National
Science Foundation - A new initiative promises to monitor the impact of federal science investments on employment, knowledge generation, and health outcomes. The initiative--Science and Technology for America's Reinvestment: Measuring the Effect of Research on Innovation, Competitiveness and Science, or STAR METRICS--is a multi-agency venture led by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
STAR METRICS will help the federal government document the value of its investments in research and development, to a degree not previously possible. Together, NSF and NIH have committed $1 million for the program's first year. There are two-phases to the program. The first phase will use university administrative records to calculate the employment impact of federal science spending through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and agencies' existing budgets. The second phase will measure the impact of science investment in four key areas:
- Economic growth will be measured through indicators such as patents and business start-ups.
- Workforce outcomes will be measured by student mobility into the workforce and employment markers.
- Scientific knowledge will be measured through publications and citations.
- Social outcomes will be measured by long-term health and environmental impact of funding.
For more information about STAR METRICS, please visit here.
To read the full, original article click on this link: The NACFAM Weekly: STAR METRICS: New Way to Measure the Impact of Federally Funded Research
Author: NACFAM Weekly
