The proposed House and Senate legislation would increase National Science Foundation (NSF) funding significantly and expand its focus to new areas of research. The bill would aim to fund projects that are of relevance to the nation’s economy and help maintain the United States’ international leadership role in scientific research. It would also prioritize investments in STEM education, workforce training, and early-career research.
Additionally, the bill would expand support for areas of research such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing. This article will discuss the proposed legislation in more detail, highlighting the key elements of the legislation and possible implications for the scientific enterprise.
Overview of NSF
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…” NSF is the funding source for approximately one-fourth of all federally supported basic research conducted by America’s colleges and universities. It recently celebrated its 70th anniversary.
In addition to its support of science and engineering research, NSF also has a mission in education, providing scholarships and fellowships for students at all levels. It strengthens U.S. leadership in discovery, development, innovation and training by promoting both disciplinary excellence and interdisciplinary advances that transcend conventional approaches like those found in priority research areas such as quantum computing or artificial intelligence. And it works hard to increase public engagement with science and engineering, providing support for community-based projects that bring relevance and benefit to our citizens through scientific discovery.
Recent Congressional action concerning the ongoing reauthorization of America COMPETES Act issues has created an opportunity to expand both NSF’s focus on interdisciplinary research awards (particularly at the early career level) and its programs aimed at creating greater opportunities for preK–20 students from underrepresented groups within STEM fields. House ED & Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced bill HR 1101 on Jan 16th that would expand NSF’s interdisciplinary research priorities within new programs emphasizing student diversity and community engagement described as “Building Human Capital in Science & Technology.” After a markup session on Feb 12th Chairman Scott sent HR 1101 along with companion House legislation addressing other aspects of STEM education priorities (HR 3636— Expanding Access to Quality STEM Education Act of 2020) over to HASC (House Armed Services Committee) targeting language suggested by HASC staff which would further expand qualified programs available under NSF’s purview to include potential cyber security efforts focusing upon national security applications including protecting government information systems against cyber threats arising from foreign adversaries.
Overview of House and Senate legislation
House and Senate legislation would increase the funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support activities related to research, education, and training. The legislation also would expand the focus of NSF with the inclusion of activities related to advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The bills also include specific provisions that would increase access to STEM programs by expanding federal investments in STEM education at all levels.
Additionally, the House bill provides $100 million of essential resources for the Educate to Innovate (ETI) Initiative on college campuses that is focused on advancing diversity in scientific fields. It provides grants for programs geared towards middle school students as well as those pursuing undergraduate degrees. Similarly, Senate legislation would add $10 million of resources directed towards effective STEM education models at institutions all across the United States and provide necessary funds that may be used for materials or staff salaries.
The legislation includes other provisions such as establishing a new allotment of more than $15 million over five years dedicated towards researching climate change in order to address global warming health disparities. It offers some additional funding for increasing awareness of science literacy through means such as radio or television broadcasts, outreach programs in underserved communities, grants or scholarships allocated specifically towards Foster Care youth or those with disabilities wishing to pursue careers in STEM fields.
Expansion of NSF Funding
The new House and Senate legislation that recently passed is said to increase the budget of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and expand its focus. This expansion of the NSF funding could have a significant impact on the science and research sectors in the United States.
It is important to understand how this legislation will affect the scope of research and development of the NSF and what it can mean for the future of science.
Increase in NSF budget
House and Senate legislation would increase the budget of the National Science Foundation (NSF) by 8.2 percent over the current level for fiscal year 2019 (FY19), and establish a new agency focus on “mid-scale” research projects. This new direction for NSF funding — outlined in a report from the Office of Science and Technology Policy — calls for a change in emphasis from small, individual grants to larger, longer-term investments.
In addition to expanding its focus, the Congressional legislation allocates additional funding for NSF programs that cover research infrastructure, cyberinfrastructure investments, STEM education, international collaborations, innovation ecosystems and workforce development initiatives. The legislation also recommends that at least 10 percent of available research funds should be set aside for mid-scale investigation projects greater than $1 million but smaller than $20 million. These mid-scale projects seek to fill a gap between individual investigator awards and large center or platform funding opportunities that NSF currently offers only in very limited circumstances.
The new budget provides more resources to meet emerging opportunities driven by blockchain technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics advances as well as enables longer-term facilities such as submarine observatories or ground sensing installations. The bill also creates incentives for universities to adopt merit review systems to aid in teaching excellence while offering support services such as diversity education initiatives which will prepare future leaders with sought after skillsets – innovation strategies needed for U.S.-based companies to stay competitive in global markets as well as create more jobs across America. In order to reach these goals House/Senate authors have provided 23% increase amounting 10 billion dollars over current level so that funds may be directed towards development/improvement of university campus facilities; provide students with access towards cutting edge undergraduate research experiences; collaboration between institutions of higher learning and industry partners can become further enhanced; provide an additional layer of security against data damage or loss due cyber attacks via launching programs dedicated towards helping Mitigate risks from cybersecurity threats affecting Research technological Programs undertaken at Washington DC educational campuses etc., ultimately leading upto nation’s aspirational accomplishments resulting out of enriched workforce base prepared by our Educational Institutes spread across United States of America in every State under its domain Namely House/Senate legislation would increase NSF funding expand focus.
