Title:  Science Board Calls for Systematic R&D Priority-Setting
Date:   December 4, 1997



 Media contact:                                  December 4, 1997
 Mary Hanson                                         NSF PR 97-73
 (703) 306-1070/mhanson@nsf.gov

 Program contact:
 Jean Pomeroy
 (703) 306-2000/jpomeroy@nsf.gov

                SCIENCE BOARD CALLS FOR SYSTEMATIC
                       R&D PRIORITY-SETTING

      The National Science Board (NSB), concerned about the future
 state of scientific research in the U.S., is calling for further
 study on how to set priorities.  In a working paper titled
 Government Funding of Scientific Research, the Board calls for
 "high-level coordination" of federally financed scientific
 research, leading toward "systematic ways to reach and prioritize
 decisions."

      "With today's scarce resources, it is even more important
 than ever that we reaffirm the validity of our Federal science
 base, and act responsibly and intelligently to direct it where it
 will do the most good," said NSB Chairman Dick Zare.  He
 emphasized that the working paper "is not the final word, nor the
 end product, of this process.  It is meant to encourage much
 needed dialogue among appropriate stakeholders."

      The paper points out that "there is no widely accepted way
 for the Federal government in conjunction with the scientific
 community to make priority decisions about the allocation of
 resources in and across scientific disciplines."  It acknowledges
 previous studies and discussions on the need to prioritize
 Federal R&D, but points out that "no agreed upon method exists
 for carrying out this task."

      "Sometimes important decisions about the allocation of
 limited resources happen by default, without explicitly weighing
 of alternatives," the paper states. It adds, however, that
 "further study is needed before a particular methodology for
 setting priorities is adopted."

      The board paper acknowledges the difficulty of the task.
 "Although many scientists believe the task both undesirable and
 undoable, the NSB believes that this difficult task will become
 increasingly important and must be faced over the next few
 years," it states.

      The release of the working paper follows a resolution in May
 in which the Board affirmed its support of a balanced, integrated
 and coordinated Federal budget for science and engineering
 research and education.  The Board is charged specifically to
 oversee the National Science Foundation, and more generally to
 monitor the health of science in the nation.  The paper reflects
 the Board's desire to engage more directly in the second charge.

      "We are asking difficult questions about a thorny and
 controversial issue -- questions the Board believes we must
 confront if we hope to achieve and follow a coherent national
 science policy within the context of constrained resources," said
 Zare.

                               -NSB-

 Editors:  The working paper is available at:
 http://www.nsf.gov/home/nsb/document.htm

 The National Science Board (NSB) was established by Congress in
 1950 to serve both as an independent national science policy
 body, and to oversee and guide the activities of the National
 Science Foundation.