This week with NSF Director Panchanathan

U.S. National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan battled winter weather this week to deliver a keynote address at the IIT2024 Global Conference, pay a visit to India House and join a panel discussion at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 92nd Winter Meeting.  

On Sunday, the director attended the IIT2024 Global Conference, where he shared NSF's vision for the future of scientific research and technological advancement in key areas, including the "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022," AI, biotechnology and lab-to-market platforms. The conference focused on four topics: artificial intelligence, health and medicine, energy and the environment, and India rising.  

On a snowy Monday evening at India House at the Embassy of India, the director and Ambassador of India to the U.S. Taranjit Singh Sandhu explored ways to deepen the STEM partnership between the two nations.  

At the U.S. Conference of Mayors session on "Partnering with Universities," led by Leirion Gaylor Baird, mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, the director discussed how civic leaders could leverage partnerships to improve the quality of life for their local communities through NSF's Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) and NSF's Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) programs.  

• NSF Engines catalyzes and fosters innovation ecosystems in communities and regions around the U.S. to advance critical technologies, address pressing national and societal challenges, cultivate partnerships, stimulate job growth and spur regional talent.  
• CIVIC is a partnership among NSF, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Energy to invest with civic partners, nonprofits and community leaders in pilot projects that address community-identified challenges.