It may seem surprising, but federal research financing is not only for scientists. A component of many federal scholarships that supports basic research requires sharing discoveries with non -agreed. This component is referred to as “Wider effects“By the National Science Corporation, it can make a big difference for K-12 students, teachers, museum employees, Citizen scholars And other people interested in science, with scientists also helping to restore the taxpayers who finance their businesses.
Basic researchOften this is done due to the attention of the curious world, it may not be at first Direct applicationLike developing a smartphone or treating the disease. But these discoveries build important knowledge in natural sciences, engineering, mathematics and related specialties.
US A global pioneer in scientific and technological innovation. At the federal level, the National Science Corporation, or NSF is one of the main financiers of this type of basic research. In 2022, the federal government It funds 40 % of all basic research in the United StatesWith the rest of other sources, including the business sector.
During World War II, the President Franklin de Roosevelt He wanted to put the United States for strategic and economic leadership around the world. cost Physicist Vanifar Bush To develop a vision for the future of American science and technology. His report 1945, “Science: endless limits“In 1950, the Congress established the National Science Foundation to enhance the progress of science, enhance national prosperity, luxury and secure national defense.
During the first decades of NSF, the fifties until the late 1990s, the proposals were often evaluated based on the quality of science and scientists who are doing. After that, the Foundation has created a new system, still in place today.
Consequently, each NSF research proposal is now reviewed based on the two criteria: intellectual merit, quality and grandmother of science and the tracking record of the research team, and “” “” and “.Wider effects– Related activities that publish discoveries for public masses.
The intellectual merit revolves around the progress of knowledge and scientific innovation, while the broader effects describe why people who are not interested scholars must, and how society can benefit from this research.
Another practical aspect of the broader effects is that taxpayers pay these activities, so it is important for them and Congress, they are their return on investment. These activities continue the broader effects around and involve them in researching a variety of roads.
While researchers usually understand the intellectual merit of their NSF projects, these broader effects can be difficult to describe.
Wide influence activities
Since childhood, I had an interest In excavation – Studying excavations and what we can learn about prehistoric life. This field is primarily the basic research – in addition to knowledge of old life. As a scientist Conducting basic research, I was responsible for returning the beautiful to society through the broader influence activities, and I saw many benefits that these activities can get.
My primary school The field of attention The mammals have become extinct, especially the Americas He recorded 55 million years of fossil horses In this continent. For years, NSF has supported my discoveries about this interesting group of animals. Fossil horses are a classic example of development – in books and museum exhibitions.
A fossil horse from the ice age offered at the Florida Museum. Fossil horses are a classic example of development – both in books and museum exhibitions. Florida Museum (Mary Warric’s image)
Many people are generally interested in horses, so it is easy to attract their attention with this charismatic group. They are often surprised when they learned that prehistoric horses were home to North America for millions of years. Then, during historical times, they were Humans presented it for the first time on The continent about 500 years ago.
Over the years, I used my research team the broader effects of grants to teach people about these fossil horses and our research. Examples include this work with science teachers K-12 to develop lessons plans. Students Boch horse’s teeth size And explore how their teeth adapted to feed on herbs. We have also developed exhibits on fossil horses and studied how They communicate science for the museum visitors.
Science teachers joined our field work to collect excavations along the Panama channel during its recent expansion. I have given many conversations and I cooperated with fossil clubs And their organs throughout the United States, we also exposed us Projects such as excavations Al-Ahfour university university donated their excavations and worked alongside the K-12 teachers to develop the lessons plans that were again implemented in the classes of the teachers.
One examples of the broader influence activity. Florida Museum (Jeff Gage)
We have also been able to stimulate people’s interest in other animal groups – such as fossil sharks. Through our A scientist in every program for the Florida SchoolWe have presented groups studying middle school teachers with real fossil shark teeth. Their students learn to identify shark teeth and then train computers to identify teeth using machine learning, which is a type of artificial intelligence.
Students study fossil sharks through a program at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Florida Museum (Meghan Higbi Hendricsson’s image)
The results of a wider effect
The activities of the broader effects such as a variety of short and long -term results can have. more than 50 million people Visit natural history museums in the United States annually. Activities that enhance museums can reach large numbers of people in their pursuit of lifelong learning.
On a wider scale, participatory science interest groups can allow people to learn about science while informing basic research projects. In the field of natural history, some popular examples include Merlin app and An abnormal applicationAnd both have millions of active observers. Merlin encourages people to make their notes on birds, and abnormal scenes of plants, animals and fossils accept, which researchers can examine and use carefully as data.
Many K-12 teachers work with a report that they feel more confident in teaching the new scientific content that they learned from our cooperation.
It is interesting, although many research on scientific professional development focuses on teachers, scientists also report a high level of contentment and improve communication skills yet Working with these teachersBoth in the field and return in the classroom.
The basic benefits of research for society
Generations of American scientists have benefited greatly from federal investments in basic research. Within 75 years since the establishment of NSF, the organization has funded hundreds of thousand projects to enhance science and technology.
These basic research discoveries, as well as training and job development, have supported Tens of thousands of scholars Work on these projects annually.
Many prominent scholars I have become fruitful leaders and innovators in the United States and internationally. NSF has More than 268 of the beasts were funded on Nobel.
While NSF invests in discovering foundational knowledge around the natural world, traditionally funded projects did not have applications to obtain societal benefits. Certainly, however, many NSF projects – for example, on the laser and Nano technology – I started as Basic research that depends on curiosity It ended with enormous applications for technological innovation and economic prosperity.
For example, Maps maps on the ground bottom of the land During World War II, scientists helped understand how the crust moves and the mountains move. This led to Tktonian revolution plate In Earth Sciences. Then this line of the basic research led to an important application: predicting the potential location of High -risk earthquake areas All over the world.
None of these applications and benefits belonging to society without basic research discoveries supported by federal agencies such as NSF, and the additional added value through the broader influence activities.
This article has been republished from ConversationAn independent, non -profit news organization brings you facts and trusted analysis to help you understand our complex world. Written by: Bruce J. McFadinand Florida University
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Bruce G received. McFaden is funding from the American National Science Foundation.
