 160.+  NSF was the second largest federal supporterof academic research in FY2001, eclipsed by the Department of Health and Human Services,which provided 59.1%. The Department of Defense, the third largest supporter of academicresearch, provided 6.1%. Federal Funds for Research and Development: Fiscal Years 1999,2000, and 2001, p. 160-161.Figure 1.  NSF R&D Support in Constant 1996 Dollars: 1993-2002The NSF provides support for investigator-initiated, merit-reviewed, competitivelyselected awards, state-of-the-art tools, instrumentation and facilities.  The agency receivesapproximately 60,000 proposals annually, for research, graduate and postdoctoralfellowships, and science, mathematics, and engineering projects, and funds roughly one-third of them. Support is provided to academic institutions, industrial laboratories, privateresearch firms, and major research facilities and centers. While the NSF does not operateany laboratories, it does support Antarctic research stations, selected oceanographicvessels, and national research centers.  Additionally, the NSF supports university-industryrelationships and U.S. participation in international scientific ventures.Most of the research supported by the NSF is conducted at U.S. colleges anduniversities.  Approximately 82.8% ($2,634.1million) of NSF’s estimated FY2001$3,179.9 million research and development (R&D) budget was awarded to U.S. collegesand universities.  Preliminary data reveal that in FY2001,  NSF provided approximately55.5% of all federally funded basic research conducted at the Nation’s colleges anduniversities, with the exclusion of biomedical research sponsored by the NationalInstitutes of Health.4CRS-3The NSF is an independent agency in the executive branch and under the leadershipof a presidentially appointed Director and a National Science Board (NSB) composed of24 scientists, engineers, and university and industry officials involved in research andeducation.  The NSB and the Director make policy for the NSF.Organization and Fiscal Year 2003 Request.  The NSF has enjoyedconsiderable growth during a period of constrained R&D budgets.  When measured incurrent dollars, its total appropriation increased more than 74% in 10 years — FY1993,$2,749.7 million;  FY1998, $3,425.7 million; and FY2002, $4,788.9  million.  Even wheninflation is taken into account, its growth increased (in constant fiscal year 1996 dollars)by 43.7% during this 10-year period.  The FY2003 request for the National ScienceFoundation (NSF) is $5,035.8 million, a 5% ($239.9 million) increase over the FY2002estimate of $4,795.9 million. Support is provided for several priority areas: biocomplexityin the environment ($79.2 million, 36.3% above FY2002), information technologyresearch ($285.8 million, 3% above FY2002), learning for the 21st century ($184.7million, 27.5% above FY2002), nanoscale science and engineering ($221.3 million,11.3% above FY2002), mathematical sciences ($60.1 million, 100.3% above FY2002),and social, behavioral and economic sciences ($10 million, new in FY2003 ).  The requestprovides a second installment of $200 million for the President’s Math and SciencePartnerships program (MSP).  Additional FY2003 highlights include increased fundingfor graduate students ($26.2 million), continued support of plant genome research ($75million), increased investment in NSF’s administration and management portfolio ($268.1million), and funding for the Partnerships for Innovation program ($5 million).  InFY2003, the Administration proposes the transfer of three programs from other agenciesto the NSF.  The proposed transfers include the National Sea Grant program, currently atthe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ($57 million), EnvironmentalEducation, currently at the Environmental Protection Agency ($9 million), and Hydrologyof Toxic Substances, currently at the United States Geological Survey ($10 million).The FY2003 request supports seven major directorates and other programs andactivity accounts. The directorates are the Biological Sciences; Computer and InformationScience and Engineering; Education and Human Resources; Engineering; Geosciences;Mathematical and Physical Sciences; and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences.Six of the seven directorates are contained in the Research and Related Activities Account(R&RA).  In addition to the directorates, the R&RA includes the U.S. Polar ResearchPrograms ($235.7 million),  the U.S. Antarctic Logistical Support Activities ($68.1million), and Integrative Activities ($110.6 million).   The seven major directorates aredescribed below.Biological Sciences (BIO).  The FY2003 request of $525.6 million for the BIODirectorate supports programs structured to improve scientific understanding of biologicalphenomena, ranging from the study of fundamental molecules of living organisms to thecomplexity of biological systems.  Types of support provided include research workshops,symposia, conferences, the improvement of research collections, purchase of scientificequipment, and operation of research facilities.Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).  