Funding for new research initiatives
House and Senate legislation would increase NSF funding, expand focus to advance US competitiveness in emerging technologies. By approving the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2019, the US Congress kept its focus on expanding research and development initiatives and expanding the number of research fields included in NSF funding.
The legislation would increase the authority that gives federal agencies fiscal-year 2020 appropriations to support “emerging interdisciplinary research areas” – including artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, intelligent systems, quantum information sciences (quantum technology) futuristic space-based sensing networks, robotics and advanced materials such as graphene. The bill encourages a collaborative approach with other federal agencies such as the Department of Defense to develop these efforts across departments.
An additional provision in the bill would also expand access to existing tools for multidisciplinary researchers hoping to compete for NSF grants by creating a pilot program for new projects that incorporate multiple disciplines into one grant application. This approach could provide support for academicians integrating aspects from several STEM programs – such as physics and chemistry — or collaborations between engineering or computer science and another field like biology or psychology.
These initiatives could gain greater traction if approved alongside other proposed measures like prioritizing research on initiatives such as fight ageing’s impact on long-term scientific capabilities or providing guidance do directions in which the foundation can focus its efforts towards an increased emphasis on interdisciplinary investigation through collaborations with academia industry, nonprofits and international partners. Overall these legislative changes could help shift outreach towards more powerful future national goals related to education, innovation and industry development through approaches rooted in groundbreaking science discoveries.
Expansion of Focus
House and Senate legislation aimed to increase funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) would also expand its focus. This would include funding for research initiatives in artificial intelligence and quantum computing, as well as an expansion of programs that encourage diversity in STEM fields.
Meanwhile, the objectives of the legislation are to better support the development and commercialization of advanced technologies. Going forward, we can expect an increase in research related to the areas mentioned above.
Focus on STEM education
House and Senate legislation would increase National Science Foundation (NSF) funding and expand the focus of the agency, particularly on STEM education. The legislation would also help to promote research into new technologies for improved student outcomes.
Specifics of the bill would provide at least $1 billion in new funding for NSF and support initiatives aimed at increasing overall math, science, engineering and technology research efforts. This includes an initiative that pairs businesses with universities to expand collaborations in these fields and improve STEM education opportunities across all educational levels. Additionally, an emphasis on improving K-12 STEM education is included in the proposal so that students will be better prepared for college level coursework as they enter higher education programs.
The legislation would also create a national office dedicated to developing innovative approaches to STEM-specific technology and support research into using data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to facilitate better execution of STEM instruction. Finally, it would require NSF evaluation of efforts that are successful in schools with diverse student populations or those serving students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields.
By increasing NSF funds and expanding their focus on STEM education, this legislation offers a comprehensive approach to enhancing student performance across the country while creating opportunities in cutting edge research fields that could lead to 21st century solutions across multiple industries.
Focus on diversity
The House and Senate legislation would increase National Science Foundation (NSF) funding and expand its focus beyond traditional areas of research to include diversity and a greater emphasis on the involvement of women and minorities. The NSF is the nation’s largest funder of basic science research, but has traditionally focused on disciplines such as mathematics, computer science, engineering, physics, and biology.
However, in the new legislation, it has been proposed that the focus of NSF should move beyond these traditional areas and place more emphasis on recruiting a diverse pool of applicants for its programs. This proposed change reflects a growing trend in scientific research towards more inclusive practices. Furthermore, this expanded focus also provides an opportunity to establish programs which emphasize underrepresented groups in science. This could lead to increased participation by women, African Americans and other minorities in sciences such as engineering, physics or computer sciences.
In addition to increasing funding for NSF programs focused on increasing diversity within scientific research fields, this House-Senate bill would also provide support for growth in small businesses owned by Negroes or members of other minority groups. This reflects another economic trend towards providing resources that encourage minority entrepreneurship within the technology industry sector.
Overall it can be seen that the recent proposed legislation would not only increase the budget allocated to funding at NSF but also expand its range of focus; placing an increased emphasis on diversity within science research endeavours through actively seeking out candidates from underrepresented groups which could provide advancements beneficial not only to those individuals but society at large.
Focus on interdisciplinary research
The House and Senate legislation would increase the National Science Foundation (NSF) funding and expand the focus to include interdisciplinary research that crosses scientific disciplines, which is urged by many in the scientific community. This could have a major impact on the way science is conducted in the United States and research worldwide.
By expanding its focus, NSF would be able to fund projects that cross traditional boundaries of science. For example, interdisciplinary projects could combine aspects of biology or medicine with physics or engineering, developing better medicines or treatments for previously untreatable diseases. Interdisciplinary collaborations such as these are increasingly being employed around the world; this new funding source could enable U.S. scientists to keep pace with countries like China and Germany which are already ahead in interdisciplinary research.
