U.S. National Science Foundation:
An Overview
Christine M. Matthews
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
March 15, 2012
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
95-307
CRS Report for Congress
Pr
epared for Members and Committees of Congress
U.S. National Science Foundation: An Overview
Summary
The National Science Foundation (NSF) was created by the National Science Foundation Act of
1950, as amended (P.L.81-507). The NSF has the broad mission of supporting science and
engineering in general and funding basic research across many disciplines. The agency provides
support for investigator-initiated, merit-reviewed, competitively selected awards, state-of-the-art
tools, and instrumentation and facilities. The majority of the research supported by the NSF is
conducted at U.S. colleges and universities. Approximately 82.3% ($3,900.6 million) of NSF’s
estimated FY2009 $4,742.0 million research and development (R&D) budget was awarded to
U.S. colleges and universities.
The Administration’s FY2013 budget request for NSF is $7,373.1 million, 4.8% above the
FY2012 estimated level of $7,033.1 million. The FY2013 request includes $5,983.3 million for
Research and Related Activities (R&RA), $875.6 million for Education and Human Resources,
$196.2 million for Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC), $299.4
million for Agency Operations and Award Management, $4.4 million for the National Science
Board (NSB), and $14.2 million for the Office of Inspector General.
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U.S. National Science Foundation: An Overview
Contents
Background...................................................................................................................................... 1
Organization and the FY2013 Request ............................................................................................ 2
Biological Sciences (BIO) ......................................................................................................... 3
Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) ................................................... 4
Engineering (ENG).................................................................................................................... 4
Geosciences (GEO) ................................................................................................................... 4
Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) ............................................................................. 4
Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE)................................................................... 4
Education and Human Resources (EHR) .................................................................................. 5
Other Program Activities and Accounts........................................................................................... 5
Policy Issues .............................................................................................................................. 7
Figures
Figure 1. NSF R&D Support, FY2004-FY2013.............................................................................. 2
Contacts
Author Contact Information............................................................................................................. 9
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U.S. National Science Foundation: An Overview
Background
The National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) primary responsibility is to maintain the health and
vitality of the U.S. academic science and engineering enterprise. In addition to ensuring the
nation’s supply of scientific and engineering personnel, the NSF promotes academic basic
research and science and engineering education across many disciplines.1 Other federal agencies,
in contrast, support mission-specific research (i.e., health, agriculture, defense).
The NSF provides support for investigator-initiated, merit-reviewed, competitively selected
awards, state-of-the-art tools, instrumentation, and facilities. NSF receives approximately 45,000
proposals for research, graduate, and postdoctoral fellowships, and science, mathematics, and
engineering projects annually, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards.2 Support is provided
to academic institutions, industrial laboratories, private research firms, and major research
facilities and centers. In addition, NSF makes more than $400.0 million in annual awards for
professional and service contracts. While NSF does not operate any laboratories, it does support
Antarctic research stations, selected oceanographic vessels, and national research centers.
Additionally, NSF supports university-industry relationships and U.S. participation in
international scientific ventures.
The majority of the research supported by the NSF is conducted at U.S. colleges and universities.
Preliminary data reveal that approximately 82.3% ($3,900.6 million) of NSF’s estimated FY2009
$4,742.0 million research and development (R&D) budget was awarded to U.S. colleges and
universities.3 Disaggregated data further reveal that in FY2009, NSF provided approximately
63.8% of all federally funded basic research conducted at the nation’s colleges and universities,
with the exclusion of biomedical research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.4
The NSF is an independent agency in the executive branch and under the leadership of a
presidentially appointed Director and a National Science Board (NSB) composed of 24 scientists,
engineers, and university and industry officials involved in research and education. The NSB and
the Director make policy for the NSF.
1 The NSF does not provide funding for research in clinical medicine, commerce, social work, or the arts and
humanities. However, its investments in basic research contribute to scientific advances in drug delivery, regenerative
medicine, and the design and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.
2 For a discussion of the merit review process see for example National Science Board, Merit Review Criteria-Review
and Revisions, NSB/MR-11-22, Arlington, VA, December 14, 2011, 300 pp.
3 National Science Foundation, Federal Funds for Research and Development: Fiscal Years 2007-2009, Detailed
Statistical Tables, NSF10-305, Arlington, VA, May 2010, Table 10.
