Fourth NSF Report

PROGRAM activities of the National Science Foundation during the past several fiscal years have been increased as rapidly as congressional appropriations have permitted. The Foundation’s annual report for the year ending June 30, 1954, which the President sent to Congress on January 14th, shows that of the $8 million appropriated for 1954 something more than $6.7 million was spent on fellowships, research grants, and the exchange of scientific information. Most of the remainder supported studies aimed at developing “an appropriate and effective” national science policy. During fiscal 1954 the Foundation made 374 grants for the support of basic research in the natural sciences to 170 institutions in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, and Bermuda, as compared with only 269 such grants made during the previous two years. In addition, NSF sponsored and provided partial support for 19 conferences in specialized areas of science, awarded 657 predoctoral and 79 postdoctoral fellowships, and provided support for an experimental institute for secondary school science teachers and four summer institutes for college teachers. Physics was the subject of 41 of the grants and 155 of the fellowships.