Abstract

Deriding research projects on the basis of unusual or “silly” titles or a few words removed from the context of a research description has attracted considerable attention this past year. Such derision usually shows little understanding of the nature and value of basic research and its role in providing the fundamental knowledge behind applied research and development. The following material has been excerpted by NSF from the NSF hearings for Fiscal Year 1976 before the Subcommittee on the HUD-Independent Agencies of the House Committee on Appropriations, pages 10 through 15. H. Guyford Stever, director of NSF, in responding to questions from Committee Chairman Edward P. Boland of Massachusetts, provided testimony that allows one to look behind research grant titles.

© 1976 Optical Society of America

AAAS Project on the handicapped in science

Appl. Opt. 15(1) A14-A15 (1976)

Theological optics

Meyer Katzper and Ronald E. McKeighen
Appl. Opt. 15(2) 323-324 (1976)

Formula for the future

Anne C. Roark
Appl. Opt. 30(22) 3082-3086 (1991)

Big science vs little science: the controversy mounts

Herbert Friedman
Appl. Opt. 30(31) 4462-4467 (1991)

Scientific and technological information transfer, AGARD conference, Copenhagen, 8–9 October 1975

Appl. Opt. 15(5) A75-A76 (1976)