955 



the Foundation's authority for such programs gradually increased,^" 

 such activities were not clearly mandated until passage of the 1968 

 amendments (P.L. 90—407) which broadened the NSF's authority in 

 this field. 



This slow evolution hampers evaluation of the scope and number of 

 activities carried out in support of international travel. First, since 

 the development and administration of the Foundation's programs 

 were constrained by the need to support them in terms of strengthen- 

 ing domestic science, the Foundation did not centralize administration 

 of programs and did not keep adequate records of all travel activities. 

 For instance, in 1953 the Foundation reported generally that "Attend- 

 ance of American scientists at international meetings is closely re- 

 lated to scientific information since this is an important channel for 

 exchange of views on new scientific developments." By 1970, after 

 passage of amending legislation, the purposes and scope of the inter- 

 national travel grants prc^ram were considerably broadened: 



The International Travel Program provides for grants to U.S. scientists to (1) 

 attend international scientific congresses and meetings; (2) obtain or exchange 

 information on research, science education, or information relating to interna- 

 tional scientific programs and associated activities; and (3) cooperate in inter- 

 national scientific activities.^** 



Second, the Foundation utilized the only early authority it had, 

 support for information exchange, to justify, develop, and report most 

 other early NSF programs in international science. For instance, 

 utilizing this authority, the Foundation developed its programs in 

 support of translating foreign scientific information, studies of foreign 

 science literature, support of the acquisition of foreign science studies, 

 support for U.wS. participation in international scientific meetings, 

 and organization and support of the Soviet and Eastern bilateral pro- 

 grams. As a result, the Foundation's reporting for international 

 scientific information activities, and for international travel activities 

 under it, was not consistent either in budget presentations before the 

 Congress or in annual reports. 



These problems were described in a report the Foundation prepared 

 in 1964, entitled "Improving the Dissemination of Scientific Informa- 

 tion." The report observed: "The Foundation's activities in the 

 science information area [specifically referring to international 

 scientific information exchange] are so diverse that it is difficult to 

 classify them into a manageable number of headings . . . ." ^^^ 



Similar confusion holds with respect to the Foundation's inconsistent 

 reporting in its Annual Reports, and Annual Reports of Grants and 

 Awards. The Foundation has used different report categories in budget 

 presentations, annual reports, and annual reports of grants and 



2°' For a description of this evolution see: The National Science Foundation: A General Review of Its First 

 15 Years, op. cit., pp. 178-9. 



-■ * 197? National Science Foundation Authorization: Hearings, op. cit. p. 346. 



^M Cited in: The NSF: A General Review of Its First Fifteen Years, op. cit., p. 193. Specifically "The 

 Foundation requested $700,000 for International Scientific Information Exchange in FY 1966. . . . Partial 

 support is provided for the international travel expenses of selected U.S. and foreign scientists for attendance 

 at international scientific conferences and meetings and for visits of U.S. scientists to foreign scientific 

 research institutions, universities and libraries for the purpose of strengthening scientific research and 

 education in the United States. The program also continues exchange of scientists between the U.S. 

 and East European countries." (Ibid., pp. 192-3) 



