Title : NSF9174 - NSF and the States: Developing a Framework for Cooperation NSF Org : OLPA Type : General Publication Date : July 26, 1991 File : nsf9174 NSF AND THE STATES DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK FOR COOPERATION NSF is an independent federal agency charged with promoting and advancing scientific progress in the United States. NSF accomplishes its broad mandate by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering. The Foundation accounts for about 25 percent of federal support to academic institutions for basic research. NSF's budget has grown from $3.5 million in the early 1950s to more than $2.0 billion in FY 1990. In 1952, the Foundation made 28 research awards; in 1990 there were about 17,000. FOREWORD Common interests have sparked the National Science Foundation's partnership with state govern- ments. More and more, the issues that challenge our research enterprise on a national scale require action at the state and local level. Although these challenges~such as fostering economic competi- tiveness and improving the educational system~extend beyond the boundaries of any one state, society's response cannot be effective without the active participation of each state. This report provides a comprehensive description of the emerging partnership between NSF and the states. The programs that comprise this partnership encompass all parts of the NSF mission, from the support of basic research to diffusion of knowledge and programs that promote science, mathematics, and engineering education at all levels. Some of these programs are uniform across many states, while others are tailored to fit individual states. Our partnership is off to an excellent start, and we have only scratched the surface of the potential benefits. By combining our resources, we generate a synergistic effect that yields the maximum return on investments in research and education. An inescapable dilemma of governance in the 1990s~increasing programmatic expectations and ever-tightening public sector budgets~underscores the importance of these efforts and the need to make every dollar go further. It also indicates that we must combine our efforts in order to develop the policies and programs needed to lead the country into the 21st Century. As Director, I will continue to support increasing cooperation between NSF and the states. Walter E. Massey Director, National Science Foundation CONTENTS Introduction 1 The Framework for Cooperation 1 Formal and Informal Relationships 2 State Support of Research 3 Areas of Collaboration 3 Education and Training 4 Research Infrastructure and Generic Technology Development 5 Knowledge and Technology Transfer and Information Dissemination 8 High-Performance Computing and Communications 9 Analysis of Science and Technology Indicators 9 Facilities and Instrumentation 10 Policies and Standards Coordination 11 Public Awareness of Science 11 Conclusion 12 INTRODUCTION This report summarizes for the first time the cooperative efforts that are taking place between NSF and the states in science and engineering research and education. Future reports will focus on the results and benefits of these efforts. NSF's mandate to support science and engineering research and education has propelled the Foundation into a critical role in our nation's future economic growth and prosperity. In the global economy, knowledge~particularly the knowledge that is produced through science and engineering research~is a vital resource. Decision-makers in industry and all levels of government are increasingly acting on the certainty that a well-educated workforce and a healthy research infrastructure are keys to long-term economic success. Our nation's ability to create and use knowledge to compete in world markets depends on having a technically capable workforce. Equally important, society benefits from having citizens who understand and can apply the basics of science and mathematics in their daily lives. Because of the complexity of the infrastructure of science and engineering research and education, greater cooperation is required now than ever before. Thus, NSF emphasizes partnerships among the private sector, other federal agencies, and state and local governments. Although the objectives of NSF and the states may differ, the common interests reflected in our respective programs are a basis for cooperation. This report shows how we have progressed in appreciating one another's activities, needs, and objectives, and in establishing regular patterns of communication. THE FRAMEWORK FOR COOPERATION The framework for cooperation between the states and NSF is built on three related factors: - The recognition of the increasing importance of science and engineering research and education to the nation's economic growth, international competitiveness, and quality of life. - The states' explicit recognition of the importance of science, technology, and education to economic growth at the local level. - NSF's objective of reducing duplication of effort and using resources most effectively and efficiently in this time of limited funds and increasing research costs. NSF may interact with states directly, or through organizations. NSF and the states cooperate in a wide range of ways: - Building a base of knowledge about each other's goals and activities. - Participating in each other's advisory committees and review processes. - Jointly evaluating project proposals. - Jointly supporting research and education projects. - Working together through representative organizations such as the National Governors' Association (NGA). Early Foundation efforts to reach out to state governments focused primarily on helping states develop local expertise on science and technology issues and making that expertise available to the decision-making process at the state level1. More recent efforts are focused on exchanging information, identifying common concerns, and working cooperatively toward shared goals. ------------------------------------------ 1The NSF Intergovernmental Affairs Program (1968-85) awarded grants to individual state and local governments to identify state and local science and technology needs and resources, and develop policies to encourage better use of science and technology in local decision making. FORMAL AND INFORMAL RELATIONSHIPS The nature of the interactions between NSF and the states is both formal and informal. During the 1980s, NSF established several formal programs to serve the mutual interests of the states and the federal government. These programs, which continue today, are described in this report: The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), with its focus on capacity building for university research. