Remarks

Dr. Arden L. Bement, Jr.
Director
National Science Foundation
Biography

Presentation of the
NSF FY 2009 Budget Request to Congress
Arlington, VA
February 4, 2008

(As Prepared)

If you're interested in reproducing any of the slides, please contact the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs: (703) 292-8070.

Title slide: National Science Foundation Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Request

Title slide image: Computer simulation showing turbulence

Image credit: Laboratory for Computational Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota

Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the National Science Foundation. I appreciate your interest in NSF, and your coming to the FY 2009 budget presentation this morning.

Let me come right to the point. We are here to discuss the future of America. More than a dozen major studies have now concluded that a substantial increase in federal funding for basic scientific research is critical to ensure the preeminence of America's scientific and technological enterprise.

Slide title: Is America Falling Off the Flat Earth?
2009 Budget Request

Slide words (quotation):
"Unless substantial investments are made to the engine of innovation--basic scientific research and development--the current generation may be the first in our country's history to leave their children and grandchildren a lower sustained standard of living." Norman Augustine

Slide image: A photo showing a student giving a presentation before his classmates in an elementary school

Slide image credit: ©2008 Jupiter Images Corporation
Slide background image: Computer simulation showing turbulence
Slide background credit: Laboratory for Computational Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Just recently, Norman Augustine, former CEO of Lockheed Martin, released a follow-up to "The Gathering Storm" report entitled, "Is American Falling Off the Flat Earth?"

His message is crystal clear: Unless substantial investments are made to the engine of innovation. "...the current generation may be the first in our country's history to leave their children and grandchildren a lower sustained standard of living."

He points out that "America and the world are on the precipice of a change of seismic proportions, a tipping point ... and no one will be immune to its impact." That raises the stark question: "Can America compete?"

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request
Can America Compete?
Change in Competitiveness 1993-2007

Slide image: A chart showing the change in "technological standing" --an indicator of competitiveness -- of selected nations of China, Germany, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States from 1993 to 2007 as calculated in the Georgia Tech High Tech Indicators study. The chart indicates a steady increase for China’s technological standing and a decrease for the United States technological standing.

Slide image credit: High-Tech Indicators Study, Georgia Institute of Technology
Slide background image: An illustration showing an internet map for 2007
Slide background credit: Map by Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation, adapted from maps by Chris Harrison, Human-Computer Interaction Institute Carnegie Mellon University, www.chrisharrison.net
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

A startling report on technology indicators from Georgia Tech that appeared just this month concluded that China may soon rival the United States in worldwide technological competitiveness.

This chart from the report shows a remarkable China rapidly "ascending." The study's indicators take into account the critical ability to develop basic science and technology, turn those developments into products and services--and then market them to the world. This alone should ring an alarm bell for our own R&D investment strategy.

According to this report, if we continue on the current track, China could overtake the U.S. in technological innovation.

Slide title: FY 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Cover of United States National Science Foundation FY 2009 Budget Request to Congress

Cover image: Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Detector -- The ATLAS experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)

Slide background image: Computer simulation showing turbulence
Image credit: CERN (cover photo); Laboratory for Computational Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota (slide background)
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

The warning signs are all too apparent. The U.S. trade balance in high-technology products shifted from surplus to deficit beginning in 2002. Rapidly increasing imports to the U.S. of information and communications products from Asia, particularly from China and Malaysia, have contributed to this deficit.

Meanwhile, federal obligations for academic research declined in real terms between 2004 and 2005. When the figures come in for 2006 and 2007, they are expected to decrease even further. If so, this would make the last four years the first multi-year decline in federally-supported academic research in a quarter of a century.

Even a disinterested bystander would have to conclude that we are contributing to our own economic demise.

Despite these serious warning signs--and overwhelming bipartisan support for increased investment to ensure America's scientific and technological standing--progress has slowed in the past year.

In his recent State of the Union address, the President said he was disappointed that Congress had under-funded basic scientific research, and called on Congress to put NSF and other research agencies back on track to double their research budgets.

I'm also greatly disappointed that we've fallen substantially short for FY 2008. Most emphatically, flat budgets must not be NSFs fate in the future.

I say "must not" because America's prosperity, global competitiveness, and the well being of our citizens depend, more than ever before, on the steady stream of new ideas and the highly skilled STEM talent that NSF supports.