Furthermore, this new funding has potential benefits to national security, because at present there is an insufficient amount of interdisciplinary collaborations between national laboratories and academic institutions. The greater emphasis on collaboration that this legislation will generate will encourage a higher level of exchange among these fields, facilitating more innovative solutions for national security needs such as cyber threats or chemical/biological weapons detection from adversaries abroad.
In conclusion, increased NSF funding coupled with an expanded focus on interdisciplinary research has potential benefits across many facets of society, from medical treatments to national security solutions. With sufficient funding for necessary equipment and personnel, researchers both in academia and at labs may be able to find innovative solutions for some of our most pressing issues today.
Benefits of Expansion
House and Senate legislation would expand the focus of the National Science Foundation (NSF), increasing its funding and allowing the agency to support new areas of research. This expansion could profoundly benefit all areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Let’s explore the potential benefits of this new legislation.
Increased access to STEM education
House and Senate legislation would increase National Science Foundation (NSF) funding, enabling the foundation to expand its focus on increasing access to STEM education. It would provide grants specifically to aid the development of new or improved methodologies or materials for K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instruction. It also seeks to develop programs that contribute to the national goals of improving academic achievement by underrepresented minorities in STEM subjects by enhancing teaching capabilities and readiness in such subjects.
Under the proposed legislation, NSF funding would be used to support a range of activities such as teacher-training programs; research on successful approaches and models that encourage student understanding at all levels of mathematical, scientific, or technical instruction; development of instructional materials for learning about and engaging in STEM fields; establishment of innovative summer learning academies for continuing education; and assistance with the integration of new technologies into traditional classroom settings. In addition, the proposed legislation aims to increase participation in STEM fields among women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, underserved populations living within rural areas nationwide and veterans transitioning back into civilian employment. Moreover, it would create scholarships and fellowships specifically geared towards these groups so they can pursue their educational goals without obstacle or burden.
In an effort to spur activity at all grade levels around STEM topics through computer science – coding initiatives are encouraged as well as interventions aimed at improving math basics for students k-12th grade. The proposed additional funding will be directed towards expanding existing efforts around K-12 computer science trainings camps across colleges & universities as well as programing language courses created with professional developers. Professional software courses related directly to observation platforms, data analysis skills & informatics transferable skills seeking augment workforce readiness from entry level positions through more senior level positions. The legislation also seeks to ensure that students have access to advanced recognition for project based constructed commitment demonstrating mastery & understanding conceptually & practically with big ideas technology related fields not limited just software coding.
Increased diversity in STEM fields
The proposed House and Senate legislation would increase the funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) to $8.3 billion and expand its focus in a number of areas. One area of particular focus is increasing diversity in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, an issue which is often overlooked.
By increasing NSF funding and broadening its focus to include diversity initiatives, more opportunities will be created for women, minority groups, socio-economic areas that may have been previously underserved. In addition to research grants for these areas being made available by the NSF, pathways into STEM careers will open up. This could result in a significant increase in women and underrepresented minorities entering the degree programs needed to become successful in the scientific workforce over time, thus creating a more diverse pool of STEM candidates available for employers to consider.
Diversity initiatives like this help ensure that all industries — not just science-related ones — benefit from bringing different perspectives together as well as increasing innovation by having multiple approaches being applied to any given challenge or problem. Furthermore, increased diversification these initiatives create can foster economic growth at home while also focusing on global collaboration with scientists from other countries or regions of the world where different approaches may be taken.
In short, proposed House and Senate legislation providing increased funding and setting policies directing NSF to prioritize activities aimed at increasing diversity in STEM would help open up new opportunities for those who have previously been excluded and result in long-term growth both domestically and globally.
Increased opportunities for interdisciplinary research
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the premier source of federal funding for basic research in fields that can range from physical sciences to engineering, mathematics and social sciences. The current House and Senate legislation that would increase NSF funding and expand its focus could open up a whole new avenue for businesses, government agencies, universities, and other institutions.
At the heart of this change is a concept called “interdisciplinary research” – bringing together researchers from different fields and looking at questions or problems from multiple perspectives. This type of work encourages collaboration between disciplines in solving complex problems, developing innovative solutions to address challenges facing our society.
For example, the potential to incorporate more neuroscience into design through advances in cognitive and machine learning technology is groundbreaking. Additionally, combining industry insight with academic researchers and engineers could help drive new products or services aimed at specific markets or consumers. By expanding its mission to further incentivize interdisciplinary teams of experts to tackle high-level challenges on behalf of all citizens working with firms across various industry sectors will give more opportunities for technological advancement where none existed before.
The proposed legislation that increases NSF funding also promotes an environment of extended collaboration between universities by encouraging them to work with government agencies and private companies on projects intended to advance their industries while simultaneously stimulating the economy. Through providing necessary financial support, these collaborations will be able to propel progress on an unprecedented scale unlike ever before seen in our nation’s history while equipping entities today with invaluable resources they will surely need when facing future challenges unknown as of now.
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