NSF FY 2001 Request: Physics, Materials Research, Astronomical Sciences

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

PHYSICS:

The FY 2001 budget for the Physics Subactivity would increase $30.30 million, or 18.0%, from $168.35 million to $198.65 million.

This Subactivity has two components. Physics Research Project Support would increase $36.05 million, or 33.8%, from $106.72 million to $142.77 million. The budget document states: “This will provide enhanced support for forefront areas of physics, including: particle and nuclear astrophysics, atom-level manipulation, atom lasers, quantum information science, and on advanced R&D towards next generation particle accelerators (including the muon collider/storage ring), and next generation LIGO detectors. A Physics Frontiers Centers program is planned to be initiated at a total of $5.0 million. These Centers are aimed at providing critical resources and needed infrastructure to exceptionally promising new areas of physics. Increases will also be provided for education and outreach activities directed towards enhancing K-12 science teacher training, linking research with education, and for continued emphasis on an initiative to broaden the role physics plays, and the training of young physicists, in new and emerging areas of research.”

The second component of the Physics Subactivity is Facilities, which would decline $5.75 million, or 9.3%, from $61.63 million to $55.88 million. The budget document states: “This decrease results from the planned reduction of $3.75 million in support for construction of the Michigan State’s National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory’s radioactive ion beam upgrade project, as it moves towards completion in FY 2001, and a planned reduction of $2.0 million in LIGO operations as the detector installation is completed and the lab focuses on first coincidence observations between the labs two detector sites. Funding for CESR operations, following completion of the intensity upgrade, will remain at $19.50 million. This includes support for effective operations of the accelerator, for exploitation of the elementary particle physics opportunities that are now open, and for sustaining the important accelerator physics research activity at Cornell.”

The Physics Subactivity oversees the construction of the Large Hadron Collider ATLAS and CMS detectors which are funded through the Major Research Equipment Account.

MATERIALS RESEARCH:

The FY 2001 budget for the Materials Research Subactivity would increase $29.45 million, or 15.4%, from $191.16 million to $220.61 million.

This Subactivity has three components. Materials Research Project Support would increase $22.87 million, or 22.2%, from $102.97 million to $125.84 million. The budget document states: “This increase will support new research activities in several areas including NSF initiatives in Nanoscale Science and Engineering, emphasizing nanoscale structures and quantum control, and biosystems at the nanoscale; and Information Technology research in computational materials science, including materials design from first principles for emergent properties; the interface between biological systems and materials, including biomimetic and biomolecular materials. DMR will also provide support for neutron scattering research and development activities for a future target station at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and enhanced capabilities at the Center for High Resolution Neutron Scattering at NIST. The increase will also support new activities related to materials research and education, including enhanced international cooperation and database development. It will also enable new and enhanced efforts to support young scientists and respond to diverse human resource development needs for the future workforce in this critical field.”

The second component of the Materials Research Subactivity is Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers, which would increase $5.58 million, or 10.4%, from $53.87 million to $59.45 million. The budget document states: “In FY 2001, up to four new Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers will be established through open competition in critical areas such as nanoscale science and engineering, information technology, and the interface between materials and biology.”

The third component is National Facilities and Instrumentation, which would increase $1.0 million, or 2.9%, from $34.32 million to $35.32 million. The budget document states: “This support includes $9.24 million for instrumentation and $26.08 million for support of user facilities. The increase will enhance the development of new instruments for materials research. At this time, funding for the NHMFL is maintained at the FY 2000 Current Plan level. During FY 2000, a comprehensive merit review will be conducted to assess progress and to determine the actual level of support for research and development programs at the NHMFL in FY 2001 and beyond.”

ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCES:

The FY 2001 budget for the Astronomical Sciences Subactivity would increase $16.83 million, or 13.7%, from $122.87 million to $139.70 million.

This Subactivity has two components. Astronomy Research and Instrumentation would increase $16.23 million, or 37.3%, from $43.56 million to $59.79 million. The budget document states the increase would “support the scientific priorities for studies in cosmology, the formation of stars and planets, and planetary atmospheres. A number of these activities include interagency partnerships. As part of the Information Technology Research (ITR) Initiative, support will be provided for research into database structure, data mining, and high speed computation. Support will also be provided for research that will provide access for astronomers to databases created at observatories throughout the U.S., and for research and development activities that may lead to important facility upgrades or new installations in future years. The size and duration of grants will be increased to allow researchers to capitalize on the investments made by the Federal, state and private sectors in major new observational facilities. Other priorities include continued support for the development of adaptive optics systems for telescopes, the search for extra-solar planets, and research on the origin, evolution and structure of the Universe, including significant activities in the area of particle astrophysics.”

The second component of the Astronomical Sciences Subactivity is Facilities, which would increase $0.60 million, or 0.8%, from $79.31 million to $79.91 million. The Gemini Observatories would receive this increase to a total of $8.65 million. Current levels of support would be maintained for NAIC at $9.04 million, NOAO at $29.69 million, and NRAO at $32.53 million.