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, with its focus on expanding the research capabilities of small companies. The Engineering Research Centers (ERCs), the Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs), and the Science and Technology Centers (STCs) programs for developing resources and infrastructure that support educational and economic development objectives. NSF and state governments are continually modifying methods of working cooperatively. In a few NSF programs, a relationship with state organizations is defined early and, indeed, is required~for example, Arctic research, the State Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (State/I/UCRC) and the Statewide Systemic Initiatives (SSI) in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education. However, most NSF interaction with state government is less formal. Through these informal interactions, which are key to maintaining a strong framework for cooperation, NSF and the states identify other, more formal, means of collaboration. NSF is a public resource for information and analysis in the area of support for science and engineering. Since 1986, NSF has been actively extending its resources to state government officials. Through the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA), the Foundation established contacts with state decision-makers to achieve better understanding of the range of state activities and interests related to science and engineering research and education. The States Liaison activity in OLPA focuses on state government agencies and officials and their representatives. This effort brings to the attention of state officials NSF programs and policies that coincide with state interests, and plans and implements ongoing activities with the states. This group is also a point of contact in NSF for state officials, having sponsored several conferences and studies on issues of mutual concern and hosted meetings of the Science and Technology Council of the States, a working group of the National Governors' Association. NSF's outreach efforts with the states are clearly succeeding: Governors, state agencies, and state legislatures seek NSF expertise as part of their science and technology decision-making process. NSF is often asked to supply speakers for formal and informal gatherings of state officials. NSF officials and staff have spoken before state legislatures and at meetings of the NGA, the National Council of State Legislators, and the Education Commission of the States. NSF staff serve as a resource to the NGA's National Education Goals Panel, the NGA Committee on Economic Development and Technological Innovation, and the designated Lead Governor for Science and Technology. NSF staff have provided advice at the request of state and regional authorities charged with developing strategic research and development (R&D) plans, or their own competitive research support programs. Examples include the Nevada Industry, Science, Engineering, and Technology Task Force; New York State Science and Technology Foundation; Ohio Science and Technology Commission; Southern Technology Council; and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Communication between the states and NSF is a two-way street. NSF is now inviting state officials to participate in certain NSF advisory committees and review panels. NSF drew on the expertise of state officials in designing and implementing two recent NSF initiatives, SSI and State/I/UCRCs. NSF and state officials also worked together on an agreement whereby NSF shares information with the governors' science advisors on highly rated STC and ERC proposals. NSF's methods of merit review and assessment and evaluation techniques have served as a model for research programs in several states, including Alaska, New York, and Texas as well as the EPSCoR states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. These states have adapted NSF policy and program guidelines to meet their own needs. STATE SUPPORT OF RESEARCH One of the most important ways in which state governments advance science and engineering is by supporting research indirectly through allocations to colleges and universities. These allocations support facilities, instrumentation, overhead, and faculty salaries~all key components of the research infrastructure. Beyond such allocations, states are increasingly providing direct support (either cash or in-kind) to NSF-sponsored and other research projects at universities, colleges, and other institutions. State support of NSF projects has grown from approximately $70 million in 1988 to $100 million in 1990. Roughly 20 percent of the outside funds that support NSF projects come from state sources (see Figure 1). The amount of state support for individual NSF projects varies widely, but the states support the full range of NSF activities. Significant levels of support are provided through the various research centers programs and specific activities of the NSF Education and Human Resources Directorate, such as private sector partnerships and SSI. AREAS OF COLLABORATION Common goals bring the NSF and state governments together in the following areas, which are highlighted in the remainder of this report. Education and training. Research infrastructure and generic technology development. Knowledge and technology transfer and information dissemination. High-performance computing and