Large Facility Innovations & Technology Transfers Discussion
All NSF programs support NSF’s mission “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense.” This type of support is a primary driver of the U.S. economy. NSF’s Research Infrastructure also plays a key role in driving the U.S. innovation ecosystem by creating new (or enhanced) technologies and processes in order to meet the scientific objectives and advance human knowledge. Innovation can happen at every life-cycle stage, but it happens most readily during design, construction and operations. NSF and its Recipients have always been (and should remain) focused primarily on the science outcomes that our Research Infrastructure supports. However, as facilities costs rise in an era of challenging budgets, it may be advantageous to better articulate these innovative aspects in the “Broader Impacts” of major facility proposals. To best achieve this, and more broadly support NSF’s mission, cataloging and quantifying these successes in a more formal and routine way may be beneficial.
This session focused on sharing examples of innovative activities driven by NSF-funded Research Infrastructure and discussing ways in which NSF can work with major facility Recipients to better describe the benefits on U.S. innovation and the economy.
Presented on May 3rd at the 2017 Large Facilities Workshop.
Matthew Hawkins
Head, Large Facilities Office, NSF Large Facilities Office of Budget, Finance & Award Management
703.292.7407