'Investing in America's IT Future'

NSF Announces First Awards in New Information Technology Research Initiative
The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently announced its first grants under the new $90 million Information Technology Research (ITR) initiative. The awards, which will spur fundamental research and innovative applications of IT, are a step toward building on U.S. leadership in this area of growing importance to the economy. "This initiative will help strengthen America's leadership in a sector that has accounted for one-third of U.S. economic growth in recent years," said President Bill Clinton. "High technology is generating jobs that pay 85 percent more than the average private sector wage. I am pleased that the National Science Foundation is expanding its investment in long-term information technology research. I urge the Congress to provide full funding for NSF so that they can continue to make these kinds of investments in America's future." More...

California Researchers Devise Quick Vision Test
Researchers supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) have developed a quick, reliable and promising computer-based tool to diagnose a variety of eye diseases and even certain types of brain tumors. Physicist Wolfgang Fink of the California Institute of Technology and his colleague, ophthalmologist Alfredo Sadun of the University of Southern California, developed the "3-D Computer-Based Threshold Amsler Grid Test" to allow medical personnel to evaluate human visual functions with minimally invasive techniques. More...

NSF Awards $89 Million to 13 U.S. Cities to Improve Urban Math & Science Teaching
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has recommended 13 U.S. cities to receive awards totaling $89 million over five years to improve K-12 science, mathematics and technology education in urban school districts. These cooperative agreements between NSF and the school districts are funded through NSF’s Division of Educational System Reform. Award amounts range from $5 million to $11.8 million each over a period of five years to advance district-wide reform. Chicago, Miami and Philadelphia each will receive $11.8 million; Memphis will receive $8.7 million, and $5 million will go to Birmingham, Ala.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Fresno, Calif.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Nashville, Tenn.; Newport News, Va; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Omaha, Neb.; and Pittsburgh, Penn. More...

NSF Boosts Research for Understanding Structure and Function of Complex Plant Genomes
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is providing a boost to plant biology research through 16 new grants totaling more than $48 million over the next 5 years. The new research will contribute to a better understanding of the structure and function of all plant genes, including those from economically important crops like maize (corn), wheat and rice. According to program managers the research emphasis is on functional genomics and tools. Many of the projects will build on the research outcomes from the first two years of the Plant Genome Research Program. “This year’s awards continue to add new and exciting dimensions to the field of plant genome research," says Mary Clutter, NSF assistant director for biological sciences More...