4 While the FY2009 R&D appropriation of $4,742.0 million for NSF was only 4.1% of the total federal R&D budget,
the agency plays a significant role in maintaining the academic research enterprise. Preliminary FY2009 data reveal
that the NSF provided 15.1% of all federally supported basic research and 15.2% of federal academic research. In
addition, NSF was the second largest federal supporter of academic research in FY2009, eclipsed by the Department of
Health and Human Services, which provided 66.3%. The Department of Defense, the third largest supporter of
academic research, provided 8.2%. Federal Funds for Research and Development: Fiscal Years 2007-2009, Tables 10
and 67.
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Figure 1. NSF R&D Support, FY2004-FY2013
$8.0
ns
lio $7.0
Bil
$6.0
$5.0
$4.0
$3.0
$2.0
$1.0
$-
FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013
R&RA
EHR
MREFC
TOTAL, NSF
Source: U.S. National Science Foundation, FY2013 Budget Request to Congress, Arlington, VA, February 13, 2012,
Summary Tables - 6.
Notes: R&RA = Research and Related Activities, EHR = Education and Human Resources, and MREFC= Major
Research Equipment and Facilities Construction. (Funding levels for FY2009-FY2011 exclude the additional
support provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.)
Organization and the FY2013 Request
The NSF has witnessed moderate growth during a period of constrained research budgets. Its total
appropriation increased approximately 31.0% in 10 years—FY2004, $5,652.0 million; FY2008,
$6,084.0 million; and the FY2013 request, $7,373.1 million. (See Figure 1.) The FY2013 budget
request for the NSF of $7,373.1 million represents a 4.8% increase ($340.0 million) above the
FY2012 estimate of $7,033.1 million.5 (When inflation is taken into account, NSF’s budget
increased 7.3% in the past 10 years.)6 Under President Barack Obama’s Strategy for American
Innovation, the Administration proposed doubling the federal investment in basic research over a
period of 10 years relative to FY2006 levels.7 However the recommendation for doubling funding
5 The FY2013 request presented by the Administration for NSF proposes 11 recommended cuts and consolidations,
totaling $67.0 million. These include the elimination of three Computer and Information Science and Engineering
Research Programs; termination of the Cyber-enabled Discovery and Innovation program; elimination of four
Mathematics and Physical Sciences Research Program; reduced funding for Nanoscale Science and Engineering
Centers; and elimination of two public outreach programs. U.S. National Science Foundation, FY2013 Budget Request
to Congress, NSF12-036, Arlington, VA, February 13, 2012, p. Overview-10.
6 From the period FY2004 to the proposed budget for FY2013. FY2012 constant dollars used in the calculation.
7 The time frame for a doubling effort has changed due primarily to economic conditions, deficit, and debt. The
doubling effort was to occur over a period of 10 years, it was then extended to 11 years, and is now to occur over an
indefinite period of time.
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for the NSF and other targeted agencies8 does not appear achievable considering the focus on the
nation’s current economic situation, debt, and budget deficit. There has been significant pressure
on cutting discretionary funding.9 The Administration has proposed that the FY2013 request will
be an installment toward a doubling effort.10
NSF has identified several priorities in the FY2013 request, including cyberinfrastructure
framework for 21st century science and engineering; integrated NSF support promoting
interdisciplinary research and education; advanced manufacturing; science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics education; research at the interface of the biological, mathematical,
and physical sciences; enhancing access to the radio spectrum; widening implementation and
demonstration of evidenced-based reforms, and clean energy. NSF’s core commitment to
developing a qualified and diverse scientific workforce continues as a priority. In the FY2013
budget, the agency will measure the percentage of colleges and universities supported through
NSF undergraduate programs to determine the degree that they use proven instructional practices.
The agency has set a goal of 80.0% for this measure.
The FY2013 budget request provides support for seven major directorates and other programs
and activity accounts. The Research and Related Activities (R&RA) account is proposed at
$5,983.3 million in the FY2013 request, $294.3 million (5.2%) above the FY2012 estimated
level. R&RA funds research projects, research facilities, and education and training activities.
R&RA includes Integrative Activities, and is a source of funding for the acquisition and
development of research instrumentation at U.S. colleges and universities, disaster research
teams, Partnerships for Innovation, and the Science and Technology Policy Institute. The R&RA
also provides support for the Office of Polar Programs. The directorates receiving support are the
Biological Sciences; Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Education and Human
Resources; Engineering; Geosciences; Mathematical and Physical Sciences; and Social,
Behavioral, and Economic Sciences. Six of the seven directorates are in the R&RA account. The
seven major directorates are described below.