The CISEDirectorate, proposed at $526.9 million in FY2003, supports programs focused on thefundamental understanding of computing and information processing, and the use of state-of-the-art computational techniques in scientific and engineering research.  Currently,CRS-4areas of research emphasized are parallel processing, automation and robotics, large-scaleintegrated electronic systems, scientific computing, and networking.Education and Human Resources (EHR).  The FY2003 request of  $908.1million for EHR supports science, engineering, mathematics, and technology education.People receiving support from the EHR include senior researchers, postdoctoralassociates, graduate and undergraduate students, and teachers and students at theprecollege level. Additional support is provided to individuals through informal scienceactivities.  More than 150,000 people are involved in  the various activities and programsof the EHR.Engineering (ENG).  The ENG, with a request of $488 million in FY2003, isdirected at enhancing the long-term economic strength and security of the Nation byfostering innovation and excellence in engineering education and research. It focuses onintegrating education and research in interdisciplinary areas such as information andcommunication technologies, biotechnology, and environmental research.Geosciences (GEO).  The FY2003 request of $691.1 million for the GEODirectorate provides support to programs that promote knowledge and discussionsconcerning earth, including the sun, atmosphere, continents, oceans, and interior, and thelinkages among them.  One of the objectives of the GEO is to expand the knowledge ofthe biological, chemical, geological, and physical processes in the ocean, and at itsboundaries, with the atmosphere and the earth’s crust. Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS).  The FY2003 request  of  $941.6million for the MPS would fund programs designed to increase the knowledge base in therelevant sciences; improve the quality of educational programs, with emphasis at theundergraduate level; improve the rate at which research efforts are translated into societalbenefits; and increase the diversity of approaches and individuals in the mathematical andphysical sciences.Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE.)  The SBE Directorate,proposed at $195.6 million in FY2003, supports programs directed at developing basicscientific knowledge about human behavior, culture, interaction, and decisionmaking, andabout social, political, and economic systems, organizations, and institutions. The SBEalso serves as the nation’s primary data source on science and engineering human,institutional, and financial resources. Other Program Activities and Accounts.  The Major Research Equipment andFacilities Construction (MREFC) account is funded at $96.3 million in FY2003, a 20.6%decrease ($25 million) from the FY2002 level. The MREFC, established in FY1995,supports the acquisition and construction of major research facilities and equipment thatextend the boundaries of science, engineering, and technology.  Seven projects aresupported in this account for FY2003, five ongoing projects and two new projects - -construction of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array ($30 million), the Large HadronCollider ($9.7 million), the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation ($13.6million), the South Pole Modernization Project ($6 million), Terascale ComputingSystems ($20 million), Earthscope ($35 million), and the National Ecological ObservatoryNetwork, Phase I ($12 million).  No funds are requested in FY2003 for the High-CRS-55 National Science Foundation, Large Facility Projects Management & Oversight Plan,September 10, 2001, Arlington, Virginia, 9 p.6 While NSF does not directly construct or operate the facilities it funds, its does retainresponsibility for overseeing the successful performance and completion of the projects.  7 This directive was contained in A Blueprint for New Beginnings: A Responsible Budget forAmerica’s Priorities, Executive Office of the President of the United States, January 2001,Washington, DC, p. 2.8 Based on data in Table 25, National Science Foundation, Federal Funds for Research and(continued...)Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER) orthe IceCube R&D project because they have been deemed to be of lower priority.The FY2003 request for the Education and Human Resources Directorate (EHR) is$908.1 million, a 3.8% increase ($33.1 million) over FY2002.  Support at the variouseducational levels in the FY2003 request is as follows: precollege, $359.6 million;undergraduate, $157.4 million; and graduate, $136.9 million. Support at the precollegelevel includes $200 million for the MSPI, a cornerstone of the President’s educationreform agenda.  Programs at the undergraduate level include the Advanced TechnologicalEducation,  Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation, Historically Black Colleges andUniversities-Undergraduate Program, and Tribal Colleges and Universities Program.  Anincrease of 21.7% in FY2003 for graduate level programs will allow NSF to raise thestipend of graduate fellows and to increase the number of offers to new fellows.  