communications. Analysis of science and technology indicators. Facilities and instrumentation. Policies and standards coordination. Public awareness of science. EDUCATION AND TRAINING Nowhere are the common interests of the states and NSF more evident than in support of science, mathematics, and engineering education. This bond was strengthened significantly when science and technology literacy emerged as a priority on state and local agendas for the 1990s. NSF's precollege programs support both elementary and secondary science and mathematics education. Since the problems NSF addresses through the precollege programs are systemic, solutions must involve all the sectors with responsibility for education for kindergarten through twelfth grade. Links are close between NSF and the responsible state officials and agencies. State and local supervisors of science and mathematics frequently participate in reviewing proposals and are often involved in preparing teacher enhancement proposals. Statewide Systemic Initiatives in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education The Statewide Systemic Initiatives (SSI) encourage and support changes in precollege science and mathematics education throughout statewide education systems. Proposals must come from the Office of the Governor and be endorsed by the state's chief school officer or the commissioner of higher education. Cooperative, five-year agreements between NSF and each grantee state ensure continual collaboration. This program sets a precedent for state-federal interaction in precollege education. The first 10 awards, made in 1991, totalled $75 million for up to 5 years, and will be matched by the participating states. Specific examples of SSI-funded projects include: Florida will develop a thematic approach to elementary science and mathematics based on the environment. Connecticut will target poor urban and rural districts throughout the state and local cooperative efforts coordinated by a state chartered Academy of Mathematics, Science, and Technology. Nebraska plans to improve its science and mathematics education by featuring ~distance learning,~ an opportunity for students in a rural state to overcome their isolation by participating in lessons presented through the state's interactive telecommunications system. Other states receiving awards in 1991 were Delaware, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, and South Dakota. To promote the program among state officials, the National Governors' Association and other organizations2, with support from the NSF, sponsored a State Policymakers Seminar. This day-long meeting featured national and state leaders of science and mathematics reform and provided opportunities for state legislators, school board members, governors' science and education advisors, and the staff of state departments of education to learn how they can become involved in the initiative. Private Sector Partnerships The Private Sector Partnerships program in the Education and Human Resources Directorate focuses private sector resources on improving science and mathematics education at both the precollege and the undergraduate levels through partnerships with schools, school districts, community colleges, four-year colleges, universities, and other educational institutions. Examples of state agencies with significant involvement in NSF-supported partnerships include the Colorado Alliance for Science, the New York Department of Education, and the Office of the Governor of North Carolina. --------------------------------------- 2The July 20, 1991 State Policymakers Seminar was sponsored by the National Governors' Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Education Commission of the States, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the State Higher Education Executive Officers. Undergraduate Education NSF's undergraduate program stimulates nationwide improvements in college-level science, engineering, and mathematics instruction. The current thrust at the undergraduate level is directed at the college introductory-level courses and laboratory instruction that connect most closely with precollege education. Nearly a thousand faculty members and administrators of institutions from virtually all the states participate yearly in the planning and decision-making process for these programs. Annual project support is awarded to state and private two- and four-year colleges and to doctoral universities. Besides providing grant support, NSF has cooperated with organizations in which representatives of states are working for undergraduate curriculum reform. Here are some examples of that cooperation: In its undergraduate program planning, NSF has adopted recommendations from ~Formula for Reform,~ a study and conference report by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. NSF supported a study by NGA on ~State Efforts to Improve the Participation of Women and Minorities in Engineering.~ This study examined the state initiatives that are designed to attract women and minorities to undergraduate engineering fields and retain them. As a result of the study, NGA issued a State Action Agenda that includes promoting the establishment and expansion of programs aimed at encouraging women and minorities to pursue engineering careers. The chancellor of the California Two-Year College System chaired a workshop that involved representatives of 60 two-year institutions nationwide. Representatives from several federal agencies, including NSF, participated and received recommendations. RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE AND GENERIC TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT R&D can be visualized as a continuum from basic research to product development, with applied research and prototype development in between. In general, NSF's and the states' interests lie near opposite ends of the continuum, but in the areas of overlap, the states and NSF have found advantages in coordinating their support for research. Computer science, engineering, materials, and biotechnology particularly