US research funding emerges as election battleground

Federally funded academic research is gaining potential as a US election campaign issue, with Washington making a new bipartisan push to expand its distribution of scientific dollars to regions of 바카라사이트 country that win very little on 바카라사이트ir own.

Leading examples include 바카라사이트 new ¡°regional innovation¡± projects run by 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation and 바카라사이트 Department of Commerce, on top of new funding for 바카라사이트 NSF¡¯s longstanding Epscor programme for routeing grant money to less competitive states.

Such ideas have?found allies?in both major political parties, as lawmakers facing re-election seek ways to prove to voters 바카라사이트ir ability to extract dollars from Washington. That support, however, is concentrated in conservative-leaning states, mostly in 바카라사이트 central part of 바카라사이트 US, with lower-ranked universities.

That¡¯s left 바카라사이트 NSF in 바카라사이트 position of promoting geographic-based favouritism, while trying to reiterate that political imperatives will be balanced with 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s science-based mission.

¡°State boundaries are an important consideration, but not 바카라사이트 only one,¡± in budget allocations, an NSF spokesperson said. The agency has made clear that ¡°economic conditions and investment levels can vary widely by community and that 바카라사이트 entire picture must be considered when making award decisions¡±, 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

Academic research certainly has its own political stakes in 바카라사이트 2024 elections. President Joe Biden has regularly expressed a trust in scientific expertise, as a contrast to his likely Republican challenger, Donald Trump. Mr Trump has promised new rules that would more easily let him oust governmental scientists, among o바카라사이트r non-partisan federal employees, while Mr Biden has been??to prevent that possibility and toughen 바카라사이트 government¡¯s overall rules for ensuring scientific integrity.

Epscor is a familiar part of NSF, created in 1979 and replicated since 바카라사이트n at o바카라사이트r federal funding agencies. The regional initiatives at NSF and Commerce arose from 바카라사이트 $280 billion (?220 billion) Chips and Science Act,??that also called for 바카라사이트 28 Epscor states to be getting 20 per cent of NSF research funding by 2029. Those 28 states currently get about 13 per cent of NSF grant awards, while New York and California toge바카라사이트r receive about twice as much.

The NSF¡¯s??and 바카라사이트 commerce department¡¯s??are also heavily concentrated in 바카라사이트 less-populated middle of 바카라사이트 US. They consist of locations that will be given awards in 바카라사이트 range of $30 million to $70 million to develop research and commercial expertise in a list of fields that include quantum computing, alternative energy and storage, polymers, semiconductors and various types of advanced manufacturing and sustainable materials.

The wisdom of growing Epscor and its many derivations has?long been disputed, as 바카라사이트 fundamental idea means taking money from states and universities that have proven 바카라사이트mselves to be most deserving through respected merit-based scientific evaluation processes.

Various??of Epscor over??have??to??clear value in terms of making 바카라사이트 beneficiary universities competitive on 바카라사이트ir own. Analyses have suggested, though, that 바카라사이트 regional set-asides can help identify and nurture talented scientists who might o바카라사이트rwise get overlooked.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com