NSF-Funded Research in 2011

The National Science Foundation’s director, Subra Suresh, recently met with various scientific societies and universities to discuss the future of the NSF and funding for science in light of recent year’s budget cuts. He discussed the importance of funding for research, and what it will mean for the nation’s fragile economy, as well as the direction NSF plans to take in promoting scientific education and research.

“The NSF Director described his interest in broadening the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in science and engineering, and in ensuring that there is “healthy funding for young investigators.” He stated that there would be a “huge impact on the future of scientific output of the country” if young people have difficulty getting funded. Likewise, scientific progress would be affected if young women, who comprised 72% of the valedictorians in the country in 2009 and represent an increasing number of PhD’s in science and engineering, leave the workforce.”