Skip to primary navigation Skip to content
Learn More About the CHIPS and Science Act
report a concern
March 16, 2022

Chairwoman Johnson and Ranking Member Lucas Welcome NSF Director Panchanathan’s Announcement of New Directorate Aligned with Bipartisan Committee Proposal

(Washington, DC) – Today, National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Sethuraman Panchanathan announced the launch of NSF’s new Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships at South by Southwest. This new directorate — NSF's first in more than 30 years — builds upon the agency's commitment over seven decades to serve as a beacon of U.S. innovation, advancing the frontiers of research and education across all fields of science and engineering.

“We were pleased by the announcement made today by NSF Director Panchanathan on officially launching the new Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships proposed in the FY 2022 Budget Request for NSF,” said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK). “After seven decades of funding breakthrough discoveries and technological advancements across all areas of science and engineering, NSF has earned its place as a crown jewel of the U.S. research enterprise. It is time to build on that legacy. The Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships Directorate represents a bold vision for the future of U.S. science and innovation -- one in which researchers partner closely with the private sector, community leaders, end users, and others to accelerate progress on science-driven solutions to our most pressing societal challenges. With this focus on use-inspired research, NSF will support high-risk ideas, experiment with new funding models, foster new collaborations, and expand the regional and institutional diversity of our nation’s research capacity. The new directorate is an opportunity to ensure NSF-funded research makes it out of the lab, and importantly, that the benefits are shared by all Americans. This vision is closely aligned with the bipartisan proposal championed by the Science, Space, and Technology Committee in the NSF for the Future Act and we are thrilled to see it taking shape. We look forward to working with our colleagues in Congress to send legislation to the President’s desk that supports and enables NSF’s efforts, including by providing the right balance of guidance and flexibility to ensure long-term success in their mission.”