This is a press release from the Department of Energy that came out yesterday. I haven't really digested it yet. It seems interesting enough to get to the community; you'll see the government priorities for a large part of the public funding for science in the US.
This budget puts DOE's Office of Science on the path
to doubling its budget by FY 2016. The increased funding represents a major contribution to our national investment in basic science research - research critical to ensuring American competitiveness in the world, and to enhancing our energy security in the years ahead.
"This is an historic step and will change the future of science in this
country," Secretary Bodman said. "Continued American leadership in
science is critical to our ability to innovate and grow. These funds will also provide new educational and training opportunities that will
give the next generation of scientists, teachers, and engineers the tools they need to succeed."
As part of the Bush Administration's broader effort to help keep America at the forefront of scientific innovation and development, this funding expands key programs that promote and advance basic scientific research that supports and strengthens DOE's energy and national security goals
The FY 2007 budget request makes bold investments to improve America's
energy security while protecting our environment, puts policies in place that foster continued economic growth, spurs scientific innovation and
discovery, and addresses the threat of nuclear proliferation.
"The American Competitiveness Initiative will continue America's preeminence in science, and will ignite innovation to keep America competitive," said Dr. Raymond Orbach, Director of the Office of Science. "This funding will be coupled with efforts to make much more effective use of our national laboratories for research and development leadership in the physical sciences."
Basic Energy Sciences Program ($1,421.0 million
This is a $286.4 million increase over FY 2006. This program conducts research and builds and operates user facilities to expand scientific foundations for new and improved energy technologies, to advance
materials science, and to understand and mitigate the environmental impacts of energy use. A large portion of this request enables the Office of Science to continue design and construction of the Linac Coherent Light Source ($105.9 million total), the world's first x-ray
free electron laser, which will make it possible for scientists to watch matter in action, one molecule at a time, and to witness chemical reactions at the microscopic level in real time. The structural knowledge obtained with x-rays holds the key to understanding the properties of matter such as mechanical strength, magnetism, transport
of electrical currents and light, energy storage, and catalysis. Likewise, in biology much of what we know about structure and function on a molecular level comes from x-ray studies. Such knowledge forms the basis for the development of new materials and molecules and the
enhancement of their properties, which in turn will advance technology. fuel our economy, and improve our quality of life.
Funding increases will also support nanoscale science research (+$51 million); the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative (+$17.5 million); the first full year of operations of the Spallation Neutron Source at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (+$99.7million); and provides research and development (R&D) and project engineering design for the National
Synchrotron Light Source II project (+$45 million).
Biological and Environmental Research ($510.3 million)
This is a $54.6 million increase over our FY 2006 request. This program
includes increases for several high visibility activities. The microbe
based Genomics GTL program research request increases by $49 million
over the FY 2006 Appropriation for additional research on imagining and
characterization of complex microbial communities for energy and
environmental applications, including hydrogen production. The Human
Genome program increases by $11.7 million to support enhanced operations
at the joint Genome Institute. Funding for Medical Applications
research remains level.
High Energy Physics Program ($775.1 million)
This is a $58.4 million increase over FY 2006. This funding for grants
and full experimental facility operations will be used to further
explore basic research to explore the laws of nature governing the most
basic constituents of matter and the forces binding them. These are
fundamental principles at the heart of physics and the physical
sciences. Project engineering and design funding of $10.3 million is
requested for the new Electron Neutrino Appearance project.
Nuclear Physics Program ($454.1 million)
This is an $87 million increase over FY 2006. This funding supports
research to provide new insights and knowledge of the structure and
interaction of atomic nuclei and the primary forces of particles of
nature in nuclear matter. The funding increase restores operations at
both the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF) and the
Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). In addition, new funding is
requested for a TJNAF power upgrade and a new injector for RHIC.
Fusion Energy Sciences Program ($319.0 million)
This is a $31.3 million increase over FY 2006. This will support a
national research effort to advance plasma science, fusion science, and
technology needed for an economical and environmentally safe fusion
energy source. A key portion of this budget has been allocated to
participation in the second year of the ITER project ($60.0 million
total), an international fusion experimental reactor, and, if
successful, the critical next step on the path toward harnessing the
energy of nuclear fusion to generate electricity to heat homes and fuel
America's economy. The funding increase supports full participation in
ITER, and the balance of the Fusion program is maintained at near FY
2006 levels.
Advanced Scientific Computing Research Program ($318.7 million)
This is an $84.0 million increase over FY 2006. This program conducts
mathematics and computing research, and delivers hi-tech computational
and networking capabilities to scientists nationwide. The objective is
to provide a pathway to a point when computers will be so powerful that
researchers will be able to attack a wide range of previously impossible
scientific problems through modeling and simulation. Such developments
will allow the U.S. to maintain leadership in this strategic area and
accelerate innovation, saving unprecedented amounts in product
development costs and giving the U.S. economy a myriad of competitive
advantages.
Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists Program ($11.0
million)
This is a $3.8 million increase over FY 2006. This funding will provide
continued education opportunities to America's students and teachers of
science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic
research in the physical sciences in the nation and helps ensure U.S.
world leadership across a broad range of scientific disciplines. The
Office of Science supports a diverse portfolio of research at more than
300 colleges and universities nationwide, manages ten world-class
national laboratories with unmatched capabilities for solving complex
interdisciplinary scientific problems, and builds and operates the
world's finest suite of scientific facilities and instruments used
annually by more than 19,000 researchers to extend the frontiers of all
areas of science.