Slide title: FY 2009 Budget Request

Slide words: American Competitiveness Initiative

America COMPETES Act

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Cover of United States National Science Foundation FY 2009 Budget Request to Congress

Cover image: Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Detector -- The ATLAS experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Slide background image: Computer simulation showing turbulence
Image credit: CERN (cover photo); Laboratory for Computational Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota (slide background)
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

I am determined, and optimistic, that NSF will regain budget momentum in FY 2009. As you know, the Administration and Congress have conveyed their clear determination to build on America's history of success in leading-edge discovery and innovation.

The President's American Competitiveness Initiative and the America COMPETES Act of 2007 both recognize that America has reached an economic flash point.

Increased federal investments in research and education are imperative now to sustain our comparative advantages in a flattening world. The private sector understands this, and is on board.

Slide title: The Big Picture

Slide words: NSF FY 2009 Budget

Total: $6.85 billion

Increase: 13%

2009 Budget Request

The NSF budget for 2009 reflects that commitment and puts us back on the right track with a total request of $6.85 billion dollars, an increase of 13 percent over 2008. That's good news for NSF, and even better news for the nation. We all have a responsibility to make this happen!

Let me emphasize once again that these investments are not merely desirable, but imperative--and they are more critical today than at anytime in America's history.

NSF's task is to keep science and engineering visionaries focused on the furthest frontier. We aim to recognize and nurture emerging fields, and to prepare the next generation of scientific and engineering talent and leaders. Add to that, world-class facilities to advance transformative research, and you have the recipe for success that has been a hallmark of NSF for over 50 years. Here are the numbers by major account.

Slide words: FY 2009 Budget Request by Appropriations Account (millions)

Slide image: A chart showing FY 2009 Budget Request by Appropriations Account (millions)

2009 Budget Request

Appropriations Account: Research & Related Activities
FY 2009 Request: $5,593.99
Change from FY 2008: $772.52 (16.0%)

Appropriations Account: Education & Human Resources
FY 2009 Request: $790.41
Change from FY 2008: $64.81 (8.9%)

Appropriations Account: Major Research Equipment & Facilities Construction
FY 2009 Request: $147.51
Change from FY 2008: $-73.23 (-33.2%)

Appropriations Account: Agency Operations & Award Management
FY 2009 Request: $305.06
Change from FY 2008: $23.27 (8.3%)

Appropriations Account: National Science Board
FY 2009 Request: $4.03
Change from FY 2008: $0.06 (1.5%)

Appropriations Account: Inspector General
FY 2009 Request: $13.10
Change from FY 2008: $1.67 (14.6%)

TOTAL, NSF
FY 2009 Request: $6,854.10
Change from FY 2008: $789.10 (13%)

Slide image credit: High-Tech Indicators Study
Slide background image: An illustration showing an internet map for 2007
Slide background credit: Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Investments in Research and Related Activities increase by 16 percent.

Education and Human Resources by 9 percent.

Agency Operations and Award Management increases by 8 percent.

Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction is actually down by about 33 percent. I'll address this later in my presentation.

Important as they are, these dollar figures can't possibly give you a sense of the benefits of NSF investments. Nor can they convey the importance to America's manufacturing and service sectors of NSF support for leading-edge research. Let me illustrate these with a few highlights from our budget request.

Slide title: Beyond Moore's Law

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Line illustration showing a series of mountains
Image credit: Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

As you know, Moore's Law refers to the empirical observation, made in 1965 by Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, that computer processing power, based on semiconductor integrated circuits, doubles about every 18 months.

Using current silicon technology, we are likely to reach the physical and conceptual limits of Moore's Law in 10 to 20 years. To take computing power and communications beyond Moore's Law requires entirely new scientific, engineering, and conceptual frameworks.

Slide title: Science & Engineering Beyond Moore's Law

Slide words: FY 2009 Investment: $20 million

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Artist's conception of a single-molecule transistor (left); spintronics at the atomic level – image shows the composite of a microscopic visualization of an electron cloud together with a model of the gallium arsenide crystal structure (right and background)
Image credit: Reprinted with permission from Nano Letters, 2006, Volume 6, No. 11, pages 2422-2426. Copyright 2006 American Chemical Society (left); © Ali Yazdani, Princeton University (right and background)
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

NSF-supported researchers have developed theory, based on fundamental quantum physics, of how one single carbon-based molecule could replicate the behavior of today's much larger microprocessor transistors. A new concept like this could propel us from an era of micro-electronics to one of nano-electronics.

Science and Engineering Beyond Moore's Law is a new, multidisciplinary investment that will support research to develop the next generation of materials, algorithms, architectures and software with capabilities far beyond those available today, and governed by new empirical laws. With these advances, computing power will become even more concentrated, integrated and ubiquitous.

