CENTERS

RESEARCH PROJECT SUPPORT

Research Project Support includes funding for both Research Projects and Centers.

                           (Millions of Dollars)

Research Projects

FY 1997 support for Research Projects totals $1,659 million, an increase of about $106 million, or 6.8 percent, over FY 1996. Research Projects develop intellectual capital through support for individuals and small groups of investigators in disciplinary and cross-disciplinary fields of research, including areas of national priority. Project support includes funding for researchers as well as postdoctoral associates and undergraduate and graduate assistants, emphasizing the discovery of new knowledge as well as contributing significantly to education and training. Funds are provided for items necessary for performing research such as instrumentation and supplies and related costs for travel and conference support. NSF seeks out and supports excellent proposals from groups and regions that traditionally have not fully participated in science, mathematics, and engineering. In addition, the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), a State-NSF partnership, will continue to support improvements in academic research competitiveness.

NSF relies on merit review to guide investments within its existing programs. As current awards expire, funds are reallocated to new opportunities. The requested increment will intensify NSF-supported efforts in such areas as: genome sequencing; computational and theoretical biology; human-centered systems such as learning technologies and virtual environments; computing systems; networking, communications and the convergence of computing and communications; synthesis and processing of nano-particles; water, coastal and marine research; biodiversity; environmental technologies and bioremediation; Arctic research on ocean surface heat budget; and Antarctic studies of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. In addition, $50 million will be used to support an NSF-wide instrumentation program.

University/industry partnerships within an integrated education/research environment will be supported through expansion of the Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) program. New Focused Research Groups (FRGs) in materials science will be initiated and an Industry-University Environmental Chemistry Institute will also be initiated.

Support is targeted for young investigators and for increasing participation of women and minority researchers. The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program, which was initiated in FY 1995, will increase by 48 percent to $73 million in FY 1997. CAREER supports junior faculty within the context of their overall career development and combines, in a single program, the integrated support of quality research and education.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is mandated to increase from 2.0 percent of extramural research to 2.5 percent in FY 1997. The program will total approximately $52 million, an increase of almost $13 million over the nearly $39 million for SBIR in the FY 1996 Estimate.

In order to move into new areas of science, some existing programs will be eliminated or phased out. These include a planned phaseout of an ocean sciences postdoctoral program, and sunsetting of the Research Improvement in Minority Institutions program to accommodate enhancement of the Minority Research Centers of Excellence.