Fundingfor the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is $75million.  An additional $30 million from R&RA will support EPSCoR activities.Policy Issues.  In September 2001, NSF submitted to the Office of Managementand Budget its  report, Large Facility Projects Management & Oversight Plan5, detailingthe schedule for implementing the major components of an improved system for selecting,managing, and overseeing large facilities.6  The plan was an outgrowth of the directivereceived by the NSF from the Bush Administration to improve its oversight of largeprojects.   The report provided a detailed implementation plan, including anticipated datesfor the development of comprehensive guidelines and project oversight review, and therelease of a large facility project manual.  NSF acknowledged in the report that:. . . The portfolio of facilities has grown and diversified to include distributed projectsthat challenge traditional management and oversight approaches.  Emergingmultidisciplinary science and engineering opportunities have resulted in NSF movingtowards a greater number of large facility projects that are increasingly complex andpresent challenging technical and management issues.  Growth and diversificationrequire that NSF remain attentive to the ever-changing issues and challenges inherentin planning, construction, operation, management and oversight of large facilityprojects.7Rita R. Colwell, director, NSF, stated that there is concern in the scientificcommunity about the major realignment of federal research support across the scientificdisciplines. Data indicate that from FY1980 to FY2001, research support for the lifesciences increased from 36.1% to 47.2%.  During that same time period, support for thephysical sciences and engineering decreased from 41.7% to 29.8%.8 Several members ofCRS-68 (...continued)Development, Detailed Historical Tables: Fiscal Years 1951-2001, NSF01-331, Arlington, VA.9 House Committee on Science, “Members Raise Concern Over Balance of Federal R&D Budget”February 13, 2002, [http://www.house.gov/science/welcome.htm] and Washington Fax,“Congress Will Have to “Show Its Mettle” and Provide Cash to Balance Science Funding,”February 15, 2002, [http://www.washingtonfax.com/pl/2002/20020215.html]. 10 National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2000, NSB00-1, Arlington, VA,January 13, 2000,  p. A-22.   See, also, National Science Foundation.  Data Brief. “U.S. IndustrialR&D Performers Report Increased R&D in 1999; New Industry Coding and Size Classificationsfor NSF Survey”,  NSF01-326, Arlington, VA, May 17, 2001,  4 p.11 National Science Board, “The Scientific Allocation of Scientific Resources”, Discussion Draftfor Comment, NSB01-39, Arlington, VA, March 28, 2001, p.1.Congress and others in the scientific community have stressed the importance inmonitoring the structure of the federal research portfolio in order to determine thepriorities that should be assigned the various disciplines.9  There is added concern about the trend in federal versus private sector support  forresearch.  While total national R&D funding is at a high, the federal government’s shareof support for R&D has declined, losing ground to industry.  The federal governmentprovided 60.7% of R&D support in 1968, 44.9% in 1988, and 29.5% in 1998.10   In March2001, the NSB released a report on the allocation of federal resources for science andtechnology.  The report stated that:Today’s environment demands effective management of the Federal portfolio forresearch, including a sustained advisory process that incorporates systematicparticipation by the science and engineering communities.  Expert input is particularlyimportant for decisions on long-term, high-risk investments in research-sponsoredmainly by the federal government - which are steadily losing ground in the nationalresearch portfolio to short-term investments.11On June 5, 2002, the House passed H.R. 4664 (H. Rept. 107-488), the NationalScience Foundation Authorization Act of 2002.  The bill authorizes appropriations forNSF in FY2003 at $5,515.3 million, FY2004 at $6,342.6 million, and FY2005 at $7,293.9million.  For the R&RA, H.R. 4664 provides $4,138.4 million in FY2003, $4,735.6million in FY2004, and $5,445.9 million in FY2005. The Senate version was introducedon July 29, 2002  S. 2817, the National Science Foundation Doubling Act, attempts todouble the NSF budget over the next five years with the following authorizations:FY2003, $5,536.4 million; FY2003, $6,390.8 million; FY2005, $7,378.3 million;FY2006, $8,519.8 million; and FY2007, $9,839.3 million.  For R&RA, the authorizationsfor FY2003-FY2007 are $4,174.8 million, $4,842.8 million, $5,617.7 million, $6,516.5million, and $7,559.1 million, respectively.On October 10, 2002, the House Committee on Appropriations reported H.R. 5605(H. Rept. 107-740), VA/HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY2003.The bill provides a total of $5,422.9 million for NSF in FY2003, a 7.7% increase ($387.1million) above the request and a 12.8% increase ($614.4 million) over the FY2002 level.Included in the total support is $4,150 million for the R&RA and $910.6 million for theEHR.

