This week with NSF Director Panchanathan
On May 16, U.S. National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, alongside Former Chair of the National Science Board Chair Dan Reed, testified to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology to discuss NSF's Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request to Congress.
The president's FY 2025 budget request of $10.183 billion is an essential investment in critical areas of research, education, discovery and innovation. There are four strategic themes in the budget request, including:
- Advancing emerging industries for national and economic security.
- Building a resilient planet.
- Creating opportunities everywhere.
- Strengthening research infrastructure.
These themes align with expanding basic research to tackle grand national challenges and empowering new approaches to applied research that spur technology transfer. Watch the testimony.
On May 17, the White House released a "National Security Memorandum on U.S. Policy on the Antarctic Region." This memorandum identifies key objectives to ensure the nation will participate and lead in activities in the Antarctic region. This includes ensuring that NSF maintains scientific programs that advance knowledge, inform decision-making and promote conservation.
The director was also thrilled to announce that NSF has again been recognized among the 2023 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government®. NSF ranked No. 8 among mid-sized agencies. "Diversity and inclusion are core values at NSF, and we continue to prioritize leveraging the diverse experiences and perspectives of our workforce. We have listened to feedback from our employees and taken action to address their needs with ongoing efforts," Panchanathan stated, "These efforts are crucial in empowering our staff to continue driving forward our mission of advancing science and engineering for the benefit of society. Together, we will create an even brighter future for our staff and the work they do every day on behalf of the nation."