This investment, with its great potential for transformation, aims to contribute to our nation's economic competitiveness and help sustain U.S. leadership in electronics, information technologies and communications.

Slide title: AST

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Still image taken from Wired to Win: Surviving the Tour de France film, showing neurons communicating through synaptic transmission
Image credit: Partners
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Beneath the "skin" of modern computers, robots and machines, lies a physical nervous system of wires, circuits, sensors, fiber optics, and wireless communication modules. The parallels between this "hardware" and the human brain and nervous system are striking, and they are no accident. We have an amazing "central processor" in this 3-pound organ we call our brain. Researchers are only now beginning to exploit its secrets and probe the many possible applications of neuroscience to the development of engineered systems, especially at the human-machine interface.

Slide title: Adaptive Systems Technology

Slide words: FY 2009 Investment: $15 million

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Still image taken from Wired to Win: Surviving the Tour de France film, showing neurons communicating through synaptic transmission (left); Photo showing a computer circuit board (right)
Image credit: Partners (left); © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation (right)
Slide background image: Still image taken from Wired to Win: Surviving the Tour de France film, showing neurons communicating through synaptic transmission
Slide background credit: Partners
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

A new interdisciplinary research effort, Adaptive Systems Technology, will explore the potential of mimicking living nervous circuits and systems in the design of engineered products and control systems that can anticipate, adapt, and provide a natural bridge to human performance.

AST could foster highly innovative advances in adaptive control systems, hybrid computer architectures, and computer-based, self-paced, learning and training tools.

Slide title: Adaptive Systems Technology

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: An illustration showing a retinal prosthetic system
Image credit: Intraocular Prosthesis Group at Johns Hopkins University and North Carolina State University; illustration by Jerry Lim
Slide background image: Still image taken from Wired to Win: Surviving the Tour de France film, showing neurons communicating through synaptic transmission
Slide background credit: Partners
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

This artificial retina exemplifies science at the interface between the human nervous system and machines. NSF-supported research has shown that in some types of blindness, the neural pathways that carry information to the brain are still healthy, despite the damage to other parts of the eye. The artificial retina opens the opportunity to employ the healthy nerve tissues to regain partial vision.

Slide title: Water
Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Series of three images of water molecules; they depict past and present theories regarding the placement of molecules in water
Image credit: Anders Nilsson and Hirohito Ogasawara, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Although the movement of water links natural systems and human social systems, there are many gaps in our basic scientific understanding of water dynamics. We still know very little about the effects of climate change and resulting changes in human interventions and land use on the availability and quality of fresh water.

One of the greatest environmental and economic challenges we face this century is to ensure an adequate, high-quality water supply for human use while maintaining the integrity of ecosystems. While humans can survive without petroleum, they can't survive without water.

Slide title: Dynamics of Water Processes in the Environment

Slide words: FY 2009 Investment: $10 million

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A photo showing water falling (left); A photo showing a sprinkler watering a field (right)
Image credit: © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation (left and background); Jeff Vanuga, NRCS/USDA (right)

Slide background image: A photo showing water falling
Slide background credit: © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation

Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

NSF will initiate a program, Dynamics of Water Processes in the Environment, to increase fundamental understanding of the Earth's freshwater systems, and our ability to predict dynamic changes in freshwater resources. NSF investigators are already breaking new ground in mitigating the degradation of aquatic systems and coping with extreme floods.

This investment will improve the reliability of water forecasting for such important uses as agriculture, forest and fisheries management, energy production, human health, transportation, and manufacturing.

Our Water investment complements the U.S. Geological Survey's water initiative. We hope that by collaborating we can maximize overall knowledge while minimizing costs.

Slide title: CDI

Slide image: A line illustration of a zebra
Image credit: Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

This year, NSF is launching a new program, Cyber-enabled Discovery and Innovation, at an investment level of $48 million dollars. CDI is part of a five year investment to advance science and engineering along fundamentally new pathways opened up by enhanced computational capabilities. In 2009, we will increase our investment in CDI by $52 million for a total of $100 million dollars.

Slide title: Cyber-enabled Discovery and Innovation

Slide words: FY 2009 Investment: $100 million

From Data to Knowledge

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Visualization of density, or gravity, currents
Image credit: Mariano Cantero, Marcelo Garcia and S. Balachandar, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/University of Florida; visualization by David Bock, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Currently, the ability to extract important new knowledge from exploding quantities of data generated by telescopes, satellites, surveys, and sensors, and transmitted along the Internet is like uncovering a 'needle in a very large haystack.' We need new concepts and tools to help us derive new knowledge from this abundance of digital data.

