FY 1998 National Science Foundation Budget Request
Given the constraints on Federal discretionary spending, this increase represents a strong show of support from the Administration,” said NSF Director Neal Lane at a February 6 briefing, describing the 3% growth in the foundation’s FY 1998 budget request. This increase of $97 million would bring the foundation’s budget to $3.367 billion in the next fiscal year.
The budget for Research and Related Activities would increase by 3.4% to approximately $2.5 billion. Within this budget, the Mathematical and Physical Sciences budget would increase 2.8%. Below is a summary of key programs, with details to follow in future FYIs:
Within the Mathematical and Physical Sciences budget are the following programs:
- Astronomical Sciences: Up $2.5 million, or 2.1%, to $118.8 million
- Physics: Up $9.5 million, or 6.8%, to $148.2 million
- Materials Research: Up $2.9 million, or 1.6%, to $186.3 million
The Geosciences budget is within Research and Related Activities. The over-all budget would increase by 1.5% to $453 million. Within this budget are the following programs:
- Atmospheric Sciences: Up $850,000, or 0.6%, to $151.3 million
- Earth Sciences: Up $1.4 million, or 1.5%, to $95.1 million
- Ocean Sciences: Up $4.3 million, or 2.1%, to $206.2 million
The U.S. Polar Research Programs budget, also within Research and Related Activities, would increase $4.5 million, or 2.8%, to $165.9 million. U.S. Antarctic Logistical Support Activities would remain constant at $62.6 million. South Pole Station improvement funding is included in the Major Research Equipment Account.
The Education and Human Resources budget would increase by $6.3 million, or 1.0%, to $625.5 million. Within this budget are the following programs:
- Educational System Reform: up $900,000, or 0.9%, to $102.8 million
- EPSCoR: constant at $38.4 million
- Elementary, Secondary and Informal Ed.: Down $13.8 million, or -7.0%, to $183.3 million
- Undergraduate Education: Up $11.3 million, or 12.9%, to $98.7 million
- Graduate Education: Up $3.0 million, or 4.2%, to $73.8 million
- Human Resource Development: Down $1.2 million, or -1.7%, to $72.6 million
- Research, Evaluation and Communication: Up $6.4 million, or 12.9%,to $56.0 million
The Major Research Equipment budget would increase $5.0 million, or 6.3%, to $85.0 million. Four projects would be funded: LIGO, the Millimeter Array, Polar Cap Observatory, and the South Pole Station.
Research projects spending accounts for 56% of the FY 1998 request. Education and training, and facilities spending each total approximately 20%.
Lane described where NSF is “making significant investments in FY 1998 in a number of emerging areas of science and engineering.” They are: Knowledge and Distributed Intelligence, Integration of Research and Education, Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training, and Life and Earth’s Environment.
At his briefing, Lane warned, “Securing this level of support in the Congress...will require an extraordinary level of commitment and dedication from the science and engineering community.”
