| Posted: August 21, 2008 |
US federal funding for science and engineering fields declines second year in a row |
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(Nanowerk News) Federal funding of academic science and engineering research and development (R&D) failed to outpace inflation for the second year in a row, according to recently released fiscal year (FY) 2007 data from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
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The data from NSF's Survey of Research and Development Expenditures at Universities and Colleges showed an increase in federally funded expenditures of 1.1 percent in current dollars to $30.4 billion, but after adjusting for inflation, the number signified a 1.6 percent decline from FY 2006 R&D expenditures. This decline follows a 0.2 percent decline between FY 2005 and FY 2006. A two-year decline in federal funding in constant dollars is unprecedented for this 35 year data series.
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Traditionally, the federal government has been the largest source of academic R&D funding, accounting for more than 60 percent of total R&D expenditures in most years. Although this is still the case, the share recently decreased, from 64 percent in FY 2005 to 62 percent in FY 2007.
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Overall, R&D expenditures related to science and engineering reported by universities was $49.4 billion in FY 2007. Combined sources of nonfederal funding grew by 7.8 percent in FY 2007, or 5 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars with noteworthy increases in R&D funding from industry.
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After three consecutive years of decline between FY 2001 and FY 2004, industry funding of academic R&D in science and engineering fields grew 11.2 percent to $2.7 billion in FY 2007.
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At the same time, state and local government funding of R&D expenditures grew by 6.1 percent in FY 2007, increasing to $3.1 billion. Funding from academic institutions increased 6.6 percent in FY 2007 to $9.7 billion. Funding from all other sources combined, including nonprofit organizations and other nongovernmental entities, increased 10.0% to $3.5 billion.
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