The nation’s path toward a clean energy future, environmental sustainability, and U.S. competitiveness and national security depends on discovery science. Behind every advance in applied science and every technological innovation lie years or decades of basic research, stimulated by scientists’ curiosity about the world around us or inspired by potential uses of science in our innovation economy.
The President’s budget for the Office of Science (SC) for FY23 supports the very discoveries that drive U.S. innovation in three critical, interconnected areas:
The frontiers of science—exploring nature’s mysteries on Earth and throughout the cosmos, from the study of fundamental subatomic particles, atoms, and molecules that are the building blocks of the materials of our universe and everything in it to the DNA, proteins, and cells that are the building blocks of life.
21st Century tools of science—providing the nation’s researchers with 28 state-of-the-art national scientific user facilities, the most advanced tools of modern science in the world, propelling the U.S. to the forefront of science, technology development, and deployment through innovation.
Science for energy and the environment—building the knowledge foundation to advance the Department’s mission in energy and environment, and addressing the profound and urgent challenges of climate change.
The President’s budget provides the necessary resources for these pillars of our discovery science, with particular focus on Administration priorities including climate change and clean energy, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and preparing for biological threats. But there is also support for new directions and initiatives.
Moving breakthrough science into breakout technology is critical to delivering results to the American people. Our Accelerate Innovations in Emerging Technologies initiative will drive breakthrough discoveries to accelerate the creation, production, and commercialization of new technologies to form the basis of future industries with public and economic impact.
The budget also widens SC’s participation in DOE’s Energy Earthshots Initiative, establishing Energy Earthshot Research Centers (EERCs) that SC and DOE’s Energy Technology Offices will use to leverage the work of academic, National Laboratory, and industrial researchers at the interface between basic research and applied research.
Bringing the power of discovery to applied science and technology will require the best, most diverse STEM workforce in our history. Support for Funding for Accelerated, Inclusive Research (FAIR) will provide focused investment on enhancing research on clean energy, climate, and related topics at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), including attention to underserved and environmental justice regions. And this budget doubles funding for Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) to increase participation and retention of individuals from underrepresented groups in SC research activities.
The watchword for the Office of Science is Science Serving the Nation. We take this remit seriously. The President’s budget will give us unprecedented resources for basic research and the tools to pursue discovery to build better lives for all Americans.