1 National Science Foundation, Federal Support for Research and Development: Fiscal Years1999, 2000, and 2001, Detailed Statistical Tables, NSF01-328, Arlington, VA, 2000.  p.  55-57.2 Ibid., p. 160.3 The NSF does not provide funding for research in clinical medicine, commerce, social work, orthe arts and humanities.Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code 95-307 SPRUpdated June 4, 2002U.S. National Science Foundation: AnOverviewChristine M. MatthewsSpecialist in Science and Technology PolicyResources, Science, and Industry DivisionSummaryThe National Science Foundation (NSF) was created by the National ScienceFoundation Act of 1950, as amended (P.L. 81-507).  The NSF has the broad mission ofsupporting science and engineering in general and funding basic research across manydisciplines. The majority of the research supported by the NSF is conducted at U.S.colleges and universities.  Approximately 82.8% ($2,634.1 million) of NSF’s FY2001$3,179.9 million research and development (R&D) budget was awarded to U.S. collegesand universities.1 Preliminary data reveal that for FY2001, the NSF providedapproximately 55.5% of all federally funded basic research conducted at the nation’scolleges and universities, with the exclusion of biomedical research sponsored by theNational Institutes of Health.2  In addition, NSF provides almost 30% of the total federalsupport for science and mathematics education.  For more on NSF, see CRS Issue BriefIB10083, Research and Development Funding: Fiscal Year 2002, John D. Moteff,Coordinator.  This report will be updated periodically. Background.  The NSF’s primary responsibility is to maintain the health andvitality of the U.S. academic science and engineering enterprise. In addition to ensuringthe nation’s supply of scientific and engineering personnel, the NSF promotes academicbasic research and science and engineering education across many disciplines.3  Otherfederal agencies, in contrast, support mission-specific research (i.e., health, agriculture,defense).The NSF provides support for investigator-initiated, merit-reviewed, competitivelyselected awards, state-of-the-art tools, instrumentation and facilities.  The agency receivesCRS-24 While the FY2001 R&D appropriation of $3,179.9 million was only 3.9% of the total federalR&D budget, the agency plays an important role in maintaining the university-based researchenterprise.  The NSF provided 14.7% of all federally supported basic research and 22.9% offederal academic research.  Ibid., p. 95, 96, 160.+  NSF was the second largest federal supporterof academic research in FY2001, eclipsed by the Department of Health and Human Services,which provided 59.1%. The Department of Defense, the third largest supporter of academicresearch, provided 6.1%. Federal Funds for Research and Development: Fiscal Years 1999, 2000,and 2001, p. 160-161.Figure 1.  NSF R&D Support in Constant 1996 Dollars: 1993-2002approximately 60,000 proposals annually, for research, graduate and postdoctoralfellowships, and science, mathematics, and engineering projects, and funds roughly one-third of them. Support is provided to academic institutions, industrial laboratories, privateresearch firms, and major research facilities and centers. While the NSF does not operateany laboratories, it does support Antarctic research stations, selected oceanographicvessels, and national research centers.  Additionally, the NSF supports university-industryrelationships and U.S. participation in international scientific ventures.Most of the research supported by the NSF is conducted at U.S. colleges anduniversities.  Approximately 82.8% ($2,634.1million) of NSF’s estimated FY2001$3,179.9 million research and development (R&D) budget was awarded to U.S. collegesand universities.  Preliminary data reveal that in FY2001,  NSF provided approximately55.5% of all federally funded basic research conducted at the Nation’s colleges anduniversities, with the exclusion of biomedical research sponsored by the NationalInstitutes of Health.4CRS-3The NSF is an independent agency in the executive branch and under the leadershipof a presidentially appointed Director and a National Science Board (NSB) composed of24 scientists, engineers, and university and industry officials involved in research andeducation.  The NSB and the Director make policy for the NSF.Organization and Fiscal Year 2003 Request.  The NSF has enjoyedconsiderable growth during a period of constrained R&D budgets.  