Biological Sciences (BIO)
The FY2013 request of $733.9 million for the BIO Directorate is structured to improve scientific
understanding of biological phenomena, ranging from the study of fundamental molecules of
8 In addition to NSF, doubling efforts were proposed at other federal agencies that have a strong focus on physical
sciences and engineering—the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the Department of Commerce’s National
Institute of Standards and Technology. See for example CRS Report R41951, An Analysis of Efforts to Double Federal
Funding for Physical Sciences and Engineering Research, by John F. Sargent Jr.
9 The nation’s current economic situation, debt, and budget deficit are placing increased focus on cutting discretionary
spending. See for example Mervis, Jeffrey, “NSF Goes Back to Basics to Preserve Basic Research,” Science, v. 334,
November 11, 2011, pp. 756-757; and Mervis, Jeffrey, “Fewer Dollars, Forced Choices,” Science, v. 334, November
11, 2011, pp. 750-752.
10 Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John Holdren stated that the Administration is committed to
doubling the budget of NSF. He described the doubling effort as being maintained, but delayed. He acknowledged that
while the budgetary landscape and time period has changed, President Obama’s goal remains the same. He further
stated that “New funding levels set in the Budget Control Act of 2011 mean delaying the original target completion
date for doubling these budgets. Consistent with the Budget Control Act spending caps, these fiscally responsible
increases are part of a 2013 Budget that freezes non-security discretionary spending at the 2011 levels for a second year
and reduces projected deficits while making crucial investments to build American manufacturing, American energy,
and American skills.” White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, “The President’s Plan for Science and
Innovation,” February 13, 2012, http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/fy2013rd_doubling.pdf.
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living organisms to the complexity of biological systems. Types of support to be provided
included research workshops, symposia, conferences, the improvement of research collections,
purchase of scientific equipment, and operation of research facilities.
Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE)
The CISE Directorate is proposed at $709.7 million in the Administration’s FY2013 request.
Programs in CISE focus on the fundamental understanding of computing and information
processing, and the use of state-of-the-art computational techniques in scientific and engineering
research. Currently, areas of research emphasis include parallel processing, automation and
robotics, large-scale integrated electronic systems, scientific computing, and networking.
Engineering (ENG)
The activities of the ENG, proposed at $876.3 million in the FY2013 request, are directed at
enhancing the long-term economic strength and security of the nation by fostering innovation and
excellence in engineering education and research. The ENG is focused on integrating education
and research in interdisciplinary areas such as information and communication technologies,
biotechnology, and environmental research.
Geosciences (GEO)
The FY2013 request of $906.4 million for the GEO Directorate is to support programs that
promote knowledge and discussions concerning earth, including the sun, atmosphere, continents,
oceans, and interior, and the linkages among them. One of the objectives of the GEO is to expand
the knowledge of the biological, chemical, geological, and physical processes in the ocean, and at
its boundaries, with the atmosphere and the earth’s crust.
Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS)
The FY2013 request of $1,345.2 million for the MPS is in support of programs designed to
increase the knowledge base in the relevant sciences; improve the quality of educational
programs, with emphasis at the undergraduate level; improve the rate at which research efforts are
translated into societal benefits; and increase the diversity of approaches and individuals in the
mathematical and physical sciences.
Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE)
The SBE Directorate, proposed at $259.6 million in the FY2013 request, is to support programs
directed at developing basic scientific knowledge about human behavior, culture, interaction, and
decision making, and about social, political, and economic systems, organizations, and
institutions. The SBE serves as the nation’s primary data source on science and engineering
human, institutional, and financial resources.11
11 For a discussion of social and behavioral sciences at NSF on a decadal scale see for example National Science
Foundation, Rebuilding the Mosaic, NSF11-086, Arlington, VA, October 2011, 65 pp.
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Education and Human Resources (EHR)
The EHR is a principal account of the NSF. The FY2013 budget request of $875.6 million for
EHR is $46.6 million below the FY2012 estimated level of $829.0 million. The EHR is designed
to support science, engineering, mathematics, and technology education at all educational levels.
People receiving funding from the EHR include senior researchers, postdoctoral associates,
graduate and undergraduate students, and teachers and students at the precollege level. Additional
support is provided to individuals through informal science activities.
