NSF FY 2001 Request: Engineering

FYI

The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News

Number 24: February 22, 2000

NSF FY 2001 Request: Engineering

The following information and excerpts are from the National
Science Foundation’s FY 2001 budget submission to Congress for
the Engineering Activity:

The FY 2001 Engineering budget would increase $74.66 million, or
19.6%, from $381.84 million to $456.50 million. The Engineering
Activity budget has six components:

The Bioengineering and Environmental Systems budget would
increase $7.78 million, or 22.7%, from $34.27 million to $42.05
million. Additional support would be given to nanotechnology,
“with particular emphasis on biological systems at the
nanoscale,” and for functional genomics. Also receiving emphasis
would be: “accelerating the use of new biotechnology and other
engineering technologies in environmental applications,” and
“research on the expanded use of light energy for medical,
biochemical, and environmental applications and to develop
noninvasive, molecularly-specific sensing, imaging, and
monitoring systems with high optical sensitivity and resolution.”

The Chemical and Transport Systems budget would increase $10.07
million, or 22.7%, from $44.32 million to $54.39 million.
Support would increase for basic research in information
technology research, nanoscale engineering (involving “both
modeling/simulation and experiments”) and environmental
technologies.

The Civil and Mechanical Systems budget would increase $7.95
million, or 16.5%, from $48.24 million to $56.19 million.
Support would increase for fundamental research in information
technology research and nanoscale science and engineering, which
would include “development of computational capabilities and
nanoscale material characterization to extend molecular-scale
models up through nano- to macro-scale, in representations of
larger-scale ‘real’ materials.” Support would also increase for
ongoing disciplinary research.”

The Design, Manufacture, and Industrial Innovation budget would
increase $24.25 million, or 22.2%, from $109.11 million to
$133.36 million. There are two programs within this budget. The
budget for research in Design, Manufacture, and Industrial
Innovation programs would increase $11.38 million, or 24.1%, from
$47.28 million to $58.66 million. Enhanced support would be
provided for information technology research, nanoscale
engineering, manufacturing research activities, and for design
and manufacturing. The budget for Small Business Innovation
Research would increase $12.87 million, or 20.8%, from $61.83
million to $74.70 million.

The Electrical and Communications Systems budget would increase
$13.51 million, or 29.8%, from $45.36 million to $58.87 million.
Support would be enhanced for information technology research,
nanoscale engineering, functional genomics, and for ongoing
research programs.

The Engineering Education and Centers budget would increase
$11.10 million, or 11.0%, from $100.54 million to $111.64
million. The budget document states “all current commitments to
EECs will be met,” with increased support for “up to two virtual
ERCs focused on nanoscale engineering,” “nanotechnology-related
activities in the Integrative Graduate Education and Research
Training program,” for Research Experiences for Undergraduate
sites, and for the Combined Research and Curriculum Development
program.

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Richard M. Jones
Public Information Division
American Institute of Physics
fyi@aip.org
(301) 209-3095
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