When measured incurrent dollars, its total appropriation increased more than 74% in 10 years — FY1993,$2,749.7 million;  FY1998, $3,425.7 million; and FY2002, $4,788.9  million.  Even wheninflation is taken into account, its growth increased (in constant fiscal year 1996 dollars)by 43.7% during this 10-year period.  The FY2003 request for the National ScienceFoundation (NSF) is $5,035.8 million, a 5% ($239.9 million) increase over the FY2002estimate of $4,795.9 million. Support is provided for several interdependent priorityareas: biocomplexity in the environment ($79.2 million, 36.3% above FY2002),information technology research ($285.8 million, 3% above FY2002), learning for the 21stcentury ($184.7 million, 27.5% above FY2002), nanoscale science and engineering($221.3 million, 11.3% above FY2002), mathematical sciences ($60.1 million, 100.3%above FY2002), and social, behavioral and economic sciences ($10 million, new in theFY2003  request).  The request provides a second installment of $200 million for thePresident’s Math and Science Partnerships program (MSP).  Additional FY2003highlights include increased funding for graduate students ($26.2 million), continuedsupport of plant genome research ($75 million), increased investment in NSF’sadministration and management portfolio ($268.1 million), and funding for thePartnerships for Innovation program ($5 million).  In FY2003, the Administrationproposes the transfer of three programs from other agencies to the NSF.  The proposedtransfers include the National Sea Grant program, currently at the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration ($57 million), Environmental Education, currently at theEnvironmental Protection Agency ($9 million), and Hydrology of Toxic Substances,currently at the United States Geological Survey ($10 million).The FY2003 request supports seven major directorates and other programs andactivity accounts. The directorates are the Biological Sciences; Computer and InformationScience and Engineering; Education and Human Resources; Engineering; Geosciences;Mathematical and Physical Sciences; and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences.Six of the seven directorates are contained in the Research and Related ActivitiesAccount (R&RA).  In addition to the directorates, the R&RA includes the U.S. PolarResearch Programs ($235.7 million),  the U.S. Antarctic Logistical Support Activities($68.1 million), and Integrative Activities ($110.6 million).   The seven major directoratesare described below.Biological Sciences (BIO).  The FY2003 request of $525.6 million for the BIODirectorate supports programs structured to improve scientific understanding ofbiological phenomena, ranging from the study of fundamental molecules of livingorganisms to the complexity of biological systems.  Types of support provided includeresearch workshops, symposia, conferences, the improvement of research collections,purchase of scientific equipment, and operation of research facilities.Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).  The CISEDirectorate, proposed at $526.9 million in FY2003, supports programs focused on thefundamental understanding of computing and information processing, and the use ofCRS-4state-of-the-art computational techniques in scientific and engineering research.Currently, areas of research emphasized are parallel processing, automation and robotics,large-scale integrated electronic systems, scientific computing, and networking.Education and Human Resources (EHR).  The FY2003 request of  $908.1million for EHR supports science, engineering, mathematics, and technology education.People receiving support from the EHR include senior researchers, postdoctoralassociates, graduate and undergraduate students, and teachers and students at theprecollege level. Additional support is provided to individuals through informal scienceactivities.  More than 150,000 people are involved in  the various activities and programsof the EHR.Engineering (ENG).  The ENG, with a request of $488 million in FY2003, isdirected at enhancing the long-term economic strength and security of the Nation byfostering innovation and excellence in engineering education and research. It focuses onintegrating education and research in interdisciplinary areas such as information andcommunication technologies, biotechnology, and environmental research.Geosciences (GEO).  The FY2003 request of $691.1 million for the GEODirectorate provides support to programs that promote knowledge and discussionsconcerning earth, including the sun, atmosphere, continents, oceans, and interior, and thelinkages among them.  