Other Program Activities and Accounts
The Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) account is proposed at
$196.2 million in the FY2013 request, slightly below the FY2012 estimated level of $197.1
million.12 The MREFC supports the acquisition and construction of major research facilities and
equipment that extend the boundaries of science, engineering, and technology. According to NSF,
it is the primary federal agency providing support for forefront instrumentation and facilities for
the academic research and education communities. NSF states that “Modern and effective
research infrastructure is critical to maintaining U.S. leadership in science and engineering. The
future success of entire fields of research depends upon access to new generations of powerful
research tools. Increasingly, these tools are large and complex, and have a significant information
technology component.”13 NSF gives highest priority to ongoing projects, and second-highest
priority to projects that have been approved by the National Science Board for new starts. To
qualify for support, NSF requires MREFC projects to have “the potential to shift the paradigm in
scientific understanding.”14 The FY2013 request provides continued support of four projects:
Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory, $15.2 million; Advanced
Technology Solar Telescope, $25.0 million; Ocean Observatories Initiative, $65.0 million; and the
National Ecological Observatory Network, $91.0 million. NSF indicates that no additional
funding is required for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, last funded in FY2012.15
Language had been included in the conference report for the FY2012 appropriation for NSF
giving it the authority to move $50.0 million into the MREFC from the R&RA. Such flexibility
for movement gave the account funding at a level close to that which was requested in FY2012.16
Additional language in the conference report was directed at the management of construction
funding in the MREFC. The report stated that
The conferees remain concerned about how NSF and its grantees are defining, estimating
and managing construction funding, particularly contingency funds. Stronger management
12 For expanded discussion of the MREFC account see CRS Report RS21267, U.S. National Science Foundation:
Major Research Equipment and Facility Construction, by Christine M. Matthews.
13 U.S. National Science Foundation, National Science Foundation: FY2013 Budget Request to Congress, Arlington
VA, February 13, 2012, p. MREFC-1.
14 Ibid.
15 Currently, project closure activities including reconciliation of project costs are being finalized for IceCube Neutrino
Observatory and for South Pole Station Modernization.
16 See for example Mervis, Jeffrey, “Senate Plan Gives NSF a Choice on Facilities vs. Research,” ScienceInsider,
September 2011, http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2011/09/senate-plan-gives-nsf-a-choice.html?ref=em&
elq=f7e5e60837d04112846.
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and oversight of these funds could result in improved project efficiencies and, ultimately,
cost savings. NSF is directed to report to the Committee on Appropriations on the steps it is
taking to impose tighter controls on the drawdown and use of contingencies, as well as steps
intended to incentivize grantees to complete construction under budget, for projects managed
through the MREFC appropriation and for other large facility projects. This report should be
submitted no later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act.17
The FY2013 request for the EHR Directorate is $875.6 million, $46.6 million (5.6%) above the
FY2012 enacted level of $829.0 million. The EHR portfolio is focused on, among other things,
increasing the technological literacy of all citizens; preparing the next generation of science,
engineering, and mathematics professionals; and closing the achievement gap of
underrepresented groups in all scientific fields. Priorities at the precollege level (learning in
formal and informal settings) include Research on Education and Learning ($59.4 million); Math
and Science Partnership ($57.1 million); Project and Program Evaluation ($24.0 million); and
Discovery Research K-12 ($109.9 million). Discovery Research is structured to encourage
innovative thinking in K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education, and to
develop tools for measuring learning impacts in a variety of forms. Funding at the precollege
level in the FY2013 request is $309.5 million.
NSF contends that its undergraduate level program is intended to address the needs of the 21st
century while transforming undergraduate science, engineering, and mathematics education.
Priorities at the undergraduate level in the FY2013 request include the Robert Noyce Scholarship
Program ($54.9 million); Advanced Technological Education ($64.0 million); STEM Talent
Extension Program ($16.3 million); Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM ($61.5
million); and Federal Cyber Service; Scholarship for Service/Cybercorps ($25.0 million).18 The
total support proposed at the undergraduate level in the FY2013 request is $246.7 million. At the
graduate level, NSF’s priorities are Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship
($22.9 million); Graduate Research Fellowships ($121.5 million); and the Graduate STEM
Fellows in K-12 Education ($27.0 million).19 The proposed level of graduate support in the
FY2013 request totals $184.8 million.
An additional priority in the EHR is to support a new comprehensive program to increase the
participation of undergraduates at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, tribal colleges
and universities, and Hispanic-serving institutions. The new program, Broadening Participation
and Institutional Capacity in STEM ($5.0 million) is designed to build on and amplify the
17 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Programs for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2012, and for Other
Purpose, Hearing, 112th Congress, 1st Sess., H.Rept. 112-284, to accompany H.R. 2112, November 14, 2011, p. 264
(Consolidated and Further Appropriations Act, 2012, Signed by the President on November 18, 2011).