lend themselves to such coordination. The research centers programs supported by NSF and described in this section promote fundamental research on large-scale, complex problems of long duration. Through these centers, collaborations among universities, government, and the private sector are encouraged while the science and technology research base is being enriched. Research centers provide students with experience in an interactive, multidisciplinary research setting and a strong grounding in disciplinary science. In NSF-supported centers, undergraduate and graduate students are actively involved. Science and Technology Centers The Science and Technology Centers (STC) program was begun in 1987 to fund basic research and education activities and to encourage technology transfer and innovative approaches to interdisciplinary problems. A partnership of academia, government, and the private sector is behind the STCs (see Figure 2). In 1991, state support to all 25 STCs totaled $13.9 million in addition to state appropriations to public universities. Several states have provided particularly significant support for the STCs. The state of Texas committed $1 million per year for five years beginning in 1989 to the Rice University STC~the first time a private university in Texas has received such funding. The states of Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Virginia are also providing significant funds to STCs. State funds are used to enhance STC activities. For example, Northwestern University is using its state funds to support a special outreach program to small businesses in Illinois. Michigan State University is using state funds to enhance its industrial liaison activities. The University of Illinois is using some of its state funds to support applied research activities. Engineering Research Centers The Engineering Research Centers (ERC) Program was established in 1985 as a partnership between academia, industry, and government to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. industry by focusing cross-disciplinary teams on technological advancement and preparing engineering graduates with the diversity of education needed by U.S. industry. Each ERC receives the bulk of its support from NSF, industry, and its home institution. Some states and other federal government agencies provide additional support. State direct support for 19 ERCs in 1990 was approximately $7 million (see Figure 3). Since the establishment of the ERC program, the states have also provided $170 million for new buildings to house ERCs. Buildings have been provided through state funds in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. States have also provided funds for special needs of the ERCs such as additional faculty, facilities, and initiatives to promote local development. For example, the State of Mississippi provided $1.4 million to underwrite 14 new faculty positions at the ERC for Computational Field Simulations at Mississippi State University. The Systems Research Center at the University of Maryland is the first NSF ERC to be designated a line-item in the state budget ($2.6 million in 1991). The University of Minnesota's Center for Interfacial Engineering used a state appropriation of $75,000 to establish a Small Company Program that helps small, technically based companies cope with the technological challenges associated with start-up and development. Other states have provided funds for specific research instrumentation. For example, at Texas A&M University, a $4.5 million state appropriation was used to establish a model wave basin at the Offshore Technology ERC. Lehigh University's Center for Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems received a $3 million state appropriation to build the Multidimensional Experimental Laboratory. Other states providing funds to establish such research facilities are Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Utah. Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers The states provide approximately $10 million annually to the 45 Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs). For example, New Jersey provides $3.7 million for operating funds and facilities to the Center for Hazardous Waste Management established by the New Jersey Institute for Technology in collaboration with other universities. In the I/UCRCs NSF provides seed funding; however, the primary funds are provided through an annual membership fee assessed from each of the industrial members. These centers emphasize fundamental engineering and science research with industrial relevance. This program is now the model for a new State/I/UCRC Initiative, which allows states and NSF to be equal partners in selecting and supporting university/industry cooperative centers with an emphasis on technology transfer to local firms to enhance local development. These centers will undertake the full continuum of research as well as enhanced technology transfer. Each center will be built on ~core~ generic research funded equally by NSF, the state, and industry. This initiative is the product of an understanding reached in 1990 between NSF and the NGA's Science and Technology Council of the States. The purpose of this joint initiative is to coordinate investments by NSF, the states, and industry in centers that would result in a significant impact on local economic development and the competitiveness of U.S. industry. Proposals are submitted initially to state governments where up to two may be selected by each state for support. NSF will consider only those proposals recommended by states. Four awards were made in the first State/I/UCRC competition in 1991; NSF plans to continue this initiative as a complement to the larger I/UCRCs program. Other Research Centers States are also involved in the following NSF centers: The 18 Long-Term Ecological Research Centers receive substantial funding from state departments of forestry or natural resources or both. The National Center for Earthquake Engineering Research was established in 1986 as a focal point for earthquake