13 



FY 1997 Request by Account 



(Millions of Dollars) 



NSF WORKING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 



Extending the Frontiers 



Being a pioneer is both exciting and risky. It engages the imagination and demands a high level of skill and 

 perseverance to meet the challenges of the frontier NSF invests in today's pioneers who work on the 

 fron ers of science and engineering, exploring an unprecedented wealth of opportunities for advancement. 

 Somt'imes their successes are small, almost imperceptible, sometimes they are spectacular and all of 

 humankind advances 



NSF-supported science and engineering projects range from opening new windows on the universe through 

 astronomy and gravitational physics, to exploring the world of subatomic particles They unlock the secrets of 

 life and living systems through breakthroughs in molecular biology and biophysics. From the cold climes of 

 the Arctic and Antarctic to the tropical oceans, NSF-supported researchers explore the dynamic processes of 

 the Earth and the influence of local conditions on global climate Using nanoscale technologies that can trace 

 the path of a virus and see eye to eye with an atom, scientists and engineers are developing medical devices, 

 industrial tools, probes and detectors that will help the nation move ever farther out on the frontiers 



NSF invests in tomorrow's pioneers through programs in science and engineering education that seek to 

 improve the education available to all Americans Excellent education in science, mathematics and 

 engineering opens new dimensions for the students, giving them new territory to explore, new ways of 

 thinking about the world around them, and skills that prepare them to face unknown and uncertain frontiers 



To remain a world leader in science and engineering, the United States must be willing and able to reach 

 frontiers wherever they are. NSF serves as a vehicle to provide the capacity to respond when pioneering 

 research and education are poised to offer benefits to the nation 



Delivering the Benefits 



By enabling leadership across the frontiers of science and engineering, NSF's investments bolster the 

 nation's quality of life and standard of living As noted economist Paul Romer said in a recent comment on the 

 roots of economic growth, "If we didn't keep finding new ideas, there really would be limits to growth. It's 

 ideas -- the whole process of discovery - that cause growth " 



NSF is alert to opportunities that might advance growth Recent advances from NSF investments bear 

 witness to this Researchers using the NSF-adopted model plant Arabadopsis have found the genetic switch 

 that triggers flowering in plants, creating the potential for more rapid crop development and other benefits 

 Investigation of the most basic properties of composite materials bridges the fields of engineering, physics, 

 chemistry, and modeling and simulation Results are already familiar to us in recreational applications such 