One of the objectives of the GEO is to expand the knowledge ofthe biological, chemical, geological, and physical processes in the ocean, and at itsboundaries, with the atmosphere and the earth’s crust. Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS).  The FY2003 request  of  $941.6million for the MPS would fund programs designed to increase the knowledge base in therelevant sciences; improve the quality of educational programs, with emphasis at theundergraduate level; improve the rate at which research efforts are translated into societalbenefits; and increase the diversity of approaches and individuals in the mathematical andphysical sciences.Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE.)  The SBE Directorate,proposed at $195.6 million in FY2003, supports programs directed at developing basicscientific knowledge about human behavior, culture, interaction, and decisionmaking, andabout social, political, and economic systems, organizations, and institutions. The SBEalso serves as the nation’s primary data source on science and engineering human,institutional, and financial resources. Other Program Activities and Accounts.  The Major Research Equipment andFacilities Construction (MREFC) account is funded at $96.3 million in FY2003, a 20.6%decrease ($25 million) from the FY2002 level. The MREFC, established in FY1995,supports the acquisition and construction of major research facilities and equipment thatextend the boundaries of science, engineering, and technology.  Seven projects aresupported in this account for FY2003, five ongoing projects and two new projects - -construction of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array ($30 million), the Large HadronCollider ($9.7 million), the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation ($13.6million), the South Pole Modernization Project ($6 million), Terascale ComputingSystems ($20 million), Earthscope ($35 million), and the National EcologicalObservatory Network, Phase I ($12 million).  No funds are requested in FY2003 for theCRS-55 National Science Foundation, Large Facility Projects Management & Oversight Plan,September 10, 2001, Arlington, Virginia, 9 p.6 While NSF does not directly construct or operate the facilities it funds, its does retainresponsibility for overseeing the successful performance and completion of the projects.  7 This directive was contained in A Blueprint for New Beginnings: A Responsible Budget forAmerica’s Priorities, Executive Office of the President of the United States, January 2001,Washington, DC, p. 161.High-Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research(HIAPER) or the IceCube R&D project because they have been determined to be of lowerpriority. The FY2003 request for the Education and Human Resources Directorate (EHR) is$908.1 million, a 3.8% increase ($33.1 million) over FY2002.  Support at the variouseducational levels in the FY2003 request is as follows: precollege, $359.6 million;undergraduate, $157.4 million; and graduate, $136.9 million. Support at the precollegelevel includes $200 million for the MSPI, a cornerstone of the President’s educationreform agenda.  The MSP will provide funding for states and local school districts to joinwith colleges and universities to strengthen K-12 science and mathematics education.Funding increases to $27 million for Centers for Learning and Teaching (CLT).  Thefocus of the CLTs will be on developing the next generation of professionals to manageand direct the development of instructional materials, large scale assessments, andeducation research and evaluation.  Support will continue for Systemic Reform Initiativesand Instructional Materials Development.  Selected programs at the undergraduate levelare Scholarship for Service, Advanced Technological Education, Louis Stokes Alliancesfor Minority Participation, Historically Black Colleges and Universities-UndergraduateProgram, and Tribal Colleges and Universities Program.  An increase of 21.7% inFY2003 for graduate level programs will allow NSF to raise the stipend of graduatefellows and to increase the number of offers to new fellowships.  Funding for theExperimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is $75 million. (Anadditional $30 million from R&RA will support EPSCoR activities.)   It is anticipatedthat the H-1B nonimmigrant petitioner fees collected in FY2003 will approximate $92.5million, $2.5 million above the FY2002 estimate.Policy Issues.  