National Science Foundation (NSF)

This week was full of celebrations and milestones — including recognizing NSF staff and public servants for their hard work to better the nation; celebrating teachers for their dedication to educating the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators; and a milestone in achieving responsible artificial intelligence. On Sunday, NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan traveled to Boston, where he delivered a commencement speech at Northeastern University’s 2024 graduate commencement ceremony at Fenway Park. During his address, he encouraged the students to embrace the spirit of inquiry, curiosity and discovery as they embark on their professional journeys. On Monday, Panchanathan joined the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to discuss AI efforts. At this event, the director announced the first 35 projects that will be supported with computational time through the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Pilot, marking a significant milestone in fostering responsible AI research across the nation. The director concluded the week by attending the AI Expo for National Competitiveness in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Special Competitive Studies Project. Panchanathan gave a keynote speech emphasizing the importance of strengthening investments in AI research and development for the nation’s competitiveness and growth and partnering to drive innovation and propel the U.S. to a prosperous future. At the expo, the director had a unique opportunity to converse with companies and universities at the forefront of AI powered by NSF investments.

Today marks 74 years of NSF science! 🎇 The world has been forever changed by groundbreaking discoveries in science and technology from NSF investments. We are proud to have made significant contributions in various fields of science, ranging from biology to astronomy, engineering, computer science and beyond. We are excited about the discoveries that await us! Happy birthday to us! 🎉 📷: Nicolle R. Fuller/NSF

Sending a big thank you to all the educators who make a difference in their student's lives every day. Did you know that the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (#PAEMST) has celebrated more than 5,000 teachers nationwide? Learn more about that community of award-winning teachers at https://bit.ly/4bnFv8C. How did you celebrated your local teachers this week? #TeacherAppreciationWeek

NSF has achieved an A+ on the Small Business Administration's Small Business Procurement Scorecard — a measure of how well agencies meet their small business contracting goals. NSF has maintained this rating for the third year in a row and is one of 10 federal agencies to receive this award. In Fiscal Year 2023, NSF awarded over $200 million to small businesses creating jobs and advancing innovation nationwide. NSF is committed to ensuring that contracting opportunities are transparent and accessible to small and disadvantaged businesses and to building upon this success in FY 2024. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/3WyjVdc.

NSF is excited to announce the expansion of the NSF Convergence Accelerator to 10 regions to enhance national and regional competitiveness in research, innovation and workforce development. The expansion of the program will include the following regions: the Northwest, West, Southwest, Mountain, Midwest, South Central, Central, Southeast, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. "Over the last four years, the NSF Convergence Accelerator has demonstrated how to integrate a multidisciplinary approach with innovation processes to accelerate research to tangible, impactful solutions for the American people. The expansion of the NSF Convergence Accelerator will allow NSF to more fully harness the geography of innovation by increasing the concentration, proximity and diversity of NSF-funded researchers and practitioners, and by scaling the delivery of use-inspired solutions to benefit every part of the country," said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships To learn more about this opportunity and get more info on the regional events, visit https://bit.ly/4bllFek.

Happy #BlackHoleWeek! Sagittarius A* is the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way galaxy. It is so massive that it contains 99.9% of the mass of the galaxy's center. This was recently determined by astronomers in an international collaboration that included the use of NSF NSF NOIRLab's Gemini Observatory. To learn more on how astronomers determine this, visit: https://bit.ly/4dxNjGS 📷: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva/(Spaceengine).

This Public Service Recognition Week, we take this time to celebrate and show our gratitude to NSF staff and all the nation's workers at the federal, state, county and local government levels. This week is about your dedication, hard work and commitment to NSF and its mission. Your inspiring work impacts countless others and advances science and technology to new heights every day. A big thank you for all you do! 👏 #PublicServiceRecognitionWeek

Our backyards would seem like an unlikely place to find a type of creature capable of withstanding radiation doses hundreds of times higher than the lethal amount to humans. Inhabiting damp moss and lichen, among other environments, these itty-bitty, 8-legged micro-animals, known as tardigrades or water bears, first flamed the curiosity of scientists centuries ago, who observed their ability to dry out and be "resurrected" with just a splash of water. Since then, tardigrades have been found in all sorts of extreme environments and show great resilience in the face of changes and impacts that would harm or kill other animals. Uncovering how these hardy little creatures survive intense radiation is the focus of a recently published study led by NSF-funded researchers @university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill who have discovered new clues into their powerful genetic makeup. The researchers' experiments reveal that tardigrades are kings of the animal kingdom with regard to molecular repair. After having their DNA shattered by X-rays, the tardigrades quickly bounced back – reassembling their DNA by creating DNA repair proteins rapidly and in extreme abundance. By piecing together the puzzle of tardigrades' incredible DNA repair response to radiation, the researchers' work could one day have real-world, human-health applications, including helping to treat people who are exposed to cancer-causing levels of radiation. To learn more, visit: https://unc.live/4a7jDgB 📷: Bob Goldstein/Vicky Madden, UNC-Chapel Hill

The U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are thrilled to announce the first 35 projects that will be supported with computational time through the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot, marking a significant milestone in fostering responsible AI research across the nation.  “The NAIRR Pilot, fueled by the need to advance responsible AI research and broaden access to cutting-edge resources needed for AI research, symbolizes a firm stride toward democratizing access to vital AI tools across the talented communities in all corners of our country,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. “While this is only the first step in our NAIRR efforts, we plan to rapidly expand our partnerships and secure the level of investments needed to realize the NAIRR vision and unlock the full potential of AI for the benefit of humanity and society.”  In addition, the NAIRR Pilot has opened a second opportunity for researchers and educators to apply for access to resources that support AI research, which will also enable educators to train students through hands-on projects. The pilot embraces diversity and collaboration acknowledging that addressing AI challenges requires a collective effort across sectors, and empowers researchers and educators from diverse U.S. institutions, including minority-serving institutions and small businesses, to contribute various perspectives and technical directions. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3y8EhQc 📷: Charlotte Geary/NSF

The Arctic Sciences Section (ARC) of the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of science analyst. The NSF OPP/ARC science analyst: 🧊 works with program officers and/or senior staff to provide integrated and responsible support for a research program or program area. 🧊 contributes to the efforts of the OPP/ARC under the leadership of the section head and program officers. 🧊 primarily serves as the executive secretary for the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (https://bit.ly/4bpdRYL), of which NSF is the lead among 18 federal agencies. 🧊 performs other intra- and inter-agency duties as assigned. To learn more about the position and apply by May 15, 2024, visit USAJobs: https://bit.ly/4btWN45. 📷: Zoe Courville