Slide title: Cyber-enabled Discovery and Innovation

Slide words: Complexity in Natural, Built and Social Systems

2009 Budget Request

Slide images: Photo showing an aerial view of a modern city (left); photo showing many brittle sea stars (Ophiothrix spiculata) (center); photo showing financial traders at computers (right); visualization of density, or gravity, currents (background)
Image credit: © 2008 JupiterImages Corporation (left and right); Genny Anderson, Santa Barbara City College (center) Background image credit: Mariano Cantero, Marcelo Garcia and S. Balachandar, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/University of Florida; visualization by David Bock, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

CDI will also expand our ability to analyze and understand complex systems, including those characterized by large numbers of interacting elements, and those that exhibit chaotic and emergent behavior.

The development and use of simulation and computational models for predicting the behavior of highly complex systems, whether found in nature, in society, or in the built environment, will transform the way we understand challenging problems, over vast differences in scale, size, distance, and time.

Slide title: Cyber-enabled Discovery and Innovation:

Slide words: Virtual Organizations

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Photo showing a presentation of "The Cave," a 3 Dimensional virtual reality visualization environment at the CalIT2 building on the University of California, San Diego, campus; visualization of density, or gravity, currents (background)
Image credit: Wolfgang Bluhm
Background image credit: Mariano Cantero, Marcelo Garcia and S. Balachandar, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/University of Florida; visualization by David Bock, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Finally, we are just beginning to explore the potential of virtual organizations enabled by cyberinfrastructure to increase the research productivity of teams of people and resources distributed across institutions and geographical boundaries, both national and international.

Slide title: Petascale Computing & Cyberinfrastructure

Slide words: FY 2009 Investment: $682 million

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Visualization, created from data generated by a tornado simulation calculated on the NCSA computing cluster, shows the tornado by spheres colored according to pressure.
Image credit: Bob Wilhelmson, NCSA and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Lou Wicker, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Severe Storms Laboratory; Matt Gilmore and Lee Cronce, University of Illinois Atmospheric Science Department; visualization by Donna Cox, Robert Patterson, Stuart Levy, Matt Hall and Alex Betts, NCSA

Background image: Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Detector -- The ATLAS experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Background image credit:: © CERN

Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

I want to emphasize that the development of petascale computing capabilities and advanced cyberinfrastructure go hand-in-hand not only with CDI, but with all of our research investments, and remain top priorities for NSF.

Taken together, these investments are primed to transform research capabilities and productivity in every field of science and engineering. In FY 2009, we are requesting $682 million dollars for cyberinfrastructure, an increase of 53 million over the FY 2008 level.

Slide title: Interdisciplinary Research

Slide words: Science and Technology Centers

FY 2009 Investment: $76 million

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Photo of students, who are part of NSF's Science and Technology Center for Sustainability of Semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA), measuring evaporation rates in Patagonia, Arizona (left); photo showing use of personal data assistant (PDA) as a data collection device (center); illustration of the NSF Cyber Trust program (right)
Image credits: Jonathan Petti, SAHRA, University of Arizona, Tucson (left); Center for Embedded Networked Sensing, Univeristy of California, Los Angeles (center); Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation (right)

Background image: Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Detector -- The ATLAS experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Background image credit: © CERN

Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Interdisciplinary research is alive and well at NSF, not only in the nature of the grants we fund, but also in our organizational structures and cross-Foundation partnerships. The 2009 budget request gives particular emphasis to interdisciplinary programs, centers, and multi-investigator grants.

In 2009, we plan to establish five to seven new Science and Technology Centers. The STCs tackle frontier problems of national and global importance by developing innovative partnerships among disciplines and with business and industry.

They speed the transfer of concepts for new technologies to the private sector. And, critically, they integrate research with the education of those who will be tomorrow's teachers and leaders in discovery and innovation.

At the beginning of my presentation, I emphasized the potential economic returns that can accrue from NSF investments.

However, there are other, vitally important returns: namely, those that serve national and global needs in energy, health, security and environment, and those that increase human understanding and wonder about the universe in which we live, from the smallest to the largest scales.

Slide title: Climate Change

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A photo showing seaweed floating in water
Slide credit: © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

One of the most urgent and pervasive challenges for science and technology in the 21st Century is global climate change. This is one challenge that we can, and must address.

The recently released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment confirms that we have made rapid advances in our understanding of climate change and its impacts. NSF has been a leader in supporting major contributions to the basic understanding and modeling of Earth systems processes. We will continue to provide sustained support for world-class climate modeling.

