We are also in the final stages of a comprehensive examination 

 of the current state of science, mathematics, engineering, and tech- 

 nology education at the undergraduate level. 



The project will offer an overview of the needs and opportunities 

 for all undergraduate students and examine how science literacy 

 for the entire country is related to undergraduate education. 



We hope that these efforts are responsive to the concerns of 

 Members of the Committee who have been persistent in their focus 

 on the need to ensure the highest possible quality of undergraduate 

 education in our nation's universities and colleges. 



As I mentioned earlier, the education and training program func- 

 tion accounts for approximately 20 percent of our overall budget 

 and will total $657 million, an increase of 5.3 percent over fiscal 

 year 1996. 



Many activities such as research experience for undergraduates, 

 research in undergraduate institutions, and the Faculty Early Ca- 

 reer Development Program that cut across our research and edu- 

 cation functions. 



One could argue that all of the NSF programs have an education 

 and training component since they develop participants' knowledge 

 and skills. 



Likewise, there are many cross-cutting interdisciplinary activi- 

 ties such as earthquake research, biotechnology, civil infrastructure 

 systems, environment and global change, high-performance com- 

 puting and communication, manufacturing and materials. 



These interdisciplinary activities interact with one another and 

 also contain a coordinated, focused educational component. 



A third principle guiding our budget planning is working in part- 

 nerships. Our investment directly involved 200,000 researchers, 

 teachers, and students at over 2000 colleges, universities, and re- 

 search institutions, including almost 600 businesses. 



Indirectly our programs affect literally millions of people, but the 

 larger impact would not be possible without partnerships. Forming 

 these partnerships will bring together the best minds in our soci- 

 ety, sharing ideas and resources in order to improve research and 

 education. 



It is particularly important that NSF build on its role as a cata- 

 lyst, linking elements of society that share an interest in improving 

 education, maintaining scientific and engineering leadership, and 

 using scientific and engineering knowledge to our common benefit. 



As one measure of the impact of these partnerships, last year 

 NSF leveraged $1.4 billion from partners, including over $250 mil- 

 lion from industry in support of research programs in which NSF 

 was involved. 



Other major partners in these activities are academic institu- 

 tions, states and other federal agencies. 



For example, our program called Grant Opportunities for Aca- 

 demic Liaison with Industry, or GOALI, which provides opportuni- 

 ties for a variety of industry-university linkages, is slated to in- 

 crease by over 40 percent to $18 million in 1997. 



To conclude, we have structured this budget request to allow us 

 to sustain the momentum in science and engineering that we built 

 over the past half-century. As a result of our successes, we are on 

 the threshold, or perhaps in the midst of a truly revolutionary era 



