170 SEA GRANT COLLEGES 



Dr. Robertson. I feel strongly that the bill, insofar as it relates to 

 strengthening our academic institutions in this field, both in the basic 

 and applied areas, should be managed by the National Science Founda- 

 tion. I believe we are the Government agency best qualified to. 

 handle it. 



Senator Mtirphy. ISIay I ask a question ? 



Senator Pell. Certainly. 



Senator Murphy. Why wouldn't it come under the ordinary proce- 

 dures of education ? 



Dr. Robertson. We support many programs in graduate education 

 in the sciences. 



Senator Murphy. Is it necessary to graduate ? 



Dr. Robertson. And in the undergraduate area as well. We have 

 a broad mission to support education in the sciences and engineering, 

 and under this we have supported work in the area of oceanography 

 and could support graduate education in marine resources, for example, 

 in engineering schools. 



Senator Murphy. What is your association with the developments 

 of La Jolla, if T may ask? Forgive me for being not knowledgeable 

 on this subject, but there is so much to learn in such a short time. 



Dr. Robertson. We support many projects in oceanography at the 

 ScripjDs Institution of Oceanography. 



Senator Murphy. Individual projects. 



Dr. Robertson. Primarily through individual projects and in sup- 

 port of basic research to which we are limited. We cannot under our 

 broad legislative authority support applied research unless specifically 

 authorized to do so by the Congress. 



Senator Murphy. I see. Thank you. 



Senator Pell. This brings out the very point I am driving at. The. 

 thrust, the purpose of this bill is not to go into research. It is to the 

 application only of research that already has been done and also our 

 concept of it, at least my concept, is not so much individual grants as 

 program grants, somewhat along the lines of land grant colleges, which 

 is the reason we call it sea grant colleges. I am a little confused be- 

 cause as I understand it from your testimony, you believe you should 

 not be assigned responsibility for activities involving the development 

 of systems for exploitation and you have just said, as I imderstood it, 

 that you believe that your work involved the grants on an individual 

 basis and not for applied research, but more for basic research. 



Well, then, it would seem to me that the three viewpomts would in-, 

 dicate that you thought it best not to administer this program. 



Dr. Robertson. Well, let me clarify if I can some of these points. 



First, under our general authority we can only support basic re- 

 search. 



Senator Pell. Excuse me for interruptino;, but that is against the 

 purpose of the bill because we are not seeking to develop basic re- 

 search. 



Dr. Robertson. We would welcome in the case of the sea grants 

 bill authority to extend our support into applied research in the fields 

 relating to marine resources, but it would require this specific bill to 

 authorize it. We would be happy to manage that program. 



Senator Pell. Well, then, pressing you on this point, what this bill 

 would do if you were left as administering agency would also be ta 

 widen your present congressional martdate. 



