BY THE NUMBERS PUERTO RICO IN FY 2011 $14.6 Million: NSF funds awarded 11: NSF-funded institutions 41: NSF grants awarded 1: NSF research centers/facilities EXAMPLES OF NSF-FUNDED RESEARCH IN PUERTO RICO Two NSF-funded research projects at the University of Puerto Rico are producing discoveries important for the incorporation of diamond materials into electrical components and electronic devices. In one project, scientists developed a new and economical method for producing microcrystalline diamond films. The inclusion of diamond into high-powered, high-temperature electronic devices improves their performance by extending their working lifetimes. In a related project, researchers made a scientific and technological breakthrough enabling the direct integration of diamond nanoparticles into electronic components with widespread applications for medical implants, environmental sensors, optical components, and electrodes. Researchers at the University of Puerto Rico have identified two key genes of the cassava plant, an important tropical root crop and basic staple food for millions of people worldwide. Isolation of these genes may help researchers develop more nutritious, less toxic varieties of this critical food source. Courtesy: www.research.gov/seeinnovation With more than 2,000 acres, the Knowledge Corridor of San Juan seeks to create a “Science City” completely dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and innovation. The Knowledge Corridor is the backbone of an ambitious strategy for economic development based on the science, information, and high-tech economies. 3 INVESTMENT IN NSF = INVESTMENT IN PUERTO RICO INNOVATION 1 Economic Development and Government Transformation Plan for Puerto Rico (2006). 2 NSF Press Release: NSF Research Dollars Boost Science and Engineering Infrastructure in Regions in Need of Support (2010). 3 Puerto Rico Science, Technology, & Research Trust In 2006, the bio-sciences sector of Puerto Rico represented about 28.6 percent of GDP and close to 72 percent of all exports. The computing and telecommunications sector generated around 12,000 direct jobs. 1 In 2010, NSF awarded the University of Puerto Rico $20 million for five years to bolster academic research and education in nanoscience and technology. 2 Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) 1527 Eighteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 www.cnsfweb.org Puerto Rico THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) is the only federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering. “Puerto Rico has a tremendous value proposition. We have an amazing, highly educated workforce and great universities doing important research.” −Iván Lugo, Executive Director Industry University Research Consortium