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The
quality of life in the 21st
century will depend in large measure on
the generation of new wealth, on safeguarding
the health of our planet, and on opportunities
for enlightenment and individual development.
The environment is a critical element
of the knowledge base we need to live
in a safe and prosperous world. In
August 1998, the National Science Board
established the Task Force on the Environment,
within its Committee on Programs and Plans,
to provide guidance to the National Science
Foundation (NSF) in defining the scope
of its role with respect to environmental
research, education, and scientific assessment,
and determining the best means of implementing
activities related to this area. The task
force was charged with:
- Reviewing
the scope of current NSF activities
related to research, education, and
scientific assessment on the environment;
and
- Developing
guidance for the National Science
Foundation at the policy level that
will be used for designing an appropriate
portfolio of activities, consistent
with the overall National Science
and Technology Council (NSTC) strategy,
the goals of the NSF Strategic Plan,
and activities of other agencies and
organizations that support related
programs.
Environmental
Science and Engineering for the 21st
Century: The Role of the National Science
Foundation, presents the findings
and recommendations developed by the Task
Force on the Environment. This report
is being released as an interim document
to provide ample opportunity for discussion
and consultation with the National Science
and Technology Council, other agencies,
the scientific community, public and private
sectors, and other interested parties. This
interim report is based on extensive review
of relevant policy documents and reports,
a process of hearings and consultations
with invested communities, invited commentary
from a variety of organizations and individuals,
and feedback from through a public web
site [http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/tfe].
The task force also examined a wide variety
of environmental programs at NSF to determine
the factors most likely to result in effective
new research and educational activities. I
want to commend Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the
chair of the task force, and the other
task force members, NSB members Drs. Mary
K. Gaillard, Robert Solow, and Warren
Washington; and Dr. Mary Clutter NSF Assistant
Director for Biological Sciences and Dr.
Robert Corell, NSF Assistant Director
for Geosciences, for their outstanding
work in pulling together this important
and complex report. Dr. Penelope Firth,
Program Director for Ecosystem Studies,
provided superb support as the Executive
Secretary to the task force. The
task force has also been assisted in its
efforts by many members of the NSF staff,
too numerous to mention individually.
However, the contributions of Dr. Robert
Webber, Office of Information and Resource
Management, Ms. Anne Tenney, Office of
the Director, and Ms. Jean Pomeroy, National
Science Board Office, deserve special
note, as well as Dr. Margaret Cavanaugh,
Program Director for Inorganic, Bioinorganic,
and Organometallic Chemistry, and Dr.
Robert Eisenstein, Assistant Director
for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. The
Board is especially grateful for the strong
support provided throughout by the Director
of the National Science Foundation, Dr.
Rita Colwell.
 Eamon
M. Kelly
Chairman
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