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

FYI

The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News

Number 21: February 17, 2000

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.

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Richard M. Jones

Public Information Division

American Institute of Physics

fyi@aip.org

(301) 209-3095

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