NSF is Pivotal to Scientific Innovation and STEM Talent Development
Celebrating NSF's 75th Anniversary and looking to the future of STEM
On the 75th Anniversary of the National Science Foundation (NSF), I want to reflect on the many benefits that this agency has brought to innovation in this country, and the many talented STEM trainees supported by NSF funds over the years.
First a bit of history is in order: Vannevar Bush, an American engineer, throughout his career emphasized the importance of scientific research to national security and economic well-being. His 1945 text, Science the Endless Frontier, was commissioned by President Franklin Roosevelt, and called for a centralized approach to government-sponsored science. His proposals led to the National Science Foundation in 1950. Bush has been quoted saying the following:
“Science can be effective in the national welfare only as a member of a team, whether the conditions be peace or war. But without scientific progress no amount of achievement in other directions can insure our health, prosperity, and security as a nation in the modern world.”
This quote underscores the importance of science for so many aspects of our world, which cannot possibly be described in one single post. The NSF Impacts site highlights some of these contributions including for AI, cybersecurity, fusion energy, semiconductors and much more. Importantly, NSF funding has facilitated strong training for talented scientists and engineers from all backgrounds, contributing to broadening participation and developing a strong STEM workforce. This includes programs such as the NSF GRFP, the newer EPSCoR EGFP, as well as NSF INCLUDES, and many other efforts pivotal to building the future of STEM.
In current times, we are at a risk of STEM losing talent to other nations, and federal support for many of these programs is dimished or disappearing altogether both at NSF and other agencies. A lot has already been written about the current chaos. And we can’t deny that this nation may take a very long time to rebuild from what unfortunately took a very short time to destroy in our research enterprise, with ripple effects we can’t even comprehend today. Being in Congress now gives me a bit of hope that we can raise awareness and take some steps, however small, to support scientific research and elevate the role that it plays for our country’s future.
Today, I want to send a message of hope that we will at some point start rebuilding from this chaos. To that end, we need to remember the great science that has been done in this country, and continue fighting for the people who drive it on a daily basis and ensuring a brighter future for STEM talent supported by NSF and other agencies. So I want us to consider how we can all positively contribute to our nation’s prosperity in science and technology and rebuild from the unimaginable situation our community is experiencing. Campaigns and tools such as Save NSF, Science for Good and other similar efforts can help encourage us to come together in this fight.
With the latest terminations of previously approved grants and the resignation of the NSF Director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan (also known as “Panch”), these actions without a doubt have left the academic research community shattered with many considering a scientific career in other countries, or leaving the profession altogether. This would be a devastating loss. Having dedicated my career to supporting STEM research discoveries and talent, I can’t imagine what this country is facing in the long-term if we don’t act now. I am encouraged by Panch’s words that the U.S. needs to keep fighting to maintain our competitiveness and the reminder that the NSF is vital to this goal and to our nation’s talent development. Thank you for your service.
In closing, I also want to thank everyone who has and continues to work on supporting the NSF’s mission and its role in our country’s innovation ecosystem. I hope that we can come together to enable a brighter future for our nation’s STEM talent and that the agency’s 75th anniversary can be an impetus driving us forward.