Table 4.2— Share of Federal obligations for 



basic research, by field of science 



and subfield, FY 1977 



[Dollars in millions] 



Field o f Science S (est.) % of Total 



Life sciences 1 ,007 



Psychology 53 



Physical sciences 806 



Astronomy 180 



Chemistry 203 



Physics 416 



Other 8 



Environmental Sciences 394 



Atmospheric 128 



Geological 155 



Oceanography 100 



Other 10 



Mathematics and computer sciences ... 79 



Engineering 268 



Social sciences 102 



Other sciences 46 



Total 2,755 



36.55 



1.92 



29.26 



14.30 



2.87 

 9.73 

 3.70 

 1.67 

 100.00 



Source: Division of Science Resources Studies/STI A/NSF 



logical sciences ($818 million) was greater than 

 that for all of the physical sciences combined 

 ($806 million). :; 



An analysis of the agencies' distribution of 

 support for the seven fields of science reveals a 

 tendency (in most agencies) to concentrate re- 

 sources in a few fields. -* In 1977 only one agency, 

 NSF, provided $5 million or more in support for 

 each of the seven fields. DOD provided this level 

 of support to six fields; HEW to five; Agriculture. 

 ERDA, and NASA to four; Interior and Smith- 

 sonian to three; and Commerce and EPA to two. 

 All other agencies provided the bulk of their sup- 

 port in a single field. 



Agency Support by Field of Science 



The four fields of science receiving the most 

 basic research support from Federal agencies in 

 FY 1977 were the life sciences, physical sciences, 

 environmental sciences, and engineering. 



Life Sciences 



The life sciences accounted for $1,007 million, or 

 37 percent of the total for all basic research sup- 

 port. Three agencies furnished 89 percent of FY 

 1977 Federal support for basic research in the life 

 sciences. HEW provided $642 million, or 64 per- 

 cent of all life sciences support — primarily 

 through the National Institutes of Health. Agricul- 

 ture was next with $138 million, or 14 percent, 

 and NSF followed with $113 million, or 11 per- 

 cent. 



Physical Sciences 



Total basic research support in the physical sci- 

 ences amounted to $806 million, or 29 percent of 

 all basic research support in FY 1977. This sup- 

 port was more evenly divided among the agen- 

 cies. Of the top three supporting agencies (re- 

 sponsible for 82 percent of the total), ERDA 

 provided $298 million (37 percent), NASA, $198 

 million (25 percent), and NSF, $165 million (20 

 percent). 



Table 4.3— Comparison of trends in Federal obligations 



for basic research, by field of science and subfield, 



FY 1968, 1977, and 1978. 



[Dollars in millions) 



Field of science 



1968 

 actual 



1977 

 (est.) 



Percent 

 increase or 

 decrease 



1978 



-.See Appendi,\ H. 

 ^See Appendix I 



Total $1,721 $2,755 



Life sciences 579 1,007 



Psychology 55 53 



Physical sciences . . . 599 806 



Astronomy 110 180 



Chemistry 119 203 



Physics 352 416 



Other 18 8 



Environmental 199 394 



Atmospheric... 107 128 



Geological 51 155 



Oceanography. . . 40 100 



Other 1 10 



Mathematics and 

 computer 



sciences 67 79 



Engineering 156 268 



Social sciences 61 102 



Other sciences 4 46 



Source: Division of Science Resources Studies/STI A/NSF 



264 AGENCY SUPPORT OF BASIC RESEARCH BY FIELD OF SCIENCE 



