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| Mechanical Engineering in the FY 2000 Budget
Michael Reischman, ASME International | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| INTRODUCTION
The information in this chapter relates specifically to programs with significant mechanical engineering components. Table 1 summarizes requested funding for mechanical engineering-related research and development (R&D) in seven federal agencies. More detailed breakdowns of individual agencies' R&D budgets and analyses follow. Table 1. Summary of Mechanical Engineering-Related Programs in the Federal Budget (in millions of dollars)
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) The DOD Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) program contains elements incorporating significant mechanical engineering research. The Science and Technology (S&T) portion (categories "6.1" through "6.3") would decrease by $405 million, or 5.2 percent. (See Chapter 7 for an explanation of these categories.) Basic Research ("6.1") would increase by 0.5 percent, or $5 million; Applied Research ("6.2") would decrease by $192 million or 6.1 percent; and Advanced Technology Development ("6.3") would decline by $218 million, or 6.2 percent. Targeted increases in the S&T portion are proposed for research on counter-terrorism, improvements in the safety and security of the nation's infrastructure, and information/communication systems. Demonstration/Validation ("6.4") would decrease by 23 percent, or $1.7 billion. Engineering and Manufacturing Development and Operational System Development ("6.5" and "6.7") together would decrease by $482 million, or 2.5 percent. Table 2. Detail of Selected Mechanical Engineering-Related Programs in the FY2000 Budget (in millions of dollars)
TOTAL NSF: 1) excludes SBIR; and 2) includes Engineering
Research Centers and Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) The Office of Basic Energy Sciences in the Office of Science has requested $888 million for FY 2000, an increase of 11 percent over FY 1999 (see Table 2). Major new programs include the Scientific Simulation Initiative, which allocates $7 million for design tools for advanced combustion devices, and $12 million for the Climate Change Technology Initiative. Reductions include $10.4 million in the Engineering and Geosciences Research Program, $5.3 million for Materials Science Research, and $2.3 million for capital equipment. Funding of $842 million is requested for the Energy Supply appropriation accounts, 9 percent more than last year. Major increases are proposed for all research subprograms in Solar Energy (up 28 percent overall), 26 percent for Hydrogen Research, and 115 percent for Hydropower Research. In total, increases of 16 percent are requested for Solar and Renewable Technology programs to a level of $446 million. Nuclear energy appropriations would increase only by 0.9 percent to $296 million to focus on improving existing nuclear plants, developing mission critical technologies, maintaining research and educational capabilities, and reducing life-cycle costs of environmental cleanup. The Fossil Energy funding request for FY 2000 totals $364 million, a reduction of 5 percent from FY 1999. Coal research is proposed at $122 million (down 0.6 percent), oil technology at $50 million (up 3.2 percent), and natural gas at $105 million (down 9 percent). Coal programs would focus on "Version 21" concepts including "powerplex" systems with advanced gasification and combustion systems, environmental controls, advanced metallurgical processes, carbon sequestration, and PM-2.5 research in particulate control. Gas programs would emphasize research on methane hydrates and would sustain investments in research that strengthens the technological foundation for future oil and natural gas production advances. Energy Conservation would increase 33 percent to $838 million in FY 2000. Transportation sector programs would rise 25 percent to $252 million with programmatic funding increases in hybrid systems, advanced combustion engines, advanced petroleum-based fuels, fuel cells, and increased awards for small businesses and universities under the Cooperative Automotive Research for Advanced Technologies Program. Industry sector programs would grow only 3 percent to $171 million to continue supporting the Industries of the Future program while phasing out the Advanced Turbine Systems program. Building Research and Standards programs would increase by $27 million. Defense Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Science and Technology Element would increase to $231 million in FY 2000. Major programs include completing site clean-up operations, technology development in the four focal areas for environmental remediation, and technology deployment. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (DOT) DOT funding in sectors that involve mechanical engineering-oriented R&D is in Table 2. The overall FY 2000 request would provide funding of $1.26 billion, a 41 percent increase. There is a significant increase in the Highway Research and Development Initiative ($228 million) to support activities in pavement and structural durability, enhanced pedestrian safety, and improved air quality analysis models. There is also an increase in the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Initiative ($271 million) to support the development of technologies to enhance the safety and efficiency of surface transportation infrastructure, including interactive traffic controls and traveler information systems. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) The FY 2000 request for mechanical engineering-related R&D at EPA is $763.0 million, a decline of 3 percent from FY 1999 levels. Most of this would be funding for the Office of Research and Development ($535 million, down 5 percent) and the Climate Change Technology Initiative ($216 million, a 96 percent increase; see Table 2). The principal change in the FY 2000 budget is the evaluation of the potential consequences of climate variability in the U.S. The studies will focus on human health, ecosystems and economic systems at local, regional and state levels. Technical issues include pollution prevention, waste management, renewable energy, and carbon sequestration. NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) The total FY 2000 NASA budget is $13.6 billion. Mechanical engineering-based R&D efforts are primarily conducted in the Science, Aeronautics and Technology (SAT) program. Even though SAT funding would decline by 4 percent, there are differing trends in SAT elements. Several changes in Aero-Space Technology result in a 25 percent cut to $1.0 billion; Space Science would increase 3.7 percent to $2.2 billion; and Life and Microgravity Science and Applications would decline 2.8 percent to $256 million. Overall, NASA would fund $3.5 billion in mechanical engineering-related R&D in FY 2000 (see Table 2). NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY (NIST) The FY 2000 request for mechanical engineering-related R&D for NIST is $624 million, up 8 percent from FY 1999 (see Table 2). The portion of the NIST budget relating to mechanical engineering consists of two distinct components: Industrial Technology Services (ITS; $339 million) and Scientific and Technical Research Services (STRS; $285 million). Most of the proposed budget increase for FY 2000 is in the ITS component, which has two major elements: the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). ATP's budget would increase by $41.2 million (21 percent) above FY 1999 to promote industry's ability to undertake technologically challenging efforts that have broad economic benefits. ATP shares the cost with industry of developing cutting-edge technologies for a broad range of applications. The request, when combined with anticipated carryover and prior year recoveries, will permit approximately $73 million for new awards in FY 2000. The MEP request for $100 million would permit NIST to continue providing the federal share of funding needed to support the network of centers serving smaller manufacturers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The request includes $1 million to gather, promote and effectively deploy "best practices" to all MEP centers. The overall MEP decrease of $7.0 million from FY 1999 reflects a lower federal share of the centers' operating costs; the number of centers is not expected to change and would continue at essentially the same operating level. The STRS portion reflects a modest increase (4 percent) to support export promotion and critical infrastructure protection. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) Of the $220 million (5.8 percent) increase in the total FY 2000 budget request, over half ($120 million) will be in Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE). This increase reflects NSF's leadership role in the Information Technology for the 21st Century (IT2) initiative. The total FY 2000 NSF investment in IT2 will be $146 million; the new funds will be for developing terascale computing through the Major Research Equipment account. Without the IT2 increase, the net increase in the request is $70 million or 1.9 percent over FY 1999. Information Technology, Biocomplexity in the Environment, and Educating for the Future are the three major priority investment areas at NSF in FY 2000. The budget request for the Engineering Directorate is $379 million, an increase of 2.7 percent over the current year. Funding for mechanical engineering-related research within Engineering would rise 4.3 percent to $205 million (see Table 2). Given the multi-disciplinary nature of modern engineering research, funding for mechanical engineering-related research appears in programs outside of engineering. Detailed examination of individual programs, however, is beyond the scope of this analysis. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
