john c. hurt national science foundation - oecd. · pdf fileworkshop on basic research: policy...
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Workshop on Basic Research:Policy Relevant Definitions and
Measurement
October 29, 2001
John C. Hurt
National Science Foundation
Creating, Connecting, andCollaborating: The Role of Academe
in the 21st Century
The National Science Foundation(NSF)
Is an Independent Agency of the FederalGovernment
Was established in 1950 to promote andadvance scientific progress in the UnitedStates by sponsoring scientific researchand by supporting selected activities inscience and engineering
Does not conduct research itself.
NSF-1
NSF Considers Proposals for ResearchSupport in any Field of Science
Astronomy Atmospheric
Sciences Biological Sciences Behavioral Sciences Chemistry Computer Science Earth Sciences
Engineering Information Science Materials Research Mathematical
Sciences Oceanography Physics Social Sciences
Including but not limited to:
NSF-7
Industry66%
Other 5%
NSF 3.3%
National R&D ResearchExpenditures: 1998
Federal29%
Federal29%
NSF-19
NSF Role in Federal Academic Basic Research: 1998
NSF3.5%
Non-medical Basic Rresearch
NSF52%
Other
Other
NSF22%
NIH
Total Federal R&D Basic Research
NSF Funding Profile(FY 1999)
Total = $3,690 M
Administration & Management
5%
Education & Training
18%
Research Projects58%
Research Facilities19%
NSF-27
NSF-41
NSF Vision
Discovery
LearningInnovation
Enabling the nations future throughdiscovery, learning and innovation.
People - Diverse, internationally competitiveand globally-engaged S&E workforce
Ideas - Discovery across S&E frontiers,connected to learning, innovation and serviceto society
Tools - Accessible, state-of-the-art, andshared research and education tools
NSFs Outcome Goals
Develop intellectual capital
Integrate research andeducation
Promote partnerships
NSFs Core Strategies
Innovation Elements
People Knowledge Infrastructure Tools Free Market for Ideas
What is Innovation?
Innovation is a locally driven process,succeeding where organizational conditionsfoster the transformation of knowledge intoproducts, processes, systems, and services.
Edward J. Malecki
Technology and Economic Development, 1997
Patent Citations of S&T Literature
9,49512,906
19,404
27,422
47,059
108,300
1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998
Source: NSF/SRS
Up ten-fold s ince 1988
Doubled s ince 1996
Science/Technology Linkage
Patents granted in theUS patent system areincreasingly linked topublic research.
Two-thirds of the citedpapers were publishedby organizationsprimarily supported bypublic funding.
Non-profit11.0%
Industry26.7%
Government Labs10.2%
Academe52.1%
The U.S. Innovation System is Evolving
Increased role of research in innovation
Demise of large corporate basic research laboratories
Increased role of newcomers and small firms
Increased role of academe (research and education)
Importance of public funding for research
Pervasive nature of information technology
University/Industry/Government PartnershipsLessons Learned
Firms that collaborate with universities report that morethan 10% of their products resulted from thecollaboration.
Industry wants universities to concentrate on researchand education, rather than development of products.
Small businesses affiliated with academe aresignificantly more successful that those that are not.
University/Industry/GovernmentPartnerships
Lessons LearnedOf 3200 universities, perhaps 6 have made significantamounts of money from their intellectual property rights.
IP rights should be pursued as a means for interaction withindustry rather than as a means for raising revenue fromcommercialization.
The lasting impact of successful state programs has beenthe development of the intellectual infrastructure forresearch and education.
University/Industry/Government Partnerships
Lessons Learned
The idea of converting science and technologyinto tools for economic growth has beenembraced by the states, but the lure of technologyprofits has been detrimental when it pulledacademe away from its primary purpose ofresearch and education.
University/Industry/Government Partnerships
Lessons Learned
Partnerships between universities andgovernments and industry/business have beenmost successful when each partner does what itdoes best, leaving the remainder of the innovationprocess to the others.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) established the Science and TechnologyCenters (STC) Program in 1987, as part of the Presidents State of the UnionAddress, to fund important basic research and education activities and toencourage technology transfer and innovative approaches to interdisciplinaryactivities. The STCs explore new areas and build bridges among disciplines,institutions, and other sectors. They offer the research community an effectivemechanism to: embark upon long-term scientific and technological researchactivities; explore better and more effective ways to educate students; anddevelop mechanisms to ensure the timely transition of research and educationadvances made into service in society.
Science and Technology Centers
Engineering Research Centers
Strategic vision for advances in a next-generation engineered system and newgeneration of engineering leaders in a global economy;
Research synthesizing engineering, science, and other disciplines, fromdiscovery to proof-of-concept;
Educational paradigm integrating research & education producing newresearch/educational culture and curriculum innovations;
Partnership with industry strengthens the ERC and achieves a more effectiveflow of knowledge into innovation to benefit the Nation;
Effective leadership; cohesive interdisciplinary team; diverse in gender, race,and ethnicity; infrastructure of space, experimental equipment ;
A commitment from the academic, industrial, and other partners tosubstantially leverage NSFs funds and sustain the ERC.