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NSF FY99 Proposed Budget
The National Science Foundation's (NSF) proposed budget for fiscal
year 1999 increases by 10 percent to a total of $3.773 billion for investments
to advance the leading edge of scientific and engineering research and
education. BOOSTS TO KEY PROGRAM FUNCTIONS
- Strong increases across NSF.
- Over $2.1 billion in research project support, 12 percent higher than
current year spending projections.
- NSF's investment in education and training activities increases
by 12% to $743 million.
PROGRESS IN KEY MULTIDISCIPLINARY AREAS
- Knowledge and Distributed Intelligence (KDI) -- increases
by $78 million in FY 1999 for learning and intelligent systems,
knowledge networking and challenges to computation, for the Next Generation
Internet.
- Life and Earth's Environment (LEE) -- increases by $88
million in FY 1999, including a 12 percent increase for the U.S.
Global Change Research Program.
- Educating for the Future -- increases by $107 million,
much of it centered on two new cooperative initiatives with the Department
of Education: research on Education and Training Technologies; and K-8
mathematics education that will focus on standards-based curriculum development
and professional development of teachers. Investments in the integration
of research and education remain a high priority.
IGHLIGHTS AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES
- More than $80 million is planned for multi-disciplinary Arctic
research and education.
- Major Research Equipment (MRE) investments of $94 million will
support construction of detectors for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC),
modernizing the South Pole Station, construction of the Polar Cap Observatory,
reconfiguration of polar support aircraft, and continued prototype development
of the Millimeter Array.
- The Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)
program increases by nearly 13 percent to stimulate industrial/university
cooperation.
WHAT A 10% INCREASE FOR NSF "BUYS"
- Innovation and Economic Growth. One ground-breaking
NSF-funded study published in 1997 found that nearly three-fourths of
the research papers cited by U.S. industry patents in selected industries
are from "public science" -- papers authored at universities, government
laboratories and other public and non-profit centers.
- New Capabilities. To advance the frontiers of information
science and technology, NSF is boosting its investments in Knowledge
and Distributed Intelligence by over $78 million. In one example, NSF
support has led to the first real-time magnetic resonance images of the
brain. This required bringing together cutting-edge work in statistics,
neuroscience and computer science. The imaging process shows how areas
of the brain "light up" when in use, and this is yielding invaluable
insights into understanding learning and other cognitive processes.
- Better Schools, More Capable Workforce. About 22,000
K-12 teachers will gain opportunities for professional development and
training. Special emphasis will be placed on educational technologies
through a joint NSF and U.S. Department of Education initiative.
- Progress Toward Key Challenges. NSF's investment in
Life and Earth's Environment encompasses the study of global change,
life in extreme environments, and other activities that take a broad
look at living systems and their environments. The FY 1999 request increases
funding for LEE by $88 million.
- Higher Productivity. Increasing award durations may
significantly reduce the administrative burden on researchers and educators.
A 12% increase to research project support in NSF's FY 1999 request makes
possible this increased efficiency and productivity.
See also:
- Remarks by Dr. Neal
Lane, Director, National Science Foundation, Community Briefing -- FY
1999 Budget, February 2, 1998.
- Remarks by Dr. Neal
Lane, Director, National Science Foundation, on the Release of the President's
FY 1999 Budget Request, February 2, 1998.
- NSF Fiscal Year Budget Request.
- Statement by Dr. Richard Zare, Chairman,
National Science Board.
- Statement by Dr. Neal Lane, Director,
National Science Foundation.
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