Tenth Anniversary of the National Science Foundation

VOL. 41, No. 9, SEPTEMBER, 1960 489 Tenth Anniversary of the National Science Foundation Dr. Alan T. Waterman, Director of the National Science Foundation was associated with pioneering efforts in weather observation techniques early in his career during the time of his military service with the U. S. Army in World War I. He rose from Private to Lieutenant while with the Science and Research Division of the Army Signal Corps during that period. Dr. Waterman received his Ph.D. in physics from Princeton in 1916, and following his military service was on the faculty of the Department of Physics at Yale University until 1942. During World War II Dr. Waterman served as Vice Chairman of Division D and as Assistant to Member, National Defense Research Committee. From 1943 to 1945 he was Deputy Chief and later Chief of the Office of Field Service, Office of Scientific Research and Development. From 1946 to 1951 Dr. Waterman was with the Office of Naval Research as Deputy Chief and Chief Scientist. He was appointed Director of the National Science Foundation on April 6, 1951. Dr. Waterman holds memberships in many scientific societies and committees, and in addition is a member of the Federal Council for Science and Technology and the National Aeronautics and Space Council. He was a member of the Advisory Committee on Weather Control, whose final report included among its recommenda- tions that NSF undertake a broad program in weather modification. In July, 1958, under his guidance, the Foundation established an Atmospheric Sciences Program to look after the expanding needs of this area of science. This Program also administers NSF's Weather Modifica- tion Program, established as a result of Public Law 85-510. Dr. Waterman has conducted research investigations in the field of conduction of electricity through solids; thermionic, photoelectric emission and allied effects; and electrical properties of solids. For his war work with the Office of Scientific Research and Development Dr. Waterman was awarded the Medal for Merit in 1948. He has also received the Public Welfare Medal of the National Academy of Sciences, conferred on him on April 26, 1960, "for eminence in the application of science to the public welfare." In 1957 the first annual Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Award, established by the Office of Naval Research, was presented to Dr. Waterman in recognition of and reward for his outstanding technical and scientific achieve- ments in research and development for the Navy. He has also received the Class Memorial Cup, Class of 1913, Princeton University, "in recognition of his meritorious and outstanding service to his profession and his country." May 10, 1960 marked the tenth anniversary of the signing of the National Science Foundation Act by President Truman. Observance of the Tenth Anniversary Year of the National Science Foundation was celebrated at a dinner during which Dr. George B. Kistiakowsky, Science Ad- visor to the President, gave the major address. Enactment of the legislation followed five years of discussion and planning for establishment of a Federal agency to support basic research and education in the sciences. This planning was stimu- lated largely by the publication in 1945 of Science, The Endless Frontier, by Vannevar Bush, Di- rector of the wartime Office of Scientific Research and Development. Long out of print, this his- toric publication has been reissued during NSF's Anniversary Year. A revision of the National Research Council Study Soviet Professional Manpower, first pub- lished by the Foundation in 1955, is also expected during the year. A look at the Foundation's history during its brief period of existence shows that it has already become an important source of support for basic research and education in the sciences. After receiving a small appropriation in 1950 for the ad- ministrative costs of establishment, it began op- DR. ALAN TOWER WATERMAN 490 BULLETIN AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY erations a year later with an appropriation of $3.5 tions, and university computing facilities and nu- million. The current, fiscal 1961, appropriation is clear research laboratories. $175.8 million. The Foundation maintains two scientific re- During its first year the Foundation made 96 search facilities, the National Radio Astronomy basic research grants totaling $1,073,975. During Observatory at Green Bank, West Virginia, op- fiscal 1959, the most recent year for which total erated for NSF by Associated Universities, Inc., figures are available, NSF made 1809 basic re- and the Kitt Peak National Observatory near search grants totaling $49,121,529. NSF's ap- Tucson, Arizona, operated for NSF by the Asso- propriation that year was $136 million. ciation of Universities for Research in Astronomy, During the same period the amount expended Inc. A third facility, the National Center for for furthering training in the sciences increased Atmospheric Research, is in process of formation from $1,540,171 in fiscal 1952 to $62,070,352 in and will be operated for NSF by the University fiscal 1959. Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Closely related to facilities support is the as- Support of Basic Research sistance given graduate laboratories. The Foun- From the beginning the two major NSF re- dation provides funds on a matching basis for search-support divisions have been the Mathe- modernizing and equipping these research instal- matical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences Di- lations, which in many universities have become vision, encompassing the physical sciences, and obsolescent and overcrowded. This program was the Biological and Medical Sciences Division. initiated during the past fiscal year with the Throughout the early history of NSF research planned obligation of $2 million to meet some of support was divided approximately equally be- the most pressing needs. tween the two divisions, but the MPE division is now receiving slightly more. Education in the Sciences In fiscal 1959 the MPE division made 746 Encouragement and support of scientific training grants totaling $23,723,424, and the BMS division is the other major responsibility of the Founda- made 967 grants totaling $20,461,605. tion. The Fellowship program is the oldest sup- The Biological and Medical Sciences programs port program in NSF, having begun in fiscal 1952 include all aspects of the life sciences from mo- by giving 573 fellowships of two types—533 pre- lecular biology to psychobiology. The Mathe- doctoral and 38 postdoctoral. matical, Physicial, and Engineering Sciences in- By fiscal 1959 these two programs had grown clude astronomy, earth and atmospheric sciences, to seven, with a total of 3937 fellowships awarded, and chemistry, as well as those indicated in the and recipients ranging from secondary school title. teachers to senior postdoctoral scientists. In the early years support of basic research in Since the Foundation's inception a total of the social sciences was carried on at a very modest about 13,000 graduate students and advanced level within the two science divisions. At the end scholars have been aided by these fellowships. of 1958 an Office of Social Sciences was established A highly important program for training sci- to support basic research in archaeology, econom- ence teachers and assisting them to keep abreast ics, philosophy of science, linguistics, social an- of recent scientific developments is NSF's Insti- thropology, demography, history of science, and tutes program. A wide variety of Summer In- social psychology. In fiscal 1959 this Office made stitutes are now offered at colleges and uni- 53 grants totaling $889,300. versities throughout the country for teachers from elementary school to college level. Academic Facilities for Basic Research Year Institutes are held for teachers on leave to A pressing scientific problem that the Founda- improve their knowledge and skills in science, tion is helping to alleviate is that of basic research and In-Service Institutes are held after school facilities. Major instruments such as nuclear re- or on weekends. actors and large telescopes are ordinarily beyond In 1953 the Institutes program began with 42 the means of most universities. NSF has made participants; it reached nearly 31,000 in 1959 major grants in many such needy fields, support- and is continuing at a slightly higher rate this ing the construction of such varied facilities as an year. oceanographic research vessel, a large and well A complementary approach to science teaching equipped biotron for studying environmental ef- improvement is support for projects involving first- fects on plants and animals, biological field sta- rank scholars in the development of curricula that .

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