Slide title: U.S. Climate Change Science Program

Slide words: FY 2009 Investment: $221 million

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A photo showing cracked earth (left); A photo showing thunderstorm over a city (right)
Slide credit: © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation (left; © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation (right)
Slide background image: A photo showing cracked earth
Slide background credit: © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Many investigators supported by NSF contributed to the International Panel on Climate Change, and share in the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. We like to point to the many Nobel winners that have received support from NSF, but this is the first Nobel Peace Prize!

Slide title: Climate Change in the Polar Regions

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A photo showing details of ice formations (left); A photo showing an iceberg in Antarctica (right)
Slide credit: Carlye Calvin © University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (left and background); © University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (right)

Slide background image: A photo showing details of ice formations
Slide background credit: Carlye Calvin © University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

NSF is uniquely poised to answer the question: what is the role of the Polar Regions on global processes? The Polar Regions may be experiencing greater environmental change than any other region of the planet. And, how the earth's major ice sheets will contribute to sea level rise is a major source of uncertainty in forecasts of the future effects of climate change.

NSF support for International Polar Year will provide legacy capabilities and research data that will support polar science for years to come.

Slide title: Sustained Support for All Disciplines

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Astronomy
Biology
Computing
Earth & Environment
Education
Engineering
Materials
Mathematics
Nano
People & Society
Physics
Polar

Slide image: TOP ROW:
#1 - ASTRONOMY Slide image: A photo of the Very Large Array radio telescope Image Credit: NRAO/AUI

#2 BIOLOGY Slide image: An illustration of a cross-section of a silhouetted human head showing the brain. Image credit: © 2008 JupiterImages Corporation

#3 COMPUTING Slide image: A computer simulation image showing the action of the enzyme cellulase on cellulose using the CHARMM (Chemistry at HARvard Molecular Mechanics) community code. Image credit: James Matthews, Linghao Zhong and John Brady, Cornell University; Mike Himmel and Mark Nimlos, NREL; Tauna Rignall, Colorado School of Mines; Mike Crowley, The Scripps Research Institute. Work was funded by an NREL subcontract funded by DOE Office of the Biomass Program

#4 EARTH & ENVIRONMENT Slide image: A photo showing a breaking ocean wave Image credit: Digital Vision, Getty Images

CENTER ROW:
#1 ENGINEERING Slide image: A photo showing how a fluorescent dye injected into a tank of stirred liquid creates a pattern that resembles an apple. Image credit: M. M. Alvarez, T. Shinbrot, F. J. Muzzio, Center for Structured Organic Composites, Rutgers University

#2 EDUCATION Slide image: A photo showing a young girl experimenting with static electricity Image credit: Nanoscience Program, University of Arkansas

#3 MATERIALS Slide image: A photomicrograph showing imaged between crossed polarizers Image credit: Photomicrograph by Renfan Shao, Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado at Boulder

#4 MATHEMATICS Slide image: A computer-generated image showing the E8 root system consisting of 240 vectors in an 8-dimensional space. Image credit: American Institute of Mathematics

BOTTOM ROW:
#1 NANO Slide image: A computer model showing two Motorized Nanocars. Image credit: Yasuhiro Shirai, Rice University

#2 People & Society Slide image: An illustration showing the silhouette of a young child on hands and knees, surrounded by technological items, including a computer, video game controller and television. Image credit: Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation

#3 PHYSICS Slide image: An illustration showing emergence of a Bose-Einstein condensate (or BEC). Image credit: Mike Matthews, JILA

#4 POLAR Slide image: Photo showing the B-15A Iceberg in Antarctica Image credit: Photo by Josh Landis, National Science Foundation

Slide background image: An illustration showing an internet map for 2007
Slide background credit: Map by Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation, adapted from maps by Chris Harrison, Human-Computer Interaction Institute Carnegie Mellon University, www.chrisharrison.net
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Of course, not all research is based on identifiable problems or our current state of knowledge. Maintaining strong, sustained support for all disciplines remains a priority for NSF. With the 16 percent growth in Research and Related Activities, NSF anticipates supporting an additional 1370 research grants.

Without support for frontier research that covers all disciplines--in all potential interdisciplinary combinations--the transformative discovery that sparks the next technological revolution may not occur in our own backyard.

In the time remaining I can touch on only a few more programs that deserve your attention. These investments fit within our roles under the American Competitiveness Initiative and America COMPETES Act, mentioned earlier.

