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For more information on these science news and feature story tips, please contact the public information officer at the end of each item at (703) 292-8070. Editor: Bill Noxon Contents of this News Tip:
New Link Among Radio Telescopes Detects the "Feeding" of a Massive StarAstronomers using a new fiber-optic link among NSF radio telescopes have observed a disk of gas and dust the size of a solar system feeding material to a massive and still-growing star, estimated at eight to 10 times the mass of our sun. The discovery was reported in the May 25 issue of Science. Disks of gas and dust around stars are of great interest to astronomers because of their role in star formation and as a possible place where planets form. But until now, astronomers could only see such disks around young, low-mass stars. This is the first time one has been observed around a star of such large mass. Stars of this magnitude are generally farther away and obscured by clouds so dense that visible light cannot escape. The radio observations were made with the 27 telescopes of the Very Large Array (VLA) near Socorro, N.M., connected by the new fiber-optic link to one of the telescopes of the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) in Pie Town, N.M., 32 miles away. The 10 telescopes of the VLBA are spaced across the continent. By linking one of them to the VLA, radio astronomers gained almost twice the resolving power. "By studying the birth of massive young stars, we're pushing the limits of our understanding," said team member Debra Shepherd of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). She said the additional capabilities make it possible to test computer simulations with "what we see in the real universe." [Amber Jones] For more information, see: http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/pr/bigysodisk.html Industry Reports R&D; Investments Rose more than Eight Percent in 1999The National Science Foundation (NSF) reports in its latest Survey of Industrial Research and Development (R&D;) that U.S.-based firms invested a record amount in R&D; during calendar year 1999, reaching a total of $182.8 billion -- representing an 8.1% increase over 1998. While companies themselves collectively increased their R&D; totals by nearly 11 percent for 1999, spending over $160 billion, federal investments to industry R&D; fell by nearly seven percent to about $22.5 billion, says a new Data Brief from NSF's Division of Science Resources Studies. Domestic employment of R&D-performing; companies went up by about four-and-a-half million during the year, says the brief, but the number of scientists and engineers (full-time equivalent) remained steady at about one million. Beginning with 1999, statistics from NSF's industry R&D; survey are gathered under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS), designed to produce more consistent industry data and place special attention on classifications for new and emerging industries. "You won't see much change in the aggregate numbers, but in the more detailed tables, industry categories will appear different, so we provided a reclassification of the 1997 and 1998 statistics gathered under the older codes into the NAICS system. This is a kind of bridge for those who want to make year-to-year comparisons of the detailed industry statistics as the new system is put in place permanently," Ray Wolfe, author of the data brief, explained. [Bill Noxon] For more information, see: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/databrf/nsf01326/db01326.htm. Bordogna Awarded Manufacturing HonorNSF Deputy Director Joseph Bordogna has received the Society of Manufacturing Engineers' (SME) 2001 Gold Medal for his leadership in strengthening national science and engineering policy and education. Nancy Berg, SME’s executive director and general manager, cited Bordogna's support of programs that help prepare engineering graduates for the workplace. One of those, the SME's Manufacturing Education Plan, provides pre-college programs and funding for degree programs. Bordogna has also been instrumental in developing the government-industry initiative on Next Generation Manufacturing. The project identifies actions to help U.S. manufacturers prepare for an increasingly complex and competitive global business environment. "We are proud to recognize Dr. Bordogna for the advancements he’s made in the arenas of engineering and technology policy, and education," Berg said on June 1 at the society's annual meeting in Seattle, Wash. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers, headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., is a professional society that serves manufacturing industries worldwide. [Amber Jones]
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