engineering work in the United States. It is located at the State University of New York in Buffalo and is part of a research consortium that includes Princeton, Columbia, and Cornell Universities and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The annual $5 million that the center has received from NSF has been matched dollar for dollar with funds primarily from the state of New York. The National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis at the University of California-Santa Barbara~in cooperation with the State University of New York at Buffalo and the University of Maine~conducts basic research on the theory, methods, and techniques of geographic analysis. The center received $20,000 from the California Department of Education to assist in developing a curriculum, which is now being used in more than 60 U.S. colleges. The center has also received $15,000 from the California Department of Transportation for research on geographic information systems that will have beneficial impacts for recording, analyzing, and modelling transportation flow data. NSF funds the Cornell University Plant Science Center, which is receiving more than $1 million from New York State over a five-year period. This center conducts interdisciplinary research in fundamental plant biology. The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, which is being established at Florida State University in partnership with the University of Florida and Los Alamos National Laboratory, has received a five-year commitment of $58 million from the state of Florida, an amount nearly equal to the NSF grant. Through this laboratory, scientists expect to make major discoveries in disciplines closely connected to competitive high-technology fields. The laboratory will be a user facility, available to qualified scientists and engineers from around the world. Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) A unique infrastructure-building effort of NSF is EPSCoR, which was established to broaden the geographic distribution of research opportunities. The program is a catalyst to stimulate local action to develop lasting improvements in the quality and capability of academic science and engineering research and training. A recent initiative is linking these efforts to state needs in education and economic development. Participating states play a lead role in designing specific strategies and mechanisms to achieve these goals. This unique program has a history of seeking guidance from professionals with experience in state policy matters, and it is expected that this interaction will continue in the future. By adopting a proactive relationship with leaders in the participating states, NSF has been able to help establish productive long-term partnerships. NSF program staff are in frequent contact with state and local officials; throughout the year, staff meet with state officials, attend EPSCoR conferences, and assist the statewide EPSCoR committees in obtaining local resources. Since its inception in 1979 to 1990, EPSCoR has awarded a total of $51.7 million in research improvement grants to 16 states3 and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The participating states have matched this amount with a total nonfederal contribution of $156.2 million, mostly state government funds and some from industry. Industries do contribute significantly to EPSCoR objectives by donating their executives' time and talents. In some states the efforts of the statewide EPSCoR committees have been so successful in developing broad-based support of science and engineering that state government agencies were created~for example, the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority and the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. Congress recently directed several other agencies to launch state-based initiatives in FY 1991. Three of these agencies~the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency~have adopted many of the EPSCoR strategies for their own initiatives and utilize the existing EPSCoR structure within the states to implement their new activity. -------------------------------------- 3Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Two more states were invited to submit proposals to the EPSCoR program in spring 1991: Kansas and Nebraska. The European Community (EC) has also expressed interest in EPSCoR; in 1990 an EC mission visited the United States to examine EPSCoR and other U.S. initiatives for widening the base of excellence in research and technology. KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER<~>AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION Knowledge and technology transfer is an explicit part of the education and research mission of all NSF centers. NSF centers transfer knowledge and processes to potential users and encourage more new discoveries in a variety of ways, such as ~ participation by industry and state and local government officials on research advisory boards, exchange of academic and industrial researchers, and academic and industrial collaboration on specific research problems. Small Business Innovation Research The purpose of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which was developed at NSF in 1977 and expanded to 11 agencies by Congress in 1982, is to increase opportunities for small firms to participate in federal R&D and stimulate the conversion of research findings into commercial application. Federal SBIR funding has increased from $1 million in 1977 at NSF to a budget of about $450 million government-wide in 1991. Approximately $2.4 billion has been invested in the 11 agency program since 1983. Through 1990, NSF has made more than 2000 SBIR awards in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Many companies have developed new products, technologies, and jobs which they attribute to NSF SBIR funding, and in some cases, state supplemental funding. Two examples are the Spire Corporation which developed the hardest surface for artificial knee and hip joint prostheses, and Crystal Systems which produced