Slide title: Early Career Awards

Slide words: Percentage of New Awardees by Years Since Last Degree – FY 2006 Research Grants 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A graph showing the Percentage of New Awardees by Years Since Last Degree – FY 2006 Research Grants with the maximum percentage between 11 and 12 percent. After five years it steadily decreases.
Left vertical axis is labeled 0-14 percent in increments of 2 percent. Bottom horizontal axis is labeled Years Since Degree from 0-50 in increments of one.
Slide image credit: National Science Foundation
Slide background image: An illustration showing an internet map for 2007
Slide background credit: Map by Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation, adapted from maps by Chris Harrison, Human-Computer Interaction Institute Carnegie Mellon University, www.chrisharrison.net
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Both the ACI and the America COMPETES Act place special emphasis on improving opportunities for scientists and engineers at the beginning of their careers.

NSF has an excellent track record: over the past decade, nearly 40 percent of the awards going to new PIs are for early career faculty within five years of their last degree. We will build on this record through our programs that support young faculty. In 2009, our flagship program, CAREER, increases by over $14 million to $182 million dollars.

In addition, NSF's small exploratory grants programs are particularly important to early career investigators as they develop new research directions. We are exploring new grant instruments that will expand the use of these exploratory grants for transformative research.

Slide title: Office of International Science and Engineering

Slide words: FY 2009 Investment: $47 million

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A photo showing two business people in front of a wall of flags from different countries
Slide image credit: © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation
Slide background image: An photo showing a wall of flags from different countries
Slide background credit: © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Today, competition exists alongside increasing international cooperation and collaboration among scientists and engineers. There is no contradiction here. In a sense, we collaborate in order to compete. We can't afford to be blindsided by research developments from abroad.

NSF encourages international partnerships in research and education. And, like all nations, the U. S. needs to develop a workforce that is adept at working on international research teams. We are requesting increased funding for the NSF Office of International Science and Engineering from $41 million to $47 million dollars in 2009.

Which brings me to the topic of NSF's broader investments in education.

Slide title: Education

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Science, technology, engineering and math education has always been part of NSF's mission as an equal partner to research. The challenges ahead are very steep. As we consider how to foster innovation, we should also address the need for innovation in education, not only to promote learning in math and science, but also to enrich the education of STEM teachers.

Slide title: Enduring Strategies in Education

Slide words:

Broadening participation in the S&E workforce
Strengthening teacher preparation
Integrating research and education
Stimulating students through inquiry-based learning
Reaching a broader public through informal education

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A photo showing a young student looking at a plant in a lab (left); A photo showing three students working with a microscope in a lab (right)
Image credit: Mark Mortensen, University of North Texas (left); InSTEP Program, Florida Institute of Technology (right)
Slide background image: An image depicting researchers creating cyberenvironments—secure, easy-to-use interfaces to instruments, data, computing systems, networks, applications, analysis and visualization tools, and services.
Slide background credit: Blake Harvey, NCSA
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

The broad array of NSF education programs has long emphasized themes critical to moving education to a new level of excellence. We remain committed to these overarching objectives:

Broadening participation in the science and engineering workforce;
Strengthening teacher preparation;
Integrating research and education;
Stimulating students through inquiry-based learning; and,
Reaching a broader public through informal education.

Slide title: Math and Science Partnerships

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A photo showing two students working on an assignment (left). A graph showing student achievement at 123 schools participating in the NSF Math and Science Partnership program. The proficiency percentages compare 2002-2003, when the program began, and 2004-2005, the most recent year for which data are available. The "*" denotes a statisically significant change at the 0.05 level (i.e., 1 in 20 chance the change results from random chance). (right)
Image credit: © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation (left); Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation (right)
Slide background image: An image depicting researchers creating cyberenvironments—secure, easy-to-use interfaces to instruments, data, computing systems, networks, applications, analysis and visualization tools, and services.
Slide background credit: Blake Harvey, NCSA
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

NSF will continue to support the successful Math and Science Partnership program, which integrates the resources of higher education, the private sector and K-12 schools.

Each year, the program reaches as many as 30,000 K-12 math and science teachers with up-to-date knowledge, inquiry-based teaching tools, and professional development activities. Currently, there are 52 MSP partnerships among colleges and universities, school districts, and corporations.

Since the program began in 2002, students in MSP school districts have made measurable gains in math and science proficiency at all levels.

