National Research Initiative A Vital Competitive Grants Program in Food, Fiber, and Natural-Resources Research (2000) / Chapter Skim
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4 Role and Scope of the NRI Program
4 Role and Scope of the NRI Program
Pages 41-57
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From page 41... ...
." The research was to be directed at six primary subjects: plant systems; animal systems; nutrition, food quality, and health; natural resources and the environment; engineering, products, and processes; and markets, trade, and policy. The enabling legislation called for four types of grants: grants for principal investigators, grants for fundamental multidisciplinary teams, grants for mission-linked multidisciplinary teams, and grants for research-strengthening activities.
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From page 42... ...
The 1995 National Research Council report Allocating Federal Funds for Science and Technology defined basic research as having the following characteristics: "creates new knowledge; is generic, nonappropriable, and openly available; is often done with no specific application in mind; and requires a long-term commitment". The same report defined applied research as having the following characteristics: "uses research methods to address questions with a specific purpose; pays explicit attention to producing knowledge relevant to producing a technology or service; overlaps extensively with basic research; and can be short- or long-term".
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From page 43... ...
The committee therefore believes that it might be more useful to view NRI research along an expected-time-toapplication gradient rather than to force each project to be classified as either applied or fundamental.' Recent developments in science and technology have tThe committee recognizes that such a change would probably require a change in the NRI authorization language, which prescribes a minimum of "mission-linked" research.
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From page 44... ...
The committee does recognize that a potential negative effect of viewing NRI research along an expected-time-to-application gradient is the possibility that resources would be focused predominantly on near-term applications likely to produce short-term results rather than on longer-term research with a potential for higher payoffs. The observed increase in NRI research perceived as mission-linked over the last 8 years might reflect such a trend.
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From page 45... ...
In the words of one respondent, "many young scientists have started their career by NRI-supported research programs....NRI funds have played a major role in training, recruiting and retaining bright scientists in US agriculture." In fact, even with the small amount and brevity of grants, training might have become a major use of NRI funding among university researchers. The NRI supports more than 300 postdoctoral researchers each years including about 30 that receive direct postdoctoral fellowships.6 Information on postdoctoral researchers supported by the NRI is presented in table 4-1.
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From page 46... ...
USDA-EPSCoR entities besides the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other US commonwealths, territories, possessions and their successorscomprise states that have had a funding level from the NRI no higher than the 38th percentile based on a 3-year rolling average. In FY 1999, the NR1: supported six career-enhancement awards, 44 equipment grants, 38 seed grants, and 56 standard strengthening awards (NRI Annual Report, 1999~.
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From page 47... ...
The contributions of standard strengthening grants or equipment grants to institutional teaching and research programs include the development of new courses; the initiation of additional research programs or emphases; the acquisition of complementary equipment; the establishment of new research centers and laboratories; an increase in the quality of teaching related to food, fiber, and natural resources; an increase in the quality of research related to food, fiber, and natural resources; and an improved research environment. Enhancing Public Understanding The NRI maintains an Internet site for distribution of information resulting from its activities.
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From page 48... ...
, and the US Forest Service. USDA also provides formula funds to support research at state agricultural experiment stations, special grants to support targeted research initiatives specified by Congress, and a small amount of funds for other forms of competitive grants.
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From page 49... ...
Research issues examined by the Forest Service include the effects of climate change on forest productivity, the behavior of fires and ecosystem response to catastrophic fires, the effects of forestry on water quality and wildlife, and methods to increase productivity through improved management. Formula Funds: State Agricultural Cooperative Extension Services.
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From page 50... ...
, for a total program budget of $39.5 million. Other Competitive Grants in USDA The competitive research grants component of USDA includes three operating programs in addition to the NRI: the Office of Extramural Programs, the Small Business Innovation Research program, and the Biotechnology Risk Assessment Program.
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From page 51... ...
Most of the roughly $1.6 billion that USDA spends on research through non-NRI programs is distributed noncompetitively through intramural research grants to USDA staff, formula funds to state agricultural stations, and special grants to states for targeted initiatives and direct grants. This allocation system does not in itself necessarily reduce the quality or relevance of the research it supports, but it runs counter to practices at the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation and to the general direction of most federal research practices for assessing research quality and relevance.
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From page 52... ...
, and the Division of Plant Genome Research. DEB supports fundamental research on the origins, functions, relationships, interactions, and evolutionary history of populations, species, communities, and ecosystems.
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From page 53... ...
The program supports research on plant genomics and aims to accelerate the acquisition and use of new knowledge and innovative approaches to elucidate fundamental biologic processes in plants. The Hydrologic Sciences Program in the Earth Sciences Division of NSF's Geosciences Directorate has some potential overlap with the water-quality research supported by the NRI.
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From page 54... ...
Specific research areas include human genomics; ethical, legal, and social implications of genome research; structural-biology; model-organisms; microbial genome; and low-dose radiation. The BER Environmental Sciences Division funds basic research in environmental processes, global change, and other subjects.
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From page 55... ...
There appears to be some overlap in the types of research that could receive funding through other federal research programs and which could be funded through the NRI. Two specific cases of overlap are the NSF Plant Genome Research Division and NIEHS research on agricultural pollution.
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From page 56... ...
Industry scientists also participate in NRI panels, bringing their perspective to the competitive grants process. However, industry's lack of understanding of and participation in the overall NRI program was strongly expressed in the industry survey conducted by the committee (see appendix C)
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From page 57... ...
· No process exists for establishing formal relationships with other federal agencies or for consulting and using stakeholder groups. · Industry-NRI interaction is well below what might be fruitfully pursued.
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