NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION's update

 

SCIENCE MATTERS sciencematters@nsf.gov Check out the latest from NSF’s Science Matters blog. Tuesday, April 6, 2021 Tribal colleges and universities partner to fill COVID-19 data gaps When Elisha Yellow Thunder first learned of COVID-19, she worried that her community would be hit hard. As a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation (Oglala Sioux Tribe), born and raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, Yellow Thunder knew that her community was not equipped to address a pandemic. Nearly a year later, Yellow Thunder mourns the loss of many relatives. Like many tribes across the U.S., the Oglala Sioux Tribe has been devastated by a loss of elders, many of whom are the cultural knowledge-keepers and fluent speakers of the Lakota language. Continue Reading     .

Wednesday, April 7, 2021 7 Cool NSF-funded robots Whether microscopic or human-sized, inspired by tree-dwelling mammals or pasta, the family of U.S. National Science Foundation-funded robots captures the incredible innovation possible with cross-disciplinary collaboration across STEM fields. The critical research NSF supports enables advances in the physical aspects of robotic systems and how they "think" and understand the world around them. Scientists and engineers are training robots to support the workforce; training the workforce that will use them; and studying how the world understands and interacts with these autonomous systems. The following are seven projects featuring amazing new robots and highlighting the exciting ways in which robots could benefit individuals, industry and society. Continue Reading

Friday, April 9, 2021 Building stronger bridges between discovery, innovation, and prosperity With increased global competition, how can we build a robust science and engineering enterprise empowered by discoveries and discoverers that accelerate advancements and technological innovations to further advance our nation’s place as global leader? How can we ensure that S&E research contributes to much-needed solutions for pandemic response, climate change, racial equity and economic recovery? NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan explains why NSF stands ready to lead the charge. Today, the Biden-Harris administration released its budget request to Congress for fiscal year 2022. The discretionary spending request includes $10.17 billion for the U.S. National Science Foundation, which represents a 20% increase over the agency’s current budget. Continue Reading     .