18 The FY2012 request had proposed reductions or terminations in certain EHR programs. NSF had indicated that the
proposed changes did not result from dissatisfaction with program performance, but rather that the changes were
necessary to allow for proposed initiatives. Conferees did not completely dismiss such proposed changes. Language in
the conference report for FY2012 found no objections to the proposed changes except for support given to the Robert
Noyce Scholarship Program and the Math and Science Partnership program.
19 In the FY2012 budget request, NSF proposed the eventual termination of the Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12
Education, citing that while the program had been effective in its goal, the agency had devised plans to expand graduate
experiences through other programs. See Written testimony of Subra Suresh, Director, National Science Foundation,
House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, The President’s Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Request for the
National Science Foundation, p. 7, and Mervis, Jeffrey, “Outrage Greets NSF Decision to End STEM Fellows
Program,” Science, v. 331, March 4, 2011, p. 1127. The funding in the FY2013 request is to support continuing grant
increments. It is estimated that the FY2013 request will provide support for an estimated 800 Graduate K-12 fellows.
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existing NSF programs that are directed at strengthening and expanding the participation of
underrepresented groups and diverse institutions in the scientific and engineering enterprise.
Additional programs in the FY2013 request to expand and advance the institutional capacity of
minority-serving institutions and participation of underrepresented minorities in STEM fields,
including women and persons with disabilities, are the Historically Black Colleges and
Universities Program (HBCU-UP, $31.9 million); Tribal Colleges and Universities Program
(TCUP, $13.3 million); Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP, $45.6
million); and Centers for Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST, $24.2
million).
Policy Issues
In April 2011, the NSF released the report, Empowering the Nation Through Discovery and
Innovation – NSF Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years FY2011-2016.20 The report builds on previous
strategic plans and addresses the accelerating pace of scientific discoveries that are occurring in a
more competitive international environment. The Strategic Plan lists several investment priorities
that are targeted for increased emphasis or funding over the next five years. The investments
include supporting the development of innovative learning systems; achieving management
excellence through leadership, accountability, and personal responsibility; infusing learning as an
essential element of the NSF culture with emphasis on professional development and personal
growth; and encouraging and sustaining a culture of creativity and innovation across the agency
to ensure continuous improvement and achieve high levels of customer service.
There has been considerable debate in the academic and scientific community and in Congress
about the management and oversight of major projects selected for construction and the need for
prioritization of potential projects funded in the MREFC account. One continuing question has
focused on the process for including major projects in the upcoming budget cycle. In a
management report on major projects, NSF contends that because of the changing nature of
science and technology, it is necessary to have the flexibility of reconsidering facilities at the
various stages of development.21 In addition, NSF asserts that it must be able to respond,
effectively, to possible changes in interagency participation, international and cooperative
agreements, or co-funding for major facilities. NSF maintains that while some “concepts” may
evolve into major research projects, others may prove infeasible for project support.
In February 2008, NSF released its third annual Facility Plan.22 The 2008 Facility Plan covers
readiness stage projects through those projects that are in the process of completion. The Facility
Plan describes NSF’s goals and strategies for incorporating the existing approaches and practices
into a system for selecting, managing, and overseeing large facility projects to make certain that a
large facility is both constructed properly and is the appropriate facility to build. All projects
20 National Science Foundation, Empowering the Nation Through Discovery and Innovation-NSF Strategic Plan for
Fiscal Years FY2011-2016, NSF11-047, Arlington, VA, April 2011, 20 pp.
21 National Science Board, Setting Priorities for Large Research Projects Supported by the National Science
Foundation, NSB05-77, Arlington, VA, September 2005, 31 pp. See also National Science Foundation, Large
Facilities Manual, NSF10-12, Arlington, VA, March 31, 2011, 68 pp.
22 National Science Foundation, 2008 Facility Plan, NSF08-24, Arlington, VA, February 2008, 44 pp. Note: The 2010-
2011 Facility Plan is currently pending approval (e-mail communication from the NSF Office of Legislative and Public
Affairs, December 13, 2011).
