Engineering Research Centers:
NSF Program Management and Industry Sponsorship
RCED-88-177: Published: Aug 16, 1988. Publicly Released: Aug 16, 1988.
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Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) Program, focusing on: (1) NSF program operation and evaluation; and (2) industry sponsors' reaction to the program.
GAO found that: (1) research quality was the most important criterion in awarding center grants, with contribution to industrial competitiveness and education following in importance; (2) NSF formally monitored ERC management and research agenda through yearly on-site reviews and ERC-prepared strategic plans; (3) NSF used outside peer reviews to evaluate individual centers once every 3 years, but believed it was too early to evaluate the overall strengths and weaknesses of the ERC approach; (4) a wide range of industries participated in the program, and most intended to continue their support; (5) participants believed that the type and quality of research was the most important reason for sponsoring centers; (6) participants expected to benefit over time through better personnel recruiting and improvement of current personnel, but not through patentable or commercialized products; (7) it was too early to determine the program's impact on engineering education because it had been in place for only a short period of time, and industry sponsors have not hired many ERC program graduates; and (8) participants believed that NSF should increase participants' influence on the ERC research agenda.
Mar 4, 2015
Defense Science and Technology:
Further DOD and DOE Actions Needed to Provide Timely Conference Decisions and Analyze Risks from Changes in ParticipationGAO-15-278: Published: Mar 4, 2015. Publicly Released: Mar 4, 2015.
Mar 2, 2015
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Federal Research:
DOE Is Addressing Invention Disclosure and Other Challenges but Needs a Plan to Guide Data Management ImprovementsGAO-15-212: Published: Jan 30, 2015. Publicly Released: Mar 2, 2015.
Oct 3, 2014
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Technology Transfer:
Federal Laboratory Consortium Should Increase Communication with Potential Customers to Improve InitiativesGAO-15-127: Published: Oct 3, 2014. Publicly Released: Oct 3, 2014.
Jul 23, 2014
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Small Business Innovation Research:
DOD's Program Has Developed Some Technologies that Support Military Users, but Lacks Comprehensive Data on Transition OutcomesGAO-14-748T: Published: Jul 23, 2014. Publicly Released: Jul 23, 2014.
Jun 9, 2014
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Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education:
Assessing the Relationship between Education and the WorkforceGAO-14-374: Published: May 8, 2014. Publicly Released: Jun 9, 2014.
May 20, 2014
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Nanomanufacturing and U.S. Competitiveness:
Challenges and OpportunitiesGAO-14-618T: Published: May 20, 2014. Publicly Released: May 20, 2014.
Feb 7, 2014
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Nanomanufacturing:
Emergence and Implications for U.S. Competitiveness, the Environment, and Human HealthGAO-14-181SP: Published: Jan 31, 2014. Publicly Released: Feb 7, 2014.
Dec 20, 2013
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Small Business Innovation Research:
DOD's Program Supports Weapon Systems, but Lacks Comprehensive Data on Technology Transition OutcomesGAO-14-96: Published: Dec 20, 2013. Publicly Released: Dec 20, 2013.
Nov 4, 2013
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Small Business Innovation Research:
Data Rights ProtectionsGAO-14-116R: Published: Nov 4, 2013. Publicly Released: Nov 4, 2013.
Jul 19, 2013
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America COMPETES Acts:
Overall Appropriations Have Increased and Have Mainly Funded Existing Federal Research EntitiesGAO-13-612: Published: Jul 19, 2013. Publicly Released: Jul 19, 2013.
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