President Names NSF Deputy Director

Statement By NSF Director Neal Lane
I am delighted that the President has announced his intent to nominate Dr. Rita R. Colwell, a nationally respected scientist and experienced educator, as the next deputy director of the National Science Foundation.    More...

Y2K Problem Goes
Beyond Computers, Says Expert
The much-publicized computer problem that will accompany the turn of the century is a symptom of a changing and complex relationship between humans and computers, according to the expert NSF has appointed to help its grantees. "We need to change how we think about information technology and systems," says University of Washington technical communication professor Mark Haselkorn.    More...

President Clinton Honors Recipients of the
Nation's Highest Science and Technology Awards
President Clinton recently presented the nation's most prestigious science and technology honors, awarding nine National Medals of Science and five National Medals of Technology. "Today, we honor 14 remarkable men and women for extraordinary individual accomplishments -- from discovering new ways to chart the universe, to exploring the internal universe of human nature," said the president at a ceremony in Washington D.C. "By giving these awards, we also honor the American passion for discovery that has driven our nation forward -- from field to factory to the far reaches of cyberspace. This spirit of discovery will lead us into a new century and a new millenium."    More...

Elevated CO2 Helps
Plants Survive Cold Weather
Elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere benefit some plants by making them more tolerant of cold temperatures, researchers working through the NSF-supported National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., have found. "This could mean earlier spring planting dates for some crops in the future," says David Wolfe, the project's researcher at Cornell University. "It may also affect the mixture of species in natural plant communities, because only certain plants benefit in this way."    More...