Director of the National Science Foundation Dr. Arden L. Bement Jr. led a team from the National Science Foundation in a day-long conference to discuss research grant funding opportunities with faculty members from universities throughout New Mexico. More than 200 researchers attended the conference where NSF grant priorities were the main topic of discussion throughout the day.
Later in the morning, Bement also toured several sites at UNM with President Louis Caldera and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Terry Yates.
Bement told the researchers and faculty members that the NSF is not interested in safe, established research and urged them to be boldly imaginative in making grant proposals.
The conference workshops included detailed information about grant potential in the 2006 NSF priority areas of biocomplexity in the environment, human and social dynamics, mathematical sciences and nanoscale science and engineering.
Bement said the NSF is very focused on funding areas of research where they feel there is the potential for significant progress in the next few years.
The conference was arranged and sponsored by the office of Senator Jeff Bingaman who felt there was a need for researchers to talk directly with the major proposal funding agency for university research.
Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; e-mail: kwent2@unm.edu