DOCUMENT RESUME ED 093 664 SE 017 755 TITLE National Science Foundation Annual Report 1973. INSTITUTION National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C. REPORT NO NSF-74-1 PUB DATE 73 NOTE 127p. AVAILABLE FROMSuperintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 ($2.35) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.75 HC-$6.60 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS *Aunual Reports; Mathematics Education; *Program Descriptions; Research; *Research Projects; Science Education; Sciences; Scientific Research; Teacher Education IDENTIFIERS *National Science Foundation ABSTRACT Statistics on the allotment of funds and descriptions of activities carried out under the auspices of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1973 are reported. Details are provided for activities in the categories of:(1) research project support, (2). national and international programs,(3) research applications, (it): science education research and programs, and (5) science resources and policy studies. Among the appendices are a listing of staff, advisory committee, and panel members; details cf organization changes and appointments; a financial report for 1973; a description of patents resulting from NSF-supported activities; a publications list; and a list of national research centers' contractors. (RE) Ii National Science U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, ' EDUCATION 8 WELFARE Foundation NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN MING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS Annual Report 0 STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE re1 SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF 90' EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY. 1973 Letter of Transmittal Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: I have the honor to transmit herewith the Annual Report for Fiscal Year 1973 of the National Science Foundation for submission to the Congress as required by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950. Respectfully, H. ORD STEVER D eetur, National Science Foundation. The Ilonorable The President of the United States Contents Page Director's Statement vii Research Project Capport Activities 1 Mathematical and Physical Sciences 6 Biological and Medical Sciences 16 Environmental Sciences 19 Engineering 28 Social Sciences 32 Materials Research 35 Computing Activities 40 National and International Programs 43 National and Special Research Programs 46 National Research Centers 55 Science Information Activities 60 International Science Activities 61 Research Management Improvement 64 Research Applications 65 Advanced Technology Applications 68 Environmental Systems and Resources 72 Social Systems and Human Resources 74 Exploratory Research and Problem Assessment 76 Intergovernmental Science and Research Utilization 77 Science Education 81 Science Education Research, Development, and Demonstration 84 Instructional Improvement Implementation 90 Talented Students 93 Graduate Student Support 95 Science Resources and Policy Studies 95 Public Understanding of Science 97 Appendices 99 A. National Science Board, NSF Staff, Advisory Committees, and Panels 99 B.Organization Changes and Appointments 118 C.Financial Report for Fiscal Year 1973 120 D.Patents Resulting from Activities Supported by the National Science Foundation 121 E.Publications of the National Science Foundation, Fiscal Year 1973 121 F. National Research Centers Contractors 122 DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT Vii Director's Statement An annual report is usually thought of as a fungus attacks a serious soybean pest known as record of activitiesan accounting of a Heliothisas it hatches and before it can destroy stewardship. This report is no exception, but it the blossoms. also reveals something about science and the At times, pathways can be exceedingly subtle viewpoints of those charged with and complex and take sustained effort and long responsibilities for the work of the Foundation. periods of time to elucidate, as in the case of One of the things revealed by some highlights photosynthesis, which converts solar energy into from this year's Annual Report is how science plant growth. The green pigment chlorophyll is goes about probing the unknown. For instance, an essential ingredient of this process, and as one important way to go beyond the current long ago as the 1930'sit was concluded that limits of human experience and understanding is molecules of chlorophyll must act cooperatively to find out what actually happens in natural rather thanindividuallyinthis energy systems in order to determine how they work. conversion. But major aspects of the associated Tracingthe pathways followed by natural reactions were not clarified until recently. This materials or organisms often makes it possible to research delineated two plant photosystems identifyuniformities, quantify relationships, with different properties occurring together. One make validpredictions,or carry out other system ultimately makes available the energy scientificactivities. Butdeterminingthe needed by the cell, but does not generate oxygen sequence of natural events can be very difficult. or fix carbon dioxide. The other system evolves oxygen and reduces carbon dioxide to form Research Project Support carbohydrates, but does not have an energy function. Both pathways are complex, but work A good example ischemical reactionsin solutions. While such reactions are extremely together in making the plant organism viable. common, most chemists have underestimated the All of the natural processes just described have influence of the solvent while concentrating on one important characteristic in commonthey the chemical properties of the molecules directly existnow and manisnottheoperative involved in the reactions. Now, we are finding mechanism. But sometimes we are interested in that the solvents are much more important than pathways that might exist by man's intervention realized before, and in some instances it appears and can he shaped according to our future needs that almost all of the energy needed to make orresources.Alternative pathways forthe reactions take place is involved in getting the environmentareparticularly difficult to solvent out from between reacting molecules. delineatebecauseoftheircomplexity. Several new lines of evidence illuminate this Recognizingthis,a group of scientists has created a dynamic environmental simulator that sequence, and one technique now makesit possible to sort out complex reaction chains and, will enable people to "walk" or "drive" through equally important, to tell when charged particles small, three-dimensional scale models of urban, of a given mass are not involved in a given suburban, and natural environments. These reaction. simulated tours through miniature environments Researchinthebiologicalsciencesalso will provide vivid and accurate previews of illustratesthe importance of accurately alternative environments of value to planning determining the sequence of natural events. and to public decisionmaking. Some strategies to regulate pest populations may use cultivation practices to influence the life National and Special Research Programs cycle pathways of harmful organisms. If soybean Whilemanyindependent investigations plants are planted so that there is a continuous spread out over a period of time may he the best canopy at the time of flowering, it has now been way to determine some complex pathways, some established that a certain pathogenic fungus othersyieldmore readilytomany-faceted flourishes because of the higher humidity. This attacks clone in concert. In an effort to learn how Viii DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT the tundra ecosystem functions, for example, objectiveof contributingtotheirpractical dozens of scientists from different institutions solution. In so doing, efforts are undertaken to converge on Point Barrow, Alaska, and other shorten the lead time between our basic research sites, to do intensive research during the short activitiesandmorehighlystructured summer arctic growing season. Results, when development programs of other Federal agencies analyzed and compared, then can suggest what or other users. particularresearch emphases may be most In pursuit of these objectives, the RANN beneficial in successive summers. program obligated almost$70million during The Foundation is also supporting work to fiscal year1973.This amounted to about 12 understand the vast oceanic mixing processes percent of the total funds obligated by NSF. With and other physical, chemical, and biological thesefunds, emphasis has been placed on studies related to the transport of pollutants in definite systems concepts involving energy, the the ocean and their effects on 1).z-trine life. To do environment, and productivity. this, in part, trace elements and radioisotopic The need to expand the availability of the data are used to establish geochemical baselines Nation's energy resources needs nofurther for quantitative studies of ocean mixing and for description here. An important aspect of this developingimprovedmodelsofocean problem relates to the development of alternative circulation. forms of energy and the technology base for their And some kinds of pathways, likethose practical use. For example, new optical coatings revealing the Earth's and the universe's history, to trap solar energy have been improved by a are best detected using specialized sampling and factor of two. Research activities on observing facilitieslike the deep sea drilling environmental issues include efforts to improve ship Glomar Challenger or a large astronomical our abilitytomanage the environment telescope at one of the national