In September 2001, NSF submitted to the Office of Managementand Budget its  report, Large Facility Projects Management & Oversight Plan5, detailingthe schedule for implementing the major components of an improved system forselecting, managing, and overseeing large facilities.6  The plan was an outgrowth of thedirective received by the NSF from the Bush Administration to improve its oversight oflarge projects.7  The report provided a detailed implementation plan, including anticipateddates for the development of comprehensive guidelines and project oversight review, andthe release of a large facility project manual.  NSF acknowledged in the report that:. . . The portfolio of facilities has grown and diversified to include distributed projectsthat challenge traditional management and oversight approaches.  Emergingmultidisciplinary science and engineering opportunities have resulted in NSF movingtowards a greater number of large facility projects that are increasingly complex andpresent challenging technical and management issues.  Growth and diversificationrequire that NSF remain attentive to the ever-changing issues and challenges inherentCRS-68 Ibid., p. 2.9 Based on data in Table 25, National Science Foundation, Federal Funds for Research andDevelopment, Detailed Historical Tables: Fiscal Years 1951-2001, NSF01-331, Arlington, VA.10 House Committee on Science, “Members Raise Concern Over Balance of Federal R&DBudget” February 13, 2002.  Available at [http://www.house.gov/science/welcome.htm] andWashington Fax, “Congress Will Have to “Show Its Mettle” and Provide Cash to Balance ScienceFunding”, February 15, 2002.[http://www.washingtonfax.com/pl/2002/20020215.html]. 11 National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2000, NSB00-1, Arlington, VA,January 13, 2000,  p. A-22.   See, also, National Science Foundation.  Data Brief. “U.S. IndustrialR&D Performers Report Increased R&D in 1999; New Industry Coding and Size Classificationsfor NSF Survey”,  NSF01-326, Arlington, VA, May 17, 2001,  4 p.12 National Science Board, “The Scientific Allocation of Scientific Resources”, Discussion Draftfor Comment, NSB01-39, Arlington, VA, March 28, 2001, p.1.in planning, construction, operation, management and oversight of large facilityprojects.8Rita R. Colwell, director, NSF, stated that there is concern in the scientificcommunity about the major realignment of federal research support across the scientificdisciplines. Data indicate that from FY1980 to FY2001, research support for the lifesciences increased from 36.1% to 47.2%.  During that same time period, support for thephysical sciences and engineering decreased from 41.7% to 29.8%.9 Several members ofCongress and others in the scientific community have stressed the importance inmonitoring the structure of the federal research portfolio in order to determine thepriorities that should be assigned the various disciplines.10  There is added concern about the trend in federal versus private sector support  forresearch.  While total national R&D funding is at a high, the federal government’s shareof support for R&D has declined, losing ground to industry.  The federal governmentprovided 60.7% of R&D support in 1968, 44.9% in 1988, and 29.5% in 1998.11   In March2001, the NSB released a report on the allocation of federal resources for science andtechnology.  The report stated that:Today’s environment demands effective management of the Federal portfolio forresearch, including a sustained advisory process that incorporates systematicparticipation by the science and engineering communities.  Expert input is particularlyimportant for decisions on long-term, high-risk investments in research-sponsoredmainly by the federal government - which are steadily losing ground in the nationalresearch portfolio to short-term investments.12On May 7, 2002, the House introduced H.R. 4664, the National Science FoundationAuthorization Act of 2002.  The bill authorizes appropriations for NSF in FY2003,FY2004, and FY2005.  Congressional action attempts to double the NSF’s budget overthe next 5 years, proposing a total of $5,515.3 million in FY2003, $6,342.6 million inFY2004, and $7,293.9 million in FY2005.  For the R&RA, H.R. 4664 provides $4,138.4million in FY2003, $4,735.6 million in FY2004, and $5,445.9 million in FY2005.

https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc808098/m2/1/high_res_d/95-307_2002Oct29.pdf

U.S. National Science Foundation: An Overview

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

UNT Digital Library

UNT Digital Library

UNT Digital Library

UNT Digital Library

UNT Digital Library

UNT Digital Library