large, pure crystals for lasers and other purposes. Both firms also received venture capital from the state funded Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation. Nearly 20 states provide funding assistance for SBIR grantees; about 28 others have programs for providing administrative assistance. State governments support the SBIR program by: promoting the program to the small business community through conferences and publications; providing information and technical assistance to SBIR applicants, including pre-reviewing proposals and locating consultants; providing bridge grants between Phase I and II awards, and venture capital funding to SBIR recipients; and helping firms obtain final-phase funding from both private and state sources. SBIR Conferences NSF staff have participated in many state SBIR conferences since the program's initiation. In addition, each year, NSF and the Department of Defense, in cooperation with all relevant SBIR federal agencies, sponsor Federal High-Tech Conferences to inform officers of small high-technology firms about business opportunities with the federal government. Officials of state technology programs are encouraged to attend and to meet with NSF and other federal SBIR program managers. Starting in 1992, the Conferences have been renamed the National SBIR Conferences and increased to three per year in three separate regions of the country. HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING AND COMMUNICATIONS NSFNET, the principal component of the Internet of more than 5000 interconnected computer networks at academic, industrial, and government research and education facilities worldwide, has substantial and continuing involvement with the states. The NSFNET backbone network is a collaboration with the State of Michigan from whom it receives a million dollars annually; other participants in the collaborative enterprise include IBM and MCI. Many mid-level networks in the NSFNET family are supported partly or entirely by state governments. Some, such as the fully state-funded Texas Higher Education Network (THENET), are indigenous efforts of the states that asked to be included in NSFNET at a relatively late stage in their development. Others, such as the Pennsylvania Research and Economic Partnership network (PREPNET)~a cooperative effort of the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie-Mellon University, the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania state government~came into being as a result of the catalytic effect of NSFNET. Other notable state-subsidized or -supported networks in the NSFNET family include OARNET (Ohio), NYSERNET (New York), the Colorado SuperNet, New Mexico Technet, WISCNET (Wisconsin), and CONCERT (North Carolina). National Supercomputer Centers The four NSF Supercomputing Centers~located in New York, Illinois, California, and Pennsylvania~provide scientists and engineers with access to advanced computational resources. The Centers receive support from NSF and other federal agencies, computer hardware and software vendors, industrial research laboratories, and state govern- ments. Annual state support for each Center ranges from $1.3 million to over $4 million. ANALYSIS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INDICATORS State officials frequently use NSF as a resource of data and analysis on R&D support and science and engineering personnel. State officials are often interested in comparing their own state with others in the region and with national trends. This information is important as state budget allocations are being made and new programs for science and technology research and education are being designed. Division of Science Resources Studies NSF's Division of Science Resources Studies (SRS) collects a variety of state-specific data on its R&D expenditures and science and engineering personnel surveys. This material was summarized in a 1989 publication, Geographic Patterns: R&D in the United States (NSF special report 89-317). A set of one-page state profiles is also produced each year. In 1990, the results of an SRS grant to the Syracuse Research Corporation to develop indicators of state activities in science and technology were published as an NSF special report (90-309): R&D Expenditures of State Government Agencies, Fiscal Years 1987 and 1988. In this study, information was collected on state expenditures for research and development. The survey examined information on state R&D expenditures for work performed intramurally by state agencies, as well as work performed by universities and colleges, through direct grants from state agencies. Office of Information Systems Twice a year, the NSF Office of Information Systems produces a special report of active NSF grants, sorted by state. This report, and the others described in this section, are distributed to officials responsible for state technology programs. NSF solicits suggestions from state officials on ways to better meet their unique needs for science and technology data and analysis. In 1991, NSF announced a new electronic dissemination system which provides easy access to NSF publications. STIS, the Science and Technology Information System, is available 24 hours a day, with no charge for connect time. The full text of publications can be searched on-line and copied from the system. Examples of NSF publications available are the NSF Bulletin, the Guide to Programs, program announcements, press releases, and descriptions of research projects. State officials, as well as university research offices, libraries, the media and others, are encouraged to use the new system. FACILITIES AND INSTRUMENTATION Academic Research Facilities Modernization In 1991, NSF awarded $39 million to 78 colleges, universities, and nonprofit institutions through the Academic Research Facilities Modernization program to repair and renovate laboratories and other research facilities used for science and engineering research and training. The NSF funds will be combined with more than $61 million in institutional, state and local government, and