The Research and
Related Activities (R&RA) account supports activities that enable the U.S.
to uphold world leadership in all aspects of science and engineering by maintaining
the overall health of science and engineering across all disciplines, and
providing leadership across the frontier of science and engineering
research. R&RA provides support for
research projects, research facilities, and education and training
activities. Among the priorities for
R&RA in FY 2000 are activities associated with the areas of Biocomplexity
in the Environment (BE), Information Technology (IT) and Educating for the
Future (EFF). In FY 2000, NSF will
implement efforts to address long-standing concerns about grant sizes by
increasing the average size and duration of awards across R&RA. FY 2000 funding for R&RA totals $3.0
billion, a 6.9 percent increase over FY 1999.
Within R&RA:
· The Biological Sciences (BIO) Activity supports research ranging from the study of the structure and dynamics of biological molecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids, through cells, organs and organisms, to studies of populations and ecosystems. It encompasses processes that are internal to the organism as well as those that are external, and includes temporal frameworks ranging from measurements in real time through individual life spans, to the full scope of evolutionary time. The FY 2000 Request for BIO totals $408.62 million, a 4.5 percent increase over the FY 1999 Current Plan. Within BIO, support will be increased for research that will advance understanding of the structure, organization and function of plant genomes.
·
The Computer and Information
Science and Engineering (CISE) Activity supports research on the theory
and foundations of computing, system software and computer system design,
human-computer interaction, as well as prototyping, testing and development of
cutting-edge computing and communications systems to address complex research
problems. CISE also provides the
advanced computing and networking capabilities needed by academic researchers
for cutting-edge research in all science and engineering fields. The FY 2000 request for CISE totals $422.53
million, a 41.5 percent increase over the FY 1999 Current Plan, including
$110.0 million as part of the Information Technology for the Twenty-first
Century (IT2) initiative.
Also in FY 2000, the Partnerships for Advanced Computational Infrastructure
(PACI) program will focus on broadening and accelerating the capability of the
research community to utilize this advanced technology to work on cutting edge
research problems in all NSF disciplines.
·
The Engineering
(ENG) Activity seeks to enhance the quality of life and national prosperity by
investing in research and education activities that spur new technological
innovations and create new products and services and more productive
enterprises. ENG also makes critical
investments in facilities, networks, and people to assure diversity and quality
in the nation's infrastructure for engineering education and research. The FY 2000 Request includes a 2.7 percent
increase over the FY 1999 Current Plan, to a total of $378.53 million for ENG,
and will support research in areas including engineering microsystems, scalable
enterprise systems, biosystems at the nano-scale, and wireless technology and information networks. Funds are included to meet the mandated
level for the Foundation-wide Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
program.
·
The Geosciences
(GEO) Activity supports research in the atmospheric, earth, and ocean
sciences. Basic research in the
geosciences advances our scientific knowledge of the Earth and advances our
ability to predict natural phenomena of economic and human significance, such
as climate changes, weather, earthquakes, fish-stock fluctuations, and
disruptive events in the solar-terrestrial environment. The 2.6 percent increase, to $485.48 million
in FY 2000, will support the operation and enhancement of national user
facilities as well as fundamental research across the geosciences, including
emphasis on the U.S. Weather Research Program and National Space Weather Program,
the U.S. Global Change Research Program, and studies on coastal ocean processes
and global ocean circulation.
·
The Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS)
Activity supports research and education in
astronomical sciences, chemistry, materials research, mathematical
sciences and physics. Major equipment
and instrumentation such as telescopes and particle accelerators are provided
to support the needs of individual investigators. The FY 2000 Request of $753.97 million, a 2.7 percent increase
over the FY 1999 Current Plan, will support fundamental research,
state-of-the-art instrumentation and facilities, as well as education and
training activities.
·
The Social, Behavioral and
Economic Sciences (SBE) Activity supports research to build fundamental
scientific knowledge about human characteristics and behavior. SBE also supports the Foundation’s
international activities, providing U.S. scientists and engineers with access
to centers of excellence in science and engineering research and education
throughout the world. To improve
understanding of the science and engineering enterprise, SBE provides
informational tools for tracking the human and institutional resources that
make up the nation’s science and engineering infrastructure. The FY 2000 Request includes $143.01 million
for SBE, a 4.2 percent increase over the FY 1999 Current Plan.
