Data on Federal Research and Development Investments: A Pathway to Modernization

Two surveys of the National Science Foundation's Division of Science Resources Statistics (SRS) provide some of the most significant data available to understand research and development spending and policy in the United States. These are the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development and the Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions. These surveys help reach conclusions about fundamental policy questions, such as whether a given field of research is adequately funded, whether funding is balanced among fields, and whether deficiencies in funding may be contributing to a loss of U.S. scientific or economic competitiveness. However, the survey data are of insufficient quality and timeliness to support many of the demands put on them. In addition the surveys are increasingly difficult to conduct in times of constrained resources, and their technological, procedural, and conceptual infrastructure has not been modernized for procedure or content. Data on Federal Research and Development Investments reviews the uses and collection of data on federal funds and federal support for science and technology and recommends future directions for the program based on an assessment of these uses and the adequacy of the surveys. The book also considers the classification structure, or taxonomy, for the fields of science and engineering. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 The Current Surveys: Challenges and Opportunities 3 Improving the Current System in the Short Term 4 Toward a New Data Reporting System Based on Administrative Records 5 Toward a Comprehensive Assessment of Federal Research and Development Investment 6 The Path Ahead References Appendix A: Acronyms and Abbreviations Appendix B: Guide to Federal Grants and Contracts Databases Appendix C: Modernizing the Infrastructure of the National Science Foundation Federal Funds Survey: Summary of a Workshop Appendix D: Biographical Sketches of Panel Members and Staff Committee on National Statistics