Funding

Video: Rising costs necessitate recalibration of offshore wind power projects

By Lisa McDonald / November 29, 2023

Investment in offshore wind projects is increasing, but rising manufacturing and supply chain costs are hindering the translation of this investment into tangible products. The success of future projects will depend on governments and wind energy firms recalibrating the cost of the planned energy transition.

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Video: Years of slashed infrastructure spending culminates in crumbling concrete crisis in the UK

By Lisa McDonald / September 20, 2023

Years of slashed infrastructure spending by the U.K.’s Conservative-led government has culminated in a crumbling concrete crisis as buildings constructed out of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete begin to fail after being pushed beyond their intended lifespan.

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Video: NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships—a look at its priorities and programs

By Lisa McDonald / December 7, 2022

The National Science Foundation officially established the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships in March 2022, but the mission and scope of the directorate remained unclear until the Chips and Science Act of 2022 was signed into law this August. Learn about the priorities and programs of NSF’s newest directorate.

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CHIPS+ nears the finish line after two plus years of discussion

By Lisa McDonald / August 2, 2022

On July 28, 2022, the United States House of Representatives approved the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden for his signature. This act, colloquially called CHIPS+, contains bipartisan semiconductor funding and innovation policy measures that have been in the works since the Trump administration.

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National Science Foundation adds new directorate for the first time in more than 30 years

By Lisa McDonald / March 29, 2022

On March 16, 2022, the National Science Foundation announced the establishment of a Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships, its first new directorate in more than 30 years. Learn how this directorate came to be and what still needs to be decided concerning its operations.

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Video: DOE funds projects to reduce waste from and sustain future deployment of advanced nuclear reactors

By Lisa McDonald / March 23, 2022

On March 10, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $36 million for 11 projects seeking to increase deployment and use of nuclear power and limit the amount of waste produced from advanced nuclear reactors. Learn more about these projects and some of the arguments for and against increasing reliance on nuclear power.

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Obstacles and opportunities to commercializing carbon capture and storage

By Lisa McDonald / April 27, 2021

Despite extensive support, the vast majority of projects that seek to commercialize carbon capture and storage technologies have ended in failure. Researchers led by the University of California, San Diego investigated the factors important to determining failure or success.

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Can you build a better mask? US agencies open $500,000 challenge to improve face masks

By April Gocha / April 13, 2021

Despite being well over a year-deep into the COVID-19 pandemic, there still is plenty of room for improvement in terms of everyday consumer face masks. With that in mind, U.S. government agencies have partnered to host an open innovation challenge to build a better face mask—and they are backing winning ideas with $500,000 in prize money.

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Endless Frontier Act: Will applied research become a main focus for the National Science Foundation?

By Lisa McDonald / March 26, 2021

The National Science Foundation is one of the main federal funding sources for basic science research—but China’s significantly increased investments in scientific research has led some U.S. senators to propose a bill that would reorganize NSF to support more applied research. Learn more about this proposal in today’s CTT.

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From division to directorate—panel suggests elevating materials research status within NSF

By Lisa McDonald / November 12, 2019

The National Academies recently released a materials research decadal survey claiming large investments by countries in Europe and East Asia jeopardize U.S. leadership in materials science. Could elevating materials research from a division to directorate within NSF help focus national attention and increase funding?

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