·
Polar Programs, which include the
U.S. Polar Research Programs and U.S. Antarctic Logistical Support
Activities, support multi-disciplinary research in Arctic and Antarctic
regions. The polar regions are
geographic frontiers which provide premier natural laboratories. They play a critical role in world weather
and climate and provide unique research opportunities ranging from studies of
the earth, ice and oceans to research in atmospheric sciences and
astronomy. In FY 2000, Polar Programs
increases 2.3 percent, to $250.63 million over the FY 1999 Current Plan. Increases are provided for integrated
interdisciplinary studies of the Arctic system as well as for research on
Antarctic ice sheets and oceans.
Increases also sustain the science facilities and operations that make
Arctic and Antarctic research possible.
Continued investment in South Pole Station infrastructure, and in
upgrades for polar support aircraft, are addressed through the Major Research
Equipment account.
·
Integrative Activities (IA) supports emerging cross-disciplinary research
efforts and major research instrumentation, and provides support for the
Science and Technology Policy Institute.
The FY 2000 Request of $161.23 million for IA, a decrease of $200,000
from the FY 1999 Current Plan, includes $50.0 million for a focused initiative
on biocomplexity, and funding to support a new class of Science and Technology
Centers.
The
FY 2000 Budget Request for Education and Human Resources (EHR) is $711.0
million, an increase of 3.2 percent, over the FY 1999 Current Plan. Within the FY 2000 Request, $678.0 million is included
within the EHR Appropriation, and $33.0 million is from H-1B Nonimmigrant
Petitioner Fees. EHR supports a cohesive and comprehensive set of
activities which encompass every level of education and every region of the
country. EHR also plays a major role in
the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to developing our nation’s human
resources for the science and engineering workforce of the future.
In FY 2000, EHR will address emerging needs and opportunities in five priority areas: education research; building the K-12 workforce; systemic reform; diversity continuum; and educational technologies. Program highlights include:
· National Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology Education Digital Library initiative to increase the quality, quantity, and comprehensiveness of Internet-based K-16 science, mathematics, engineering and technology (SMET) educational resources.
· NSF Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education initiated in FY 1999, continues to support graduate and advanced undergraduate SMET majors as content resources for K-12 teachers.
In FY 2000, H-1B Nonimmigrant Petitioner fees for NSF are projected to be $33.0 million for the following activities: Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarships; Grants for Mathematics, Engineering, or Science Enrichment Courses; and Systemic Reform Activities.
The
FY 2000 Budget Request for Major Research Equipment (MRE) is $85.0 million, a
decrease of $5.0 million from FY 1999.
The MRE Account funds the construction and acquisition of major research
facilities that provide unique capabilities at the cutting edge of science and
engineering. Projects supported by this account are intended to expand the
boundaries of technology and will offer significant new research opportunities,
frequently in totally new directions, for the science and engineering
community. Operations and maintenance
costs of the facilities are provided through the Research and Related
Activities (R&RA) account.
In FY 2000, funding for six projects is requested
through the Major Research Equipment account: the Large Hadron Collider (LHC),
the Millimeter Array (MMA), the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation
(NEES), Terascale Computing Systems, Polar Support Aircraft Upgrades and the
modernization of South Pole Station.
Salaries and Expenses
The
FY 2000 Budget Request for Salaries and Expenses (S&E) is $149.0 million,
an increase of 3.5 percent over the FY 1999 Current Plan. The Salaries and
Expenses appropriation provides funds for staff salaries and benefits, and
general operating expenses necessary to manage and administer the NSF. The requested level supports 1,150 full-time
equivalents (FTEs), provides for current administrative services, and enhances
the agency’s investment in information technology to increase productivity.
Office of Inspector General
The
Office of Inspector General (OIG) was established to promote economy,
efficiency, and effectiveness in administering the Foundation’s programs; to
detect and prevent fraud, waste, or abuse within NSF or by individuals that
request or receive NSF funding; and to identify and resolve cases of misconduct
in science. The FY 2000 request for the
OIG is $5.45 million, an increase of 4.8 percent, over the FY 1999 Current
Plan. The requested level supports 46
FTEs.