Budget Focuses On Jobs, Innovation
As part of his efforts to boost job creation, President Obama's proposed fiscal year 2011 $3.8 trillion budget released Monday calls for increases in basic science research as well as education and training in an effort to help better position the nation to maintain its edge in innovation. "The budget makes critical investments that will ensure that we continue to lead the world in new fields and industries: doubling research and development funding in key physical sciences agencies; expanding broadband networks across our country; and working to promote American exports abroad," the president said in his budget message to Congress.
The president's proposed budget calls for an 8 percent increase, about $550 million, in funding for the National Science Foundation over fiscal year 2010. It would double funding to $90 million for basic research "aimed at creating a future bio-economy by enhancing our ability to design biological systems, and starting the next revolution in computing by designing new materials."
In addition, the proposed NSF budget also focuses on trying to encourage more minorities to enter scientific fields. The budget would boost NSF's science and technology workforce program by more than 14 percent to $103 million to attract undergraduates at historically black, tribal and Hispanic service colleges and universities. In addition, in partnership with the Education Department, the budget also calls for targeting at least 5 percent, or $19 million, of NSF's undergraduate and graduate fellowship, scholarship and training programs to students pursuing clean energy careers.
The administration also has called for a $60 million increase in funding for the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology. At least $45 million of that boost would go toward NIST's laboratories. "This funding will support advanced measurement and standards development at NIST that will facilitate the economy-wide development and adoption of a wide variety of new technologies, ranging from nanotechnology and computer security advances to energy conservation systems," the budget said.
The proposed funding for NIST also includes slight increases for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, aimed at helping firms adopt more efficient manufacturing processes, and the Technology Innovation Program (formerly known as the Advanced Technology Program), which invests in high-impact, high-risk research to address critical national needs.
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