Academic leaders and elected officials on Tuesday, Nov. 17 announced the launch of ScienceWorksForUs, an initiative that will highlight scientific research and related activities made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The centerpiece of the initiative is a website (www.ScienceWorksForUS.org) that highlights Recovery Act-sponsored research in all 50 states, telling the stories of the research and the researchers contributing to America's recovery.
"'ScienceWorksForUS' is highlighting the way Recovery Act funds have made their way into academic laboratories, and reflects what's possible when smart investments in the public sector are placed in the hands of our scientists, innovators, and academies of higher learning,"said Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)."Through our ongoing support for researchers across the country, we will ensure that the Recovery Act was not the end of our investment in innovation, but the beginning of a sustained commitment to science."
The stimulus contained $21.5 billion for scientific research, the purchase of capital equipment and science-related construction projects.This money, less than 3 percent of the $787 billion stimulus measure, represented an historic infusion of funding for research and an affirmation of the essential role scientific inquiry and discovery play in both short-term recovery and long-term economic growth.
The purpose of ScienceWorksForUS is to ensure that the public is aware of the scientific research made possible by ARRA funding.This work holds broad implications for local communities and society at large.
In addition to launching the new website, ScienceWorksForUS released a compilation of more than 50 ARRA-funded research projects from around the country.Researchers associated with these projects are available to speak to the media about their work.
ScienceWorksForUS is an initiative of the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and The Science Coalition. Collectively they represent more than 200 of the nation's leading academic research institutions.
—Prof. Chuan He
