US Government Funded Scientific Research Programs
August 7th, 2008
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In response to some comments on this post a while back regarding the state of research and development funded by the United States government, I created this list which includes most of the major scientific programs and facilities maintained by the US government. I’m sure I’ve missed at least a few, but clearly there is a huge amount of scientific research and development done by the US government both through research agencies and those which do scientific research as a secondary task to improve their own methods and systems.
Sorry if this comes off as America-centric, but doing a list for the entire world or even for all the large countries in the world would have been all but impossible. The US federal government is undoubtedly one of the largest funders of scientific research and has built a rich legacy of discovery. The only other competitors for having contributed so much research might be the Soviet Union or perhaps the combined scientific achievements of the European Union. Of course, this is not to dismiss the research which is ongoing by other countries.
Now, the list:
The National Science Foundation:
United States government agency which supports and provides funding to numerous scientific research and education activities. The NSF has an annual budget of approximately six billion dollars. The stated mission is ” To promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense.”
The national science foundation has numerous grant programs, but some of the larger programs administrated fully or partially by the NSF include:(note, some of these programs may be part of other programs listed)
Office of Integrative Activities
Office of International Science and Engineering
National Optical Astronomy Observatory
National Solar Observatory
The Gemini Observatory
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center
National Center for Atmospheric Research
U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
United States Antarctic Program
McMurdo Antatric Station
Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers
National Scientific Balloon Program
The US Department of Energy:
The DOE is a Cabinet-level department of the United States which is responsible for energy policy, energy research and other general research activities. It inherited many of the responsibilities of the Atomic Energy Commission including administration of the National Laboratories program.
Major National Laboratories:
The US national laboratory system is operated primarily by the US Department of Energy.Originally the primary responsibility of the national laboratories was nuclear research under the Atomic Energy Commission, especially related to nuclear weapons and strategic uses of nuclear energy. Today the national laboratories continue nuclear research but additionally engage in research activities ranging from biology to materials sciences to the development of new technologies for industry and government.US national laboratories have some of the most unique and capable scientific facilities.
Argonne National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Idaho National Laboratory
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Sandia National Laboratories
Technology Centers and Other Research Facilities:
Technology centers, research facilities and other such scientific institutions may be government owned and contractor operated, government owned or owned by a contractor or by a university or other institution, but receive most or all of their funding directly from the
Ames Laboratory
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory
Albany Research Center
Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory
Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory
National Energy Technology Laboratory
Environmental Measurements Laboratory
PHEV Research Center
Other Facilities:
Hanford Site
Nevada Test Site
NASA:
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency established in 1958 and responsible for the US space program as well as research into advanced aviation and aeronautics. NASA also regularly engages in general-purpose research activities as well as the development and research of technologies applicable to space applications but also with other general-purpose end uses. These include computing, robotics, imaging technologies and materials.
Major NASA Facilities:
Dryden Flight Research Center
Ames Research Center
Glenn Research Center
Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Goddard Space Flight Center
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Johnson Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
Langley Research Center
Marshall Space Flight Center
NASA White Sands Test Facility
Wallops Flight Facility
Research and Science Agencies by Department:
Research and scientific agencies within departments of the US government
Department of Agriculture:
Agricultural Research Service
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
Department of Commerce:
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
National Technical Information Service
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Health and Human Services:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Centers For Disease Control
National Institutes of Health
Food and Drug Administration
Department of the Interior:
US Geological Survey
Department of State:
Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
Department of Transportation:
Research and Innovative Technology Administration
Executive Offices:
Council on Environmental Quality
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Science-Related Agencies:
Agencies which are not pure research entities but whose role heavily involves applied sciences.
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Aviation Administration
Fish and Wildlife Service
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Military and National Security Related:
(Many national laboratories and other research facilities also engage in military research and science programs. Some may also be redundant as sub-agencies of other listed agencies)
DARPA
Office of Naval Research
United States Naval Research Laboratory
US Air Force Space Command and Space Operations
Air Force Research Laboratory
Missile Defense Agency
Edwards Air Force Base Flight Test Center
Tonopah Test Range
The Groom Lake Facility (AKA: Area-51)
North Oscura Peak Laboratory
White Sands Missile Range
Holloman Air Force Base Flight Test Center
Arnold Engineering Development Center
Electronic Systems Center
Air Force Systems Command Laboratory
Airforce Nuclear Weapons Center
National Rocketsled Test Center
US Navy Air Weapons Development and Testing
US Army Research Laboratory
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine
U.S. Army Research Institute
US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases
The United States Army |Research, Development and Engineering Command
Core of Engineers Research and Development Center
DOD Medical Research Programs
Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory
US Navy NR-1 Oceanographic Research Program
The Alfred M. Gray Marine Corps Research Center
Naval Oceanographic Office
Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command
The United States Naval Observatory
USCG Research and Development Center
NSA Office Of Research
Defense Food Research Center
United States Army Test and Evaluation Command
Yuma Proving Ground
ECHO Test Facility
High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program
Ballistic Research Laboratory
National Reconnaissance Office
I’m sure I left out at least a few…
This entry was posted on Thursday, August 7th, 2008 at 3:44 pm and is filed under Culture, Good Science, Humor, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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August 7th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I’m not sure where one would draw the line, especially with military stuff. Does just testing out weapons count as science and research? I guess it could in some circumstances. The national laboratories and stuff definitely qualify as hard science though.
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August 7th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Oh goddamnit! This is why I don’t use cut-and-paste from a word processor! Look at what happened to the hyperlinks! UG! I have to redo the whole thing… or at least much of it. I’ll have to fix it tonight
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August 7th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Your next task is to provide a list of the benefits this research has provided to mankind.
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August 7th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Ga! Finally fixed!
CBMTTek said:
Uh…no
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August 7th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
CBMTTek said:
I can start with a few of the obvious things. Development of the first nuclear power plants, development of the theory and basic structure of computers, the internet, GPS, mutation breeding(which has been of tremendous agricultural importance), part credit for the green revolution without which hundreds of millions would have died of starvation, part credit for the erradication of small pox which killed 300-500 million people in the 20th century, radar.
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August 7th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
CBMTTek said:
Ummmmm….
I was not really serious. Just playing the role of the “it’s a waste of money” crowd. Because you know that’s exactly what they will come back with.
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August 7th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
CBMTTek said:
I’m sure at least some of it is. The government science programs do turn out good research data but they also seem to get cut short before coming to fruition after investing a lot of money in them or spend funds unnecessarily or just do the other things that the government programs seem to do.
Also, a few seem just slightly redundant and begging for consolidation.
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August 8th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Public funding frees people up to research interesting things which may not have any immediate profit generating application, allowing the discovery of things privately funded research is unlikely to look for. But it also generates the same wastefulness and bureaucracy all goverment programs do.
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August 8th, 2008 at 5:51 am
Giant Pulsating Brain said:
Fair point, but the case can be made that many military-funded research projects pay off in general science and technology developments for civilian life. DARPA and it’s predecessor ARPA are responsible for the internet and many other things. The military space program came up with technologies which later were used in civilian space flight. The Core of Engineers has been a force for much more than military projects as it has worked to build canals, harbors, dams, highways and so on and the research by the COE is going to be applicable to general civil engineering. Also any military medical research is worthwhile in its own right. I think it’s fair to include military science and technology development organizations, but separately becasue their task is defense-related.
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August 8th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Hey! You forgot my lab!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laboratory_for_Laser_Energetics
I work on the Omega EP system. I’m not sure how much of the photo gallery is available from an external internet address, but you should take a look. We have a few cool pictures up.
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August 10th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Tercel said:
oops! Sorry
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