other funds for a total of more than $100 million for projects in 37 states. In planning this program, NSF staff met with management and funding groups in several states to stimulate interest in joint funding. NSF also sought information on state construction and repair programs. Academic Research Instrumentation NSF's proposed Academic Research Instrumentation program is designed to improve the research infrastructure by focusing on major instruments that are needed in all fields but are normally too costly for existing NSF programs. It would help bridge the gap between the Foundation's existing general equipment programs and one-of-a-kind research facility programs such as telescopes, observatories, and supercomputer centers. The program could award grants ranging from $100,000 to $2 million to academic institutions for purchasing research instrumentation in fields of science and engineering supported by NSF. At least 50 percent of the instrumentation costs would be assumed by nonfederal sources. POLICIES AND STANDARDS COORDINATION Arctic Research The Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1974 requires that Alaska state agencies review the Interagency Arctic Research Plan. NSF's Division of Polar Programs in the Geosciences Directorate works with several Alaska state agencies and the Office of the Governor to coordinate Arctic research and policy activities. Federal Demonstration Project The Federal Demonstration Project (FDP), consisting of 21 grantee organizations (including consortia and state university systems), 11 federal agencies, and the Government/University/Industry Research Roundtable, represents 40 percent of federal extramural basic research support. NSF, which is one of the founding agencies of the FDP, plays an active role in its leadership. Among the activities of the FDP are identifying and examining administrative requirements and processes that directly affect research productivity. Of special interest to the states is the work of an FDP task group that is exploring ways in which grantee institutions may cooperate with the states in reducing unnecessary and redundant internal and state system administrative requirements. Four experiments~one in Ohio, two in Texas, and one in Florida~are under way. The task group has also surveyed the impact of state policies and procedures on research support. PUBLIC AWARENESS OF SCIENCE NSF Days The States Liaison program in NSF's Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA) coordinates regional and statewide visits by NSF leadership. Recently, the states of Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Oregon have hosted NSF Days. These visits provide opportunities for the Director of NSF and other senior staff to meet with local leaders in academia, state government, and business to exchange ideas on science and engineering research and education policies. Partnerships with Schools and School Districts Working with the NSF Education and Human Resources Directorate, the States Liaison program has initiated partnership activities with schools and school districts in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. These activities are designed to bring the expertise of NSF's scientific, engineering, and education staff into the local schools to assist in a number of ways: Setting up school laboratories and providing instruction in the use and maintenance of scientific equipment. Introducing science and engineering education curriculum and materials. Judging science fairs. Participating in career days. National Science and Technology Week Numerous state and local organizations are involved in National Science and Technology Week (NSTW), another activity coordinated in OLPA. Begun in 1985, NSTW promotes public understanding of science, engineering, and mathematics and encourages young people to seek careers in these areas. Each year an increasing number of schools, community groups, science organizations, museums, state and local government agencies, corporations, and individuals are involved in celebrating NSTW across the country. Many governors have increased the visibility of these efforts by publicly declaring the dates of NSTW in their states. CONCLUSION Cooperation among educational institutions, industry, and all levels of government is imperative if the United States is to remain competitive in science and engineering research and education and, therefore, in economic development. Such cooperation is virtually mandated by the global economy. This report has outlined the many ways in which NSF and the states interact to effect this cooperation: By participating in structured programs such as the Statewide Systemic Initiatives, Private Sector Partnerships, the various research centers programs, the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, and the Small Business Innovation Research program. By sharing information through computerized data networks. By participating in one another's advisory bodies and review panels and serving as resources of expertise. By jointly supporting research and education institutions and projects. The results and benefits of these efforts will be presented in future reports. Abbreviations EHR Education and Human Resources EPSCoR Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research ERC Engineering Research Center FDP Federal Demonstration Program I/UCRC Industry/University Cooperative Research Center NGA National Governors' Association NSF National Science Foundation NSTW National Science and Technology Week OLPA Office of Legislative and Public Affairs R&D Research and Development SBIR Small Business Innovation Research SSI Statewide Systemic Initiatives in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education STC Science and Technology Center State/I/UCRC State/Industry/University Cooperative Research Center NSF has TDD capability, which enables individuals with hearing impairment to communicate by telephone with the Division of Personnel and Management about NSF programs, employment, or general information. The number is (202) 357-7492.