Adaptive optics and new images from the distant universe topped the NSF program at the American Astronomical Society meeting in San Diego on January 7-11, 2001.
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Health Issues Dominate "Wish List" of Science Discoveries
Health concerns and medical problems dominate a "wish list" of challenges that two-thirds of Americans would like science to solve in the next 25 years, according to a poll conducted for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Bayer Corp. The Gallup Organization polled 1,003 Americans over the age of 18 about their views on science, technology, education and the future. Finding a cure for cancer was the number one problem that three in ten adults surveyed said science should address. Disease prevention, AIDS/HIV and medical breakthroughs also were considered important health concerns. Environmental issues and energy round out the top ten. More... (posted Jan 8 2001)

Huge New Hydrothermal Vent System Found on Seafloor
Computational scientists will soon have a powerful new tool for using resources on the national "grid" of high-performance research networks. The web-based grid portal will help computer scientists, scientists and engineers by simplifying and consolidating access to advanced computing systems supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and its Partnerships for Advanced Computational Infrastructure (PACI). The National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure (NPACI), the National Computational Science Alliance (NCSA), and the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC) have announced formation of the integrated grid portal. More...

NSF Honors 409 Junior Faculty Members with 2000 Career Awards
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is honoring 409 outstanding junior faculty members in science and engineering nationwide with the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) awards. The CAREER award is NSF’s most prestigious honor for junior faculty members. Awards for 2000 range in amount from $200,000 to $500,000, and in duration from four to five years. "CAREER awards support exceptionally promising college and university junior faculty who are committed to the integration of research and education," says NSF Director Rita Colwell. More...

New Non-Stick? Many Uses Possible From "Squeezed" Molecules
Chemical engineers have found a way to group molecules so tightly that they form a slick surface useful for a multitude of medical, technical and industrial applications. The research, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), was reported in the December 15 issue of Science. Jan Genzer and Kirill Efimenko of North Carolina State University have forced molecules to create an almost impenetrable layer by bonding them chemically to a polymer material that has been stretched, then released again to regain its original shape. The molecules are jammed into a tight-knit, non-stick layer that could one day coat everything from frying pans to disk drives, medical implants to airplanes. More... (posted Jan 8 2001)