Department of Education FY11 Budget Request

Posted on February 2, 2010October 17, 2012

Yesterday, the President’s Budget Request (PBR) for FY11 was released. The PBR contained the items of note listed below for higher education within the Department of Education budget.

AGENCY/PROGRAM	FY10 FINAL	FY11 PBR	% CHANGE
Department of Education- Discretionary**	46.2	50.7	9.74
Pell Grant Maximum	5,500	5,710	3.82
TRIO- Talent Search*	142	142	0.00
TRIO- Upward Bound*	257.8	257.8	0.00
TRIO- Veterans Upward Bound*	13.9	13.9	0.00
TRIO- Upward Bound Math and Science*	35.2	35.2	0.00
TRIO- Educational Opportunity Centers*	46.8	46.8	0.00
TRIO- Student Support Services*	301	301	0.00
TRIO- McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement*	47.6	47.6	0.00
GEAR UP*	323.2	323.2	0.00
Javits Fellowships*	9.7	9.7	0.00
Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need*	31	31	0.00
Child Care Access Means Parents in School*	16	16	0.00
International Education and Foreign Language Studies- Domestic*	108.4	108.4	0.00
International Education and Foreign Language Studies- Oversees*	15.6	15.6	0.00

*In millions of dollars, **In billions of dollars

Department of Education FY11 Budget Materials

NSF/FDA Announce Scholar in Residence Program

Posted on January 27, 2010October 17, 2012

Agency: National Science Foundation, Food and Drug Administration

Grant: NSF/FDA SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE AT FDA

Full Proposal Deadline: April 27, 2010; March 15, 2011; March 15, 2012; Annually Thereafter

Synopsis of Program:

The National Science Foundation (NSF), through the Directorate for Engineering’s Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), through its Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) have established the NSF/FDA Scholar-in-Residence Program at FDA. This program comprises an interagency partnership for the investigation of scientific and engineering issues concerning emerging trends in medical device technology. This partnership is designed to enable investigators in science, engineering, and mathematics to develop research collaborations within the intramural research environment at the FDA. This solicitation features four flexible mechanisms for support of research at the FDA: 1) Faculty at FDA; 2) Graduate Student Fellowships; 3) Postdoctoral Fellowships; and, 4) Undergraduate Student Research Experiences. Undergraduate student participants supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

Full Solicitation

NSF Releases Cyberinfrastructure Grant Opportunity

Posted on January 27, 2010October 17, 2012

Agency: National Science Foundation

Grant: Cyberinfrastructure Training, Education, Advancement, and Mentoring for Our 21st Century Workforce (CI-TEAM)

Full Proposal Deadline: April 27, 2010

Synopsis of Program:

New information, communication, and computational technologies have had profound impacts on the practice of science and engineering. Linked to create a comprehensive cyberinfrastructure, the systems, tools, and services emerging from these new technologies are enabling individuals, groups, and organizations to advance research and education in ways that revolutionize who can participate, what they can do, and how they do it. Sustaining this revolution across all areas of science and engineering requires the formation of a workforce with the knowledge and skills needed to design and deploy as well as adopt and apply these cyber-based systems, tools and services over the long-term. The opportunity for such preparation should be available at all stages of formal and informal education, training and professional development, and must be extended to all interested individuals and communities.

The CI-TEAM program supports projects that position the national science and engineering community to engage in integrated research and education activities promoting, leveraging and utilizing cyberinfrastructure systems, tools and services.

CI-TEAM awards will:

* Prepare current and future generations of scientists, engineers, and educators to design and develop as well as adopt and deploy, cyber-based tools and environments for research and learning, both formal and informal.

* Expand and enhance participation in cyberinfrastructure science and engineering activities of diverse groups of people and organizations, with particular emphasis on the inclusion of traditionally underrepresented individuals, institutions especially Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), and communities as both creators and users of cyberinfrastructure. Continue reading “NSF Releases Cyberinfrastructure Grant Opportunity”

Commerce Secretary Locke Announces Plans for Forum on R&D Commercialization at Universities

Posted on January 21, 2010October 17, 2012

US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced on Tuesday his plans to host a forum with university leaders and key stakeholders on the roles of universities in innovation, economic development, job creation, and commercialization of federally funded research next month in Washington, DC.

The forum, to be held February 24, will open a dialogue among administration officials, university leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, and other stakeholders on the effectiveness of existing government and university policies, programs and practices that impact job creation and commercialization. Participants will discuss potential collaborative steps that the Commerce Department and administration can take working with universities and industry to increase and accelerate commercialization of federal R&D in universities.

Universities cultivate many of the critical capabilities needed to build an innovation economy, including the creation of new fundamental knowledge and technologies, the production of skilled industrial and research workforces, and entrepreneurship and leadership development. The federal government makes substantial investments in university-based R&D and has a long relationship with the university community. With input from many stakeholders, the Commerce Department will explore ways to increase and accelerate commercialization of new ideas from R&D that lead to new businesses and new jobs.

Obama’s FY11 Proposal — Details and Leaks

Posted on January 21, 2010October 17, 2012

Budget Tracker at CQ.com is keeping track of the details emerging on the fiscal 2011 budget request from the Obama administration, as well as reports seemingly based on leaks, and requests. The President’s budget will be submitted to Congress on Monday, February 1^st. The following are a few of the details that are beginning to emerge that may have some implications for the UW or the State of Washington.

• “Race to the Top” Education Funding: On January 19^th, the President announced he will request $1.35 billion for his “Race to the Top” education reform program, which was created last year using about $4.35 billion in economic stimulus funding. Obama also said that program funding would be available not just to states, but also to “local school districts that are also committed to change”. Stimulus program funding was intended to be temporary, and it was unclear whether the new funding would be added to the Education Department‘s budget or offset. Obama said that the competitive and innovative aspects of the program will also be apparent in other parts of his fiscal 2011 budget.

• Transportation Funding: On January 14^th, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the Obama administration is working on a multi-year transportation bill that will cost between $400 billion to $500 billion, and that the administration’s transportation priorities will be unveiled as part of the fiscal 2011 budget. Highway and transit funding, including research funding, is currently operating under temporary extensions because Congress has been unable to agree upon a new multi-year funding mechanism. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee drafted its own $450 billion six-year plan last year and seems intent on pushing that bill forward. So far the Senate and the White House have not agreed on a path forward but most pundits speculate that reauthorization will wait until after the November 2010 elections.

• Everglades Restoration: Nancy Sutley, Chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, recently indicated that Everglades projects may fare well in FY11, even in a budget year that will be marked by especially fierce battles for funding. She recently told reporters in Florida that “[w]hen the 2011 budget comes out, I think you’ll see a continued commitment not only to the Everglades but other ecosystem restoration projects.” Other ecosystem restoration projects may include funding for the Puget Sound.

• NASA: Some media outlets are reporting that NASA’s budget will be a billion-dollar increase in the President’s FY11 budget to help fund the International Space Station through 2020. However, the shuttle program may not be extended.