Funding Smithsonian Scientific Research (2003) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
1 Introduction and Background
1 Introduction and Background
Pages 6-20
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From page 6... ...
Throughout its history, the balance of the Smithsonian's focus between scientific research and natural history and museum collections has changed under the influence of the various men who have served as Secretary and their visions for the institution. At the time of its founding in 1846, the Board of Regents, the institution's governing body, sought as Secretary a person with "eminent scientific and general requirements" who might take on the task of "advancing science ~ Information on the history of the Smithsonian Institution and its research facilities was obtained from the Institutional History Division of the Smithsonian Archives.
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From page 7... ...
In 1965, Secretary S Dillon Ripley established the newest of the federally supported science units, the Chesapeake Bay Center for Environmental Studies, now known as the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, for the conduct of natural history and ecological research.
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From page 10... ...
in Edgewater, Maryland. SI also operates several other research centers, such as the Center for Earth and Planetary Sciences in the National Air and Space Museum and various research units in its art museums; these research centers report to the Under Secretary for American Museums and National Programs.
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From page 11... ...
In 1975, a center for the conservation-related activities of NZP, called the Conservation and Research Center, was established in Front Royal, Virginia, to encourage the advancement of the conservation of biological diversity. The history of the Tropical Research Institute dates back to 1923 when Barro Colorado Island, which was created by the construction of the
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From page 13... ...
SI was originally one of several organizations participating in research and administration at Barro Colorado Island, but in 1946 Barro Colorado Island became a unit of SI dedicated to conducting long-term research in tropical biology. In 1966, the organization changed its name to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and expanded the scope of its research by establishing marine science centers on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Panama and the geographical range of its research by extending its work to other tropical countries.
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From page 14... ...
Ranging from molecular to cosmic scales, scientific research at the Smithsonian includes topics of consequence, such as the population genetics that now undergirds conservation of rare and endangered species worldwide, the long-term databases with which the effects of human activities on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems can be sorted from normal system dynamics, and indeed the universe. With respect to subjects, research methods, temporal and spatial dimensions of the research, relevance to both long-standing and current scientific issues of importance to the nation, modes of operation, funding mechanisms, and means of administration, the research units of SI collectively add diversity to the nation's overall science enterprise.
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From page 15... ...
. The Smithsonian classifies its entire federally appropriated research budget as inherently unique research.2 Competitive processes, such as merit-based peer review, are well established means of setting research priorities in the federal agencies that support US science, with the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
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From page 17... ...
The federal research funding appropriations to SI reported in Table 11 were $108 and $111 million in FY 2001 and 2002, respectively. Those numbers include research expenses at the six scientific research centers covered by this study, additional nonscience research carried out in other parts of SI, and overhead and administrative costs (Smithsonian Budget Office, pers.
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It will focus on enabling Smithsonian scientific research to compete on a level playing field with other potential performers of the research, where that potential exists. Following the review, if appropriate, the Administration will submit its request to transfer necessary amounts from the Smithsonian to the National Science Foundation.
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2. What are the implications for Smithsonian science programs and for the relevant scientific fields if only those Smithsonian science programs determined to be unique or exempt continue to receive direct federal appropriations?
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From page 20... ...
. Chapter 2 of this report describes the SI scientific research units, including their funding structure, research, and outreach activities.
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