Investing in the National Research Initiative An Update of the Competitive Grants Program in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (1994) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Program Evolution
Program Evolution
Pages 23-36
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 23... ...
. However, focus on the NRI sometimes, it seems, to the exclusion of intramural, formula, and special grants is emblematic of the recognition that competitive grants are a powerful tool supporting development of science and technologies that will carry agriculture into the next century.
|
From page 24... ...
Although private agricultural and biotechnology firms understand the importance of publicly funded research, the NRI may not figure as prominently as established programs, such as formula funds, if at all, in their perception of the public system's contribution to scientific innovation. Evaluating the Significance of NRI The answer to the question about the significance of the NRI is straightforward.
|
From page 25... ...
The availability of NRI funds may help scientists leverage support from home institutions or other funding agencies, and it might be possible to measure this success by noting each grant proposal's identification of other sources of funds. In terms of contributions to technological development, the number of technology licenses and patents granted based on NRI research would provide evidence of its value.
|
From page 26... ...
Genes that condition resistance to viral, fungus, and bacterial diseases fin four species of plants have been cloned by several different labor~a:tories pursuing different approaches to the problem.: An exciting finding was the observation that all of the genes encode proteins with common structural features. This raises the possibility that~many forms of disease resistance have a common underlying mechanism.
|
From page 27... ...
Critics charge that although the NRI program has been set up to avoid sorting research proposals into disciplinary compartments, efforts have not been entirely successful. They point out that only the program area for markets, trade, and policy has been perceived as the realm of social scientists.
|
From page 28... ...
Further, it may well be that disciplinary compartmentalization, whether real or perceived, precludes innovation that stems from the attempt to address problems that cross disciplinary boundaries. Multidisciplinary Research In its 1989 proposal for an expanded competitive grants program, the board argued that an enhanced program would provide significant new opportunities for supporting multidisciplinary research.
|
From page 29... ...
As used here, multidisciplinary research designates both cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, even though the three terms have somewhat different meanings (National Research Council, 19894. For example, developing sustainable animal agricultural systems requires research in agronomy and soil science, ecology and ecosystems analysis, engineering, animal nutrition, population and community biology, and economics, at a .
|
From page 30... ...
In FY 1993, multidisciplinary awards represented 34 percent of total NRI grants. Clearly, constraints on total funding jeopardize growth in this activity, but it is just as important to ensure that the grants supported do indeed represent productive investments.
|
From page 31... ...
Department heads, division leaders, and tenure committees need to be sensitive to issues involving individual contributions to multidisciplinary projects and appropriately supportive of the scientists pursuing multidisciplinary studies. Mechanisms for continuing funding for multidisciplinary studies are not yet optimal.
|
From page 32... ...
Training in Multidisciplinary Research Multidisciplinary research can provide unusually good opportunities for graduate and postdoctoral training. However, successful multidisciplinary projects usually will consist of personnel with reasonable depth of expertise in their particular areas.
|
From page 33... ...
target component or reductionist research toward the concerns of those practicing or researching sustainable agricultural systems. She further explained, Since the NRI's inception in the 1990 farm bill, we have been advocating for a full implementation of the congressional mandate for mission-linked systems research and for multidisciplinary research.
|
From page 34... ...
If there were exclusive focus on sustainability of family farms and primary emphasis of its farm bill definition on the nature of on-farm operations, much research supporting better understanding of human nutrition and health, for example, would be implicitly devalued. Although the aim of the NRI should be to avoid engagement in projects that detract from the possibilities for sustainability, there are other worthy goals recognized by the Congress that enhance the well-being of the nation's people and natural resources.
|
From page 35... ...
Program Evolution 35 Stiles, of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, told the October 1993 forum audience of the need to link research efforts "more closely to national needs in order to regain strong public support." So, while exclusive focus on sustainability might be inappropriate, serious consideration of the NRI's contribution to broad public policy goals would, by Stiles' reasoning, certainly be in order.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.