APS Commends President’s Fiscal Year 2011 Proposed Scientific Budget

By Tawanda W. Johnson

The American Physical Society (APS) is delighted that President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposal increases federal investments in transformational research that will keep the nation on a path of scientific advancement, technological innovation and economic growth.  

Specifically, APS lauds the support of research programs at the Department of Energy’s Office of Science (DOE), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The President has proposed hiking the DOE budget by $226 million to $5.1 billion. NSF is slated to have its budget increase by $550 million to $7.4 billion. NIST would receive a boost of $67 million to $587 million.

Scientists, who receive funding from these agencies, are engaged in research that will generate solutions to the country’s most pressing challenges, including developing technologies that create clean, affordable energy for all Americans. APS is also pleased that the President’s budget is consistent with a promise to double the scientific agencies’ budgets over a 10-year period.

President Obama’s FY 2011 budget includes investments in:

• Nuclear energy research to generate technologies for the creation of safe, clean, nuclear power plants – a goal the President outlined in his State of the Union Address.

• Nuclear security to achieve the President’s goal of reversing the spread of nuclear weapons and keeping the current stockpile safe and secure.

• Energy efficiency to develop more efficient batteries for electric cars, helping to reduce the nation’s carbon footprint.

• The Graduate Research Fellowship program and the Faculty Career Development program to foster the nation’s next generation of scientists and engineers.

“At a time when the nation is striving for an economic recovery, federal investments in science and technology are more critical to America’s future than ever,” said Michael S. Lubell, APS Director of Public Affairs. “APS encourages Congress to support the President’s budget in its upcoming appropriations process.” In spite of uncertainties in the NASA budget, APS is pleased that it includes strong support for scientific programs.