National Science Foundation Budget Request for FY 1994: Materials Research

The fiscal year 1994 National Science Foundation budget request for materials research is $170.95 million, which is an increase of 7.1% or $11.40 million above current funding if the supplemental funding legislation is passed.

MATERIALS RESEARCH PROJECT SUPPORT would increase by $4.70 million to $92.41 million.

MATERIALS RESEARCH CENTERS AND GROUPS funding would increase by $3.50 million to $56.44 million. This budget category was formerly known as “Materials Research Laboratories and Groups;" this is only a name change.

NATIONAL FACILITIES AND INSTRUMENTATION funding would increase by $3.20 million to $22.10 million.

The budget document states:

“Increased support for FCCSET initiatives in Advanced Materials and Processing (AMPP), Biotechnology, Global Change, High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC), Manufacturing, and Mathematics and Science Education totals $8.40 million.

“Explanation of Increases:

“The Materials Research Subactivity plays a lead role in the AMPP program, with its focus on support for research involving new approaches to the synthesis, processing, preparation, and characterization of materials with new, unique, or superior properties. Linking the goals of this central FCCSET initiative with those of the others is an emphasis for the Materials Research Subactivity across all its programs.

“Materials Research Project Support increases by $4.70 million, or 5.4%, providing:

“Resources for developing new and essential scientific and engineering knowledge for technological advances. These are critically dependent on the synthesis and processing of novel and advanced materials.

“Materials Research Centers and Groups increases by $3.50 million, or 6.6%, providing:

“Resources to enable NSF to establish new Materials Research Centers and Groups (MRCGs). The MRCGs will provide support for interdisciplinary research and education in strategic areas of materials, strengthening the technology and human resource base in materials and their applications and forging strong links with industry and other sectors.

“National Facilities and Instrumentation increases by $3.20 million, or 16.9%, providing:

“Establishment, in collaboration with the Engineering Activity, of a national nanofabrication users facility network.

“Construction of at least one synchrotron radiation beamline and the acquisition of other major instrumentation for materials research.”