This is a proposed bill by 2 US senators. I'll worry about that if it passes Congress and the president has to decide whether to veto it (his 2020 budget proposal cut NSF's budget by 6-7%).
I honestly like the sound of a technology directorate. I'd love to see some basic research into new computing technology, based on topological insulators or optics.
Many academic leaders are praising the legislation, which was spearheaded by the Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer (NY), and co-sponsored by Senator Todd Young (R–IN) [...]
Whenever I see joint legislation like this it gives me hope that despite our hyper partisan climate, there is at least some collaboration still happening.
As someone who was often distracted from grad school research to work on grant applications this is great news. I would caution against making the NSF more like DARPA though. DARPA definitely breathes down your neck asking for monthly updates that hinders research/ideas that take longer to develop.
Federal research funding should be directed towards developing big, long-term ideas rather than short-term research tech companies can and do focus on.
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[ 3.8 ms ] story [ 26.7 ms ] threadI'm cautiously optimistic, but we need to see a finalized version of this bill before we get excited or disappointed.
The real news, I'd say.
Whenever I see joint legislation like this it gives me hope that despite our hyper partisan climate, there is at least some collaboration still happening.
Federal research funding should be directed towards developing big, long-term ideas rather than short-term research tech companies can and do focus on.