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Press Statement 17-004

Statement from NSF Director France A. Córdova on G7 Science Ministerial

NSF Director France A. Córdova.

NSF Director France A. Córdova.


September 28, 2017

This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.

National Science Foundation (NSF) Director France A. Córdova represented the U.S. at the 2017 G7 Science Ministerial.

I'd like to thank Minister Fedeli and the government of Italy for their warm welcome and exceptional work hosting the G7 Science Ministerial here in Turin. It has been my pleasure to represent the U.S. science and engineering research community in this international venue.

The United States recognizes that science and technology are critical to achieving our highest priorities: national security, economic growth and job creation. The ingenuity of our research community, in partnership with the government and the private sector, has built an innovation ecosystem whose successes originate with investments in basic research. The history of science is replete with examples of basic research leading to real-world applications and commercialization.

I think it was particularly fitting that we started with a discussion of the need for a commitment to improving technical training through science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and apprenticeships. This is critical to increasing the number of people who can contribute to and benefit from the new knowledge economies. Last Monday, President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing the US Department of Education to invest in grant funding each year to expand STEM and computer science education in schools.  The U.S. private sector then joined this initiative by pledging funds for computer science programs.

We also had the opportunity to talk about many of the other big topics facing the research community today, such as:

  • Interdisciplinarity and the move to convergence research.
  • Partnerships for innovation.
  • The research and workforce demands of the new digital technologies.
  • Responsible conduct of science and research integrity.
  • And the importance of effective public communication of science.

The United States also recognizes that long-term, sustained investment in state-of-the-art research infrastructure, such as gravitational-wave observatories, provides the capabilities needed to conduct world-leading research. Maintaining and modernizing this infrastructure is critical to getting the best value out of R&D investments. We also recognize the advantages of a merit-based peer review system for guiding investments in research and infrastructure.

It is essential that nations come together to discuss these important issues, and we look forward to continuing work on these objectives. Thank you.

-NSF-

Media Contacts
Amanda Hallberg Greenwell, NSF, (703) 292-8070, email: agreenwe@nsf.gov

The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

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