Slide title: Graduate Fellowships and Traineeships

Slide words:

FY 2009 Request % Increase

Graduate Fellowships: $125 29.7%

GK-12: $57 3.6%

IGERT: $64 1.5%

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: An image depicting researchers creating cyberenvironments—secure, easy-to-use interfaces to instruments, data, computing systems, networks,applications, analysis and visualization tools, and services.
Image credit: Blake Harvey, NCSA
Slide background image: An image depicting researchers creating cyberenvironments—secure, easy-to-use interfaces to instruments, data, computing systems, networks, applications, analysis and visualization tools, and services.
Slide background credit: Blake Harvey, NCSA
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Educating the next generation of U.S. scientists and engineers has always been at the top of NSF's agenda.

The budget request includes additional funding for Graduate Research Fellowships, bringing the total for this program alone to an estimated 3,075. Counting all NSF graduate fellowship programs, the total number of graduate students supported would be about 5,450, for an overall increase of 770 fellowships.

Keep in mind that this is only a fraction of the total support NSF provides for graduate students under research grants--and these figures don't reflect the many undergraduates we support, as well.

Slide title: MREFC

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: An illustration showing a bulls-eye design
Slide image credit: Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

There is an old saying that a piece of work is only as good as the tools used to make it. The world-class equipment and facilities that NSF supports are every bit as essential to the task of discovery.

Slide title: South Pole Station

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A photo showing a crowd gathers for the dedication of the new elevated station at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
Slide credit: Peter Rejcek, National Science Foundation
Background slide image: A photo showing details of ice formations
Background image credit: © 2008 Jupiter Images Corporation
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Earlier this month, I attended the dedication ceremony for the new South Pole Station in Antarctica. I can assure you that this superb facility will attract talented researchers from around the world, and boost U.S. leadership in research on the nature of the universe, the ionosphere and magnetosphere, and climate change.

Slide title: Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction

Slide words: ALMA, AdvLIGO, IceCube

Slide images:
Left (ALMA): an artist's concept of the ALMA antennae superposed on a photo of the ALMA site (Cerro Toco in background)
Center (AdvLIGO): Photo of an engineer aligning the elements of a prototype test mass suspension for the planned Advanced LIGO Gravitational Wave detector
Right (IceCube): Photo showing signal cables from strings of Digital Optical Modules extending down into the ice
Background: Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Detector -- The ATLAS experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Credit: ALMA/ESO/NRAO/NAOJ (left); MIT/Caltech LIGO (center); Dr. Kathie L. Olsen, National Science Foundation (right); © CERN (background)
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

NSF will continue to support a portfolio of ongoing projects in the Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction account (MREFC), including:

The Atacama Large Millimeter Array;
Ice Cube; and
Advanced LIGO.

Slide title: Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction

Slide words: ATST

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A rendering showing the proposed Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) as it would appear with the existing facilities of Haleakala High Altitude Observatories, from the Southwest above the 10,000 foot summit of Haleakala on Maui, Hawaii.
Image credit: Tom Kekona, KC Environmental Inc.
Background: Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Detector -- The ATLAS experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Background image credit: © CERN
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

For the first time, NSF is also requesting funds for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope, which has completed a final design review but requires additional design support to complete impact studies, site preparation and permitting.

I mentioned earlier that the MREFC account decreases by 33 percent in the 2009 budget. The completion of several major projects in 2008 explains part of this decrease.

Slide title: Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction

Slide words: ARRV, NEON, OOI

Slide images:
Left (ARRV): An artist's conception showing the Alaska Region Research Vessel (ARRV)
Center (OOI): An illustration showing the elements of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI)
Right (NEON): An artist's conception depicting the distributed sensor networks and experiments, linked by advanced cyberinfrastructure to record and archive ecological data.
Background: Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Detector -- The ATLAS experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Credit: The Glosten Associates, Inc.(left); John Orcutt, Scripps Institute of Oceanography (center); Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation (right); © CERN (background)
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

The second reason for the decline in the MREFC account is that three projects--the Alaska Regional Research Vessel, NEON and the Ocean Observatories Initiative--will not receive funding in 2009. I want to make it absolutely clear that NSF continues to support these projects wholeheartedly.

However, NSF has adopted more stringent budget and schedule controls. A succinct way to describe these controls is: "no budget or schedule overruns."

Additional funding for these three projects will not be requested until they have undergone a final design review, completed a risk management plan, and developed a rigorous baseline budget, including carefully considered contingencies.

