New Chair Sets Vision for National Science Board

The National Science Board (NSB) met in person on July 24th and 25th at the National Science Foundation (NSF) headquarters in Alexandria, VA. 

See recording of open sessions from Day 1 and the agenda. 

Chairman’s Address  

This was the first meeting with newly elected chairman, Darío Gil, PhD, at the helm of the NSB. He opened with an inspiring address reflecting on past successes of the NSF while championing a new vision for the future. He called for a national science and technology strategy that could respond to changing trends in the research and development landscape, including addressing the weakness of STEM workforce development. His role at IBM brings a unique industry perspective to the NSB. Throughout the address, he noted the shift toward business funding of R&D, represented in a policy brief released by the NSB. Although industry funding has rapidly exceeded federal funding over the past decade, much of it has been clustered in sectors like IT, begging questions about adequate funding levels for social and behavioral sciences.  

NSF Achievements and Funding 

Director of NSF, Sethuraman Panchanathan, PhD, followed with a presentation detailing the achievements of the NSF in the recent past. He also shared information surrounding the appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2025 emphasizing that Congress has not funded the Science part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. 

Panel Discussion 

A panel: Changed S&E Landscape – Seizing the Opportunities consisting of L. Rafael Reif, PhD, President Emeritus of MIT, David Spergel, PhD, President of the Simons Foundation, and Tarun Chhabra, Senior Director for Technology and National Security at the National Security Council explored the changing landscape of science and technology.  Spergel’s comments surrounding the role of philanthropy may be of most interest to FABBS members. He acknowledged that most foundations invest in the biomedical sector and discussed the role of philanthropic organizations in helping to supplement lessened federal funding. Additionally, he encouraged exploring the need to track the return on investment of funding and inspire money back into the sciences.  

NSF Efforts on Sexual Misconduct 

As part of an update regarding the overwhelming presence the U.S. holds in Antarctica, the NSB heard about the NSF’s efforts to combat and prevent sexual assault and harassment among workers in Antarctica. NSF has worked to make it easier for staff to report sexual misconduct and coordinate responses to reports after a 2022 study found that, among U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) focus group participants, fifty nine percent of women had personally been subject to or witnessed sexual assault or harassment. The update focused on the need to apply these findings to the NSF community and ensure a safe and equitable environment for all by building capacity, codifying standards, and shifting organizational culture.  

Committee Updates 

The final section of the open session included reports from chairs of NSB committees on External Engagement, National Science and Engineering Policy, Awards and Facilities, and the NSB-NSF Commission on Merit Review provided updates on their activities and future priorities.