
U.S. lawmakers unveil bold $100B plan to remake NSF - Ankaios
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/us-lawmakers-unveil-bold-100-billion-plan-remake-nsf
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lykr0n
Amazing step forward it seems, but not without it's issues.

I'm cautiously optimistic, but we need to see a finalized version of this bill
before we get excited or disappointed.

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shariqm
As someone who was often distracted from grad school research to work on grant
applications this is great news. I would caution against making the NSF more
like DARPA though. DARPA definitely breathes down your neck asking for monthly
updates that hinders research/ideas that take longer to develop.

Federal research funding should be directed towards developing big, long-term
ideas rather than short-term research tech companies can and do focus on.

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yodon
I'm not optimistic about an anti-science administration remaking the NSF

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thephyber
This is a proposed bill by 2 US senators. I'll worry about that if it passes
Congress and the president has to decide whether to veto it (his 2020 budget
proposal cut NSF's budget by 6-7%).

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bassman9000
_Many academic leaders are praising the legislation, which was spearheaded by
the Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer (NY), and co-sponsored by Senator
Todd Young (R–IN) [...]_

The real news, I'd say.

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dimator
The entire point of the Congress is compromise.

Whenever I see joint legislation like this it gives me hope that despite our
hyper partisan climate, there is at least some collaboration still happening.

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downerending
Me too, though I'm still stinging a bit from Bayh-Dole. Sometimes reaching
across the aisle is a great way to produce something awful.

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wwarner
I honestly like the sound of a technology directorate. I'd love to see some
basic research into new computing technology, based on topological insulators
or optics.