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seeking funding in the MREFC move through a sequence of increasingly detailed stages and
assessments in order to be considered for construction support.23
Several pieces of competitiveness legislation have been introduced during the 112th Congress to
strengthen science and mathematics education. Concerns have been expressed about the nation’s
continued ability to compete in world markets and to produce a scientific and technical workforce
that would ensure economic prosperity and military capability. A priority of the NSF is to advance
the productivity of research for students and teachers and to increase the number of U.S. students
pursuing scientific and technical disciplines. However, the FY2013 budget request has proposed
reductions for some science education programs. The America COMPETES Act authorized
increased funding for selected science and mathematics education programs, and the
establishment of some new programs.24 Several of these programs did not receive the level of
funding in the budget request. Questions have been raised as to whether the NSF can effectively
continue in its explicit mission and responsibility to improve science and mathematics education.
On October 18, 2010, Subra Suresh was sworn in as the 13th director of the NSF.25 He replaced
Arden L. Bement, who had held the position since 2004.26 Suresh, a mechanical engineer and
former dean of the school of engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has
conducted research in materials science and biology. Suresh indicated that some changes at NSF
that may be necessary to make include the peer review system, a reevaluation of the requirement
for a “broader impact” measure in grant proposals, and the loss of talent along the scientific and
technical pipeline.27 These issues and others are to be addressed in a climate of rising national
debt concerns, budget constraints, and the changing political structure of a 112th Congress.28
On January 4, 2011, President Obama signed into law the America COMPETES Reauthorization
Act, FY2010 (P.L. 111-358).29 The law authorized appropriations for the NSF from FY2011
through FY2013. Within the authorization levels, the R&RA was to receive the following:
FY2011, $5,974.8 million; FY2012, $6,234.3 million; and FY2013, $6,637.8 million. The EHR
was authorized at the following levels: FY2011, $937.9 million; FY2012, $979.0 million; and
FY2013, $1,041.8 million. In addition, committee action denied the Administration’s request to
merge the programs directed at broadening participation in the sciences—Historically Black
Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program, Tribal Colleges and Universities Program, and
Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation. It was stated that “These three programs each
23 National Science Foundation, Large Facilities Manual, p.6.
24 See CRS Report R41231, America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (H.R. 5116) and the America
COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69): Selected Policy Issues, coordinated by Heather B. Gonzalez.
25 Suresh was confirmed by the Senate on September 30, 2010. The appointment is for a six-year term.
26 Bement resigned his position at NSF in May 2010 to become Director, Global Policy Research Institute, Purdue
University.
27 Mervis, Jeffrey, “A World of Changes Prepares Subra Suresh to Tackle Change at NSF,” Science, v. 330, November
19, 2010, pp. 1034-1035. See also Mervis, Jeffrey, “Suresh Expects Low-Cost Ideas Will Mean a Big Payoff for NSF,”
Science, v. 334, December 16, 2011, pp. 1492-1493.
28 See for example Young, Kerry, “GOP Aims Down, Not Up in Reversal of Budget Goals,” Congressional Quarterly,
December 15, 2010, http://www.cq.com/alertmatch/116816465.
29 For expanded discussion of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act see CRS Report R41819, Reauthorization
of the America COMPETES Act: Selected Policy Provisions, Funding, and Implementation Issues, by Heather B.
Gonzalez.
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have different purposes and engage students and colleges and universities in a different manner.
One size will not fit all.”30
On February 13, 2012, Suresh presented the FY2013 budget request for NSF. The President’s
request for the NSF is $7,373.1 million, 4.8% above ($340.0 million) the FY2012 estimate level
of $7,033.1 million. Included in the funding for FY2013 is $5,983.3 million for R&RA, $875.6
million for EHR, $196.2 million for MREFC, $299.4 million for Agency Awards and Award
Management, $4.4 million for the National Science Board, and $14.2 million for the Office of
Inspector General. Suresh acknowledged that while the agency is operating in a constrained
budget environment, it is a fiscal environment in which NSF continues to have a “pivotal role in
ensuring America’s future.”31
Author Contact Information
Christine M. Matthews
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
cmatthews@crs.loc.gov, 7-7055
30 Senate Committee on Appropriations, Departments of Commerce and Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Bill, 2011, 111th Sess., Report to accompany S. 3636, S.Rept. 111-229, July 22, 2010, p. 138.
31 National Science Foundation, “NSF FY2013 Budget Presentation”, Director Subra Suresh, February 13, 2012,
http://www.nsf.gov/news/speeches/suresh/12/ss120213_fy13budget.jsp.
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