Triennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (2013) / Chapter Skim
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2 Measuring Progress and Defining Success in the Context of Federal Research Initiatives
2 Measuring Progress and Defining Success in the Context of Federal Research Initiatives
Pages 23-30
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From page 23... ...
: Scientific discovery, technological breakthroughs, and innovation are the primary engines for expanding the frontiers of human knowledge and are vital for responding to the chal lenges and opportunities of the 21st century. We look to scientific innovation to • Promote sustainable economic growth and job creation, • Improve the health of the population, • Move toward a clean energy future, • Address global climate change, • Manage competing demands on environmental resources, and • Ensure the security of the Nation.
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From page 24... ...
Nanotechnology has been highlighted as a multiagency R&D priority in the annual priorities memorandums almost since the NNI was created. The memo randums call for agencies to "strengthen interagency coordination," to find "novel approaches to collaboration," and to support "joint programs using shared re sources." Whereas the NNI is emphasized as a priority of the current and past administrations, it also has been described as "a governmental initiative, represent ing a priority area for investment and activity, but not a distinct funding program with separate budget authority or central management." The direction from OSTP and OMB for the agencies to focus resources in the NNI "where appropriate" and the lack of a clear management or budget authority for the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET)
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From page 25... ...
scientific and technological leadership in this field. Agencies should strengthen interagency coordination and support research on potential risks to h uman health and the environment, consistent with the National Science and Tech ology Council's 2006 n report, Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials.3 More broadly, the NNI should support both basic and applied R&D in nanoscience, develop instru mentation and methods for nanoscale characterization and metrology, and disseminate new technical capabilities to help industry advance nanofabrication and nanomanufacturing.
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From page 26... ...
The expectation of interagency collaboration also is reflected, for example, in the 2012 PCAST evaluation of NNI strategic planning: "While the NSET Subcommittee in 2011 produced a ‘National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan,' individual agency contributions lack the cohesion of an overarching framework, and there is no clear connection between the goals and objectives of the NNI strategic plan with those of individual agencies." That observation led the PCAST to recommend, as a first step, clarifying how the NNI fits into agency priorities and programs: "NNCO in partnership with OSTP should work with the agencies to develop implementation plans for achieving the goals and objectives outlined in the 2011 NNI strategic plan." The conflict is also reflected in the 2012 GAO report Nanotechnology: Improved Performance Information Needed for Environmental, Health, and Safety Research, in which GAO evaluated NNI environmental, health, and safety (EHS) documents according to its six desirable characteristics for a national strategy, as seen in Table 2.1.
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From page 27... ...
NNI strategy documents for EHS research issued by the NSTC address two and partially address the other four of the six desirable characteristics of national strategies identified by GAO that offer a management tool to help ensure accountability and more effective results. For example, the NNI strategy documents provide a clear statement of purpose, define key terms, and discuss the quality of currently available data, among others.
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From page 28... ...
The committee found i that the current procedures and criteria that the NSET Subcommittee and OSTP use for assessing progress toward NNI goals are embodied in annual supplements to the President's budgets and the NNI strategic plans. As noted above, the an nual supplements describe current and proposed investments in nanotechnology by agency; quantify investment by agency, program component area, and Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs; and provide examples of specific accomplishments by individual agencies and by groups with respect to the four broad NNI goals5 and the objectives in the stra tegic plan.
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From page 29... ...
Some of the participating agencies, such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, already have publicly articulated strategic plans or implementation strategies for nanotechnology, but most do not; see Box 2.2. Without goals that are more specific than the four general NNI goals, a public commitment to specific outcomes, and a publicly articulated performance-management framework, it is not possible to measure NNI progress toward its four goals.
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From page 30... ...
This clearly reflects the priorities of the NNI agencies: NNI agencies manage their overall portfolios to focus on their primary missions, with nanotechnology being secondary. For example, according to agency websites, the mission of the Department of Energy is to "ensure America's security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions;"1 the mission of the Department of Agriculture is to "pro vide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on sound public policy, the best available science, and efficient management";2 and the mission of the Department of Defense is to "provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country."3 Programs and individual projects are monitored and evaluated within each agency with respect to its agreed-on mission-based deliverables by using processes and metrics developed by the agencies.
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