Slide title: Major Research Instrumentation

Slide words: FY 2009 Investment: $ 115 million

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A Computer model showing the methylation reaction between DNA and the protein M,Hhal. (left); A computer model showing protein binding through Cytochrome P450, a heme enzyme responsible for drug metabolism in the body using Density Functional Theory. (right)
Image credit: M. Freindorf and T. Furlani, Center for Computational Research, University at Buffalo; J. Kong, Q-Chem Inc.; visualization by Adam Koniak, Center for Computational Research, University at Buffalo (left); M. Freindorf and T. Furlani, Center for Computational Research, University at Buffalo; J. Kong, Q-Chem Inc.; visualization by Adam Koniak, Center for Computational Research, University at Buffalo(right)
Background: Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Detector -- The ATLAS experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Background image credit: © CERN
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

Mid-size instruments as every bit as essential for discovery as major facilities. Funding for the Major Research Instrumentation program increases by about $21 million to a total of $115 million dollars. In order to build capability for supporting transformative research, the cap for mid-sized instrumentation has been doubled from $2 million to $4 million.

Slide title: Stewardship

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: Photo showing the National Science Foundation building
Image credit: Curt Suplee, National Science Foundation
Slide background image: An illustration showing an internet map for 2007
Slide background credit: Map by Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation, adapted from maps by Chris Harrison, Human-Computer Interaction Institute Carnegie Mellon University, www.chrisharrison.net
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

We're continuing to increase investments to improve NSF Stewardship across the agency. The increased funding for Agency Operations and Award Management is long overdue.

We've watched the number of proposals increase dramatically over the past several years, without a corresponding increase in staff to manage a growing and increasingly complex workload. Although we've been able to maintain excellent management and efficient operations under these circumstances, we are reaching the limits of our ability to do more with less.

I want to emphasize that we maintain a capable and responsive organization by cultivating a learning environment. This is a top priority for NSF. We are also requesting funds to support investments in information technology that paces our productivity and e-government services. These investments will help us continue to serve our community effectively and responsibly.

Slide title: Research.gov

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A screenshot showing Research.gov Web site homepage
Slide image credit: National Science Foundation
Slide background image: An illustration showing an internet map for 2007
Slide background credit: Map by Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation, adapted from maps by Chris Harrison, Human-Computer Interaction Institute Carnegie Mellon University, www.chrisharrison.net
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

I cant conclude without mentioning "Research.gov," a modernization of FastLane, tailored to the needs of the research community. This new system, which opens for business today, provides the latest award information and exciting research content. In the future, institutions and grantees will be able to access grant management services for NSF and other federal agencies from this one location.

The Administration selected NSF to lead this initiative, and we are very pleased with that expression of confidence in our management abilities.

Slide title: The Future of America

Slide words: "To keep America competitive into the future, we must trust in the skill of our scientists and engineers and empower them to pursue the breakthroughs of tomorrow." The President's State of the Union Address 2008

2009 Budget Request

Slide background image: Slide background image: Computer simulation showing turbulence
Slide background credit: Laboratory for Computational Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

I opened my remarks today by saying that we are here to discuss the future of America. In his State of the Union address, the President set the same challenge when he said,

"To keep America competitive into the future, we must trust in the skill of our scientists and engineers and empower them to pursue the breakthroughs of tomorrow."

Slide title: The Future of America

Slide words:
Equation for prosperity:
Talent + education =
New discoveries =
Innovative new products and services =
High-quality jobs + greater productivity =
Sustained economic growth

2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A computer simulation showing turbulence
Image credit: Laboratory for Computational Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota Slide background image: A computer simulation showing turbulence
Slide background credit: Laboratory for Computational Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

I offer you a simple, optimistic equation for America's prosperity:

Talent + Education =
New discoveries =
Innovative new products and services =
High-quality jobs + greater productivity =
Sustained economic growth.

Slide title: The Future of America

Slide words: 2009 Budget Request

Slide image: A photo showing a graduate student holding a guinea pig (left); A photo showing Johns Hopkins graduate student Karina Zavala, breaking up samples of igneous rock from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. (center); A photo showing three students Aaron Bini, master's candidate in the University at Buffalo Department of Geology, undergraduate J.R. Noble, and assistant professor Jason Briner showing off a sediment core that they have just collected from a lake on northeast Baffin Island, Arctic Canada. (right)
Image credit: Atlanta Center for Behavioral Neuroscience (left); National Science Foundation (center); Elizabeth Thomas, University at Buffalo (right)
Slide background image: A computer simulation showing turbulence
Slide background credit: Laboratory for Computational Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation

NSF investments in research and education have returned exceptional dividends to the American people. To keep those benefits flowing, we need to constantly replenish the fount of new ideas, and train new talent. That is the simple, but critically important mission of NSF.

Thank you.

Title slide: National Science Foundation

Fiscal Year 2009

Budget Request

Title slide image: Computer simulation showing turbulence
Image credit: Laboratory for Computational Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota
Design by Adrian Apodaca, National Science Foundation