by Michael Yamaner[1]

According to the latest data from the National Science Foundation (NSF), federal funding for basic research performed at universities and colleges decreased 0.3% between FY 2011 and FY 2012. Nonetheless, universities and colleges received 50.8% of the $31.0 billion total in federal obligations for basic research and accounted for 11.4% of total research and development obligations in FY 2012. Basic research at universities and colleges is estimated to increase to 11.8% of total R&D obligations in FY 2013 and is projected to grow to 12.5% in FY 2014 (table 1).

Despite a 1.2% drop in development, current-dollar federal obligations for total R&D reached $138.5 billion in FY 2012, an increase of 2.2% over FY 2011. R&D is estimated to decrease by 4.4%, to $132.4 billion, in FY 2013 and is projected to decrease by 1.2%, to $130.8 billion, in FY 2014. Both decreases are being driven by development, which shows an estimated 7.5% drop in FY 2013 and is projected to drop 5.9% in FY 2014 (table 1).

In contrast to the reported decline each year in total R&D obligations for FYs 2012–14, federal basic research obligations are reported to increase incrementally from $29.3 billion in FY 2011 to a projected $32.5 billion in FY 2014 (table 1).

Basic Research at Universities and Colleges, by Agency

In FY 2012, five federal departments and agencies provided $15.4 billion (98.3%) of all federal basic research obligations to universities and colleges: the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) obligated $9.2 billion (58.6%) of this basic research total. NSF obligated $3.8 billion (24.0%), the Department of Defense (DOD) $1.2 billion (7.6%), the Department of Energy (DOE) $0.7 billion (4.5%), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) $0.6 billion (3.7%) (table 2).

In FY 2012, 85.0% of HHS obligations for basic research at universities and colleges were in support of the life sciences. HHS provided almost all of the support for psychology-related basic research (92.4%). NSF's obligations for academic basic research were more evenly spread across computer sciences and mathematics (22.3%), engineering (15.9%), environmental sciences (14.1%), life sciences (16.5%), and physical sciences (19.7%), reflecting NSF's role in supporting a wide mix of research disciplines. NSF was also the largest funder of basic research in the social sciences. DOD's obligations for academic basic research were primarily in three broad fields: engineering (32.2%), physical sciences (21.9%), and computer sciences and mathematics (19.7%). DOE's support was largely in the physical sciences (62.9%). NASA primarily supported physical sciences (39.4%) and environmental sciences (28.4%) (table 2).

Basic Research at Universities and Colleges, by Field of Science and Engineering

In FY 2012, three of the eight broad fields of science and engineering received 77.7% of total federal basic research dollars obligated to universities and colleges: life sciences (56.9% of total basic research obligations to universities), physical sciences (11.2%), and engineering (9.6%) (table 2).

Three broad fields of science in basic research performed at universities and colleges declined between FY 2011 and FY 2012. Computer sciences and mathematics decreased $75 million (6.1%), life sciences decreased $55 million (0.6%), and other sciences not elsewhere classified (nec) decreased $160 million (26.0%). Between FY 2012 and FY 2013, five of the eight broad fields of science are estimated to decrease by a combined $225 million. The other three fields—life sciences, psychology, and the social sciences—are estimated to increase a combined $79 million. In FY 2014, all eight of the broad fields of sciences are projected to increase, with the physical sciences showing the largest dollar increase at $156 million (9.6%) (table 2).

In FY 2012, the majority of life science funding was obligated within the subfields of biological sciences ($4.9 billion), which decreased 2.9%, and medical sciences ($2.9 billion), which increased 1.5%. The physical sciences increased by $102.3 million in FY 2012, with astronomy experiencing the largest percentage growth of the physical science subfields, rising 38.9% ($61.9 million). Engineering increased by 3.9% ($56.7 million) in FY 2012 (table 3).

Data Notes

The data presented here are from the NSF Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development for FYs 2012–14. The 27 federal agencies that report R&D obligations to the survey submitted actual obligations for FY 2012, preliminary data for FY 2013, and projected data for FY 2014. Data were requested from agencies beginning in February 2013. Agencies later revise the preliminary data based on actual changes in the funding levels of R&D programs. Further, agencies may provide changes in prior-year data to reflect program reclassifications or other data corrections.

Definitions

Obligations represent the amounts for orders placed, contracts awarded, services received, and similar transactions during a given period, regardless of when the funds were appropriated and when future payment of money is required.

Basic research is defined as systematic study directed toward fuller knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts without specific applications toward processes or products in mind.

Other sciences nec is used for multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary projects that cannot be classified within one of the broad fields of science.

Data availability

The full set of detailed tables from this survey will be available in the report Federal Funds for Research and Development: Fiscal Years 2012–14 (http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/fedfunds/). Individual detailed tables from the FY 2012–14 survey may be available in advance of the full report. For more information, please contact the author.

Notes

[1] Michael Yamaner, Research and Development Statistics Program, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 965, Arlington, VA 22230 (myamaner@nsf.gov; 703-292-7815).