Support for Basic Research at the National Science Foundation Jeannette M. Wing Assistant Director Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate

Support for Basic Research at the National Science Foundation

Jeannette M. WingAssistant Director

Computer and Information Science and Engineering DirectorateNational Science Foundation

andPresident’s Professor of Computer Science

Carnegie Mellon University

Microsoft Research Asia Faculty SummitBeijing, China

November 3, 2008

2MSRA Faculty Summit Jeannette M. Wing

NSF Vision

Advancing discovery, innovation and education beyond the frontiers of current knowledge, and empowering future generations in science and engineering.


Four Goals (NSF Strategic Plan 2006-2011)

• Discovery– Foster research that will advance the frontiers of

knowledge, emphasizing areas of greatest opportunity and potential benefit and establishing the nation as a global leader in fundamental and transformational science and engineering.

• Learning– Cultivate a world-class, broadly inclusive science and

engineering workforce, and expand the scientific literacy of all citizens.

• Research Infrastructure– Build the nation’s research capability through critical

investments in advanced instrumentation, facilities, cyberinfrastructure and experimental tools.

• Stewardship– Support excellence in science and engineering research

and education through a capable and responsive organization.



Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Directorate

• FY08 appropriation: $535M• FY09 request: $639M

– “Continuing Resolution” till March 9, 2009

• 3 divisions– Computer and Communications Foundations (CCF)– Computer and Network Systems (CNS)– Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS)

• 96 people


Core and Cross-Cutting Programs

CNS IISCCF

Core Core

•Algorithmic F’ns•Communications & Information F’ns•Software & Hardware F’ns

• Human-Centered • Information Integra- tion & Informatics• Robust Intelligence

• Computer Systems• Network Systems

• Infrastructure• Education & Workforce

Core

Cross-Cutting

• Cyber-Physical Systems• Data-intensive Computing• Network Science and Engineering• Trustworthy Computing

Plus many many other programs with other NSF directorates and other agencies


CDI: Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation

• Paradigm shift– Not just computing’s metal tools (transistors and wires) but

also our mental tools (abstractions and methods)

• It’s about partnerships and transformative research.– To innovate in/innovatively use computational thinking; and– To advance more than one science/engineering discipline.

• FY08: ~$50M invested by all directorates and offices– 1800 Letters of Intent, 1300 Preliminary Proposals, 200 Final

Proposals, 36 Awards

Computational Thinking for Science and Engineering


Range of Disciplines in CDI Awards

• Aerospace engineering• Atmospheric sciences• Biochemistry• Biophysics• Chemical engineering• Communications science and engineering• Computer science• Geosciences• Linguistics• Materials engineering• Mathematics• Mechanical engineering• Molecular biology• Nanocomputing• Neuroscience• Robotics• Social sciences• Statistical physics

… advances via Computational Thinking


Range of Societal Issues Addressed

• Cancer therapy• Climate change• Environment• Visually impaired• Water


Simple Mission

• Fund basic, long-term research in science and engineering

• Fund good ideas and good people


Simple Approach: What We Invest In

Research community (academia, industry, …)


How?• Technical conferences, workshops• Reports and studies, e.g., by the National Academies• Professional org’ns• Direct, frequent communication with PI (“principal investigator”) community.

Assistant Director

Division Directors

Director

Program Directors

Bottom up: Ideas generated by research community


Simple Approach: What Gets Funded



Assistant Director

Division Directors

Director

Program Directors

Bottom Up: Merit Review Process

• The PI community is the review community• Peers define what is good, what is new, what is important

NSF Program Directors make funding recommendations based on reviews


NSF’s Distinctive Role

• NSF funds curiosity-driven research

• NSF is not mission oriented– In contrast to the Department of Defense (DARPA, Army,

Navy, Air Force), NASA, National Security Agency (NSA), …

• NSF funds academic researchers– Not national labs, in contrast to the Department of Energy

(DOE), …

• NSF helps train and educate next generation scientists and engineers– Graduate students, post-docs– Undergraduate research programs– Education Directorate, educational programs


What Do I (as CISE AD) Do?

• Represent, speak for, and stand up for our field• Within and outside of NSF• Private and public sectors• Nationally and internationally

• Guide/encourage community toward new, emerging areas

• Shine a light on or create new opportunities, e.g., CDI

• Set priorities for the field• Striking balances


Challenge: Striking Balances

• Preserving (deepening) the Core and expanding our frontiers (broadening)

• Single PI (small) versus multi-PI (large)

• Traditional high-quality versus bold high-risk

non-competitive

competitivehigh riskhigh quality


More Balances

• Preserve the core, single-PI effort versus - Multi-disciplinary/inter-disciplinary: CISE + X - Multi-perspective/intra-disciplinary

theoretical experimental foundational applications

- Collaborative

These are not the same (and we want to support all).

• Research versus Education– Education programs

• Revitalizing undergraduate computer science curricula• Broadening participation in computing


Stewardship for the FieldNSF support as a percentof total federal supportof academic basic research


Distinctive to the Computing Field

Academia

Industry Government

Ecosystem


Examples of CISE-Industry Engagement

FundamentalResearch

auto

finance

civil

aero

medical

chemical materials

energy

transportation

• Multi-core• CISE + ENG + Semiconductor Research Corporation

• Data-Intensive Computing• Google + IBM software and services for 1600+ cluster• HP + Intel + Yahoo! + UIUC software and hardware for 1000+ cluster

• Cyber-Physical Systems• Basic research by academics inspired by sector-specific problems Flower Model

CISE seeks more and new modelsof engagement with industry!


International

• Science transcends political, geographic, and cultural boundaries.

• CISE welcomes working with international partners too!

Last Word:The Future of Computing is

Bright!


Drivers of Computing

Science

Society

Technology• What is computable?• P = NP?• (How) can we build complex systems simply?• What is intelligence?• What is information?

J. Wing, “Five Deep Questions in Computing,” CACM January 2008

7A’sAnytime Anywhere AffordableAccess to Anything by Anyone Authorized.

Thank You!


Credits

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• The inclusion of a logo does not express or imply the endorsement by NSF of the entities' products, services or enterprises

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Support for Basic Research at the National Science Foundation Jeannette M. Wing Assistant Director Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate