mock up for nsf-supported centers

RESEARCH FACILITIES

The National Science Foundation provides support for large, multi-user facilities which meet the need for access to state-of-the-art research facilities that would otherwise be unavailable. Support includes funding for staff and support personnel to assist both internal and external scientists in conducting research at the facilities. Support for these unique national facilities is essential to advance U.S. research capabilities required for world-class research.

NSF's support of facilities, generally operated and partly supported by universities, contributes to all the goals of the NSF strategic plan by providing physical and institutional capabilities necessary:

for scientists and engineers to carry out cutting-edge research across a broad spectrum of scientific and engineering fields;
to promote the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge in service to society as exemplified by fields such as materials science, computing and communications science, and environmental science;
for graduate and undergraduate science, mathematics and engineering students to acquire skills to perform world class research.

The activity reflects NSF strategies by strengthening physical infrastructure for the conduct of research, developing scientific and engineering intellectual capital, integrating research and education, and promoting partnerships in the U.S. science and engineering research system.

NSF supports the following facilities:

                    (Millions of Dollars)

1 Other facilities include physics, materials research, ocean sciences, atmospheric sciences, and earth sciences facilities.

The FY 1997 Request for Facilities totals $661 million, a $3 million decrease from the FY 1996 Estimate and $81 million below the FY 1995 level. U.S. funding for construction of the Gemini 8-meter telescopes was completed in FY 1995. Support for Gemini in FY 1996 and FY 1997 is for preliminary operations only. The Academic Research Infrastructure program is terminated in FY 1997, and no further funding for this activity is requested. In FY 1997, NSF plans to provide $25 million for the South Pole Safety Project.