Athens, Ga. – Members of Congress, university leaders and scientists this week announced the launch of ScienceWorksForUS, an initiative that highlights the scientific research and related activities that have been made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The centerpiece of the initiative is a Web site that highlights Recovery Act-sponsored research in all 50 states, telling the stories of the research contributing to America’s recovery.
The University of Georgia has received almost $24 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, funding aimed at creating and retaining jobs and making sure the nation has the human and technological resources for long-term economic and scientific growth.
“The local job creation and retention impacts of ARRA funding are welcome, but even more critical long-term is the reinvestment in our nation’s technological resources and workforce pipeline,” said UGA Vice President for Research David Lee.
“We are confronted daily with reminders of how badly the U.S. is slipping, and conversely, how rapidly countries in Asia and elsewhere are advancing in high-tech areas critical for future national security and prosperity. New investments in science and engineering, like those made in the Cold War era, will not only secure a better economic future for America but also help create solutions to the critical health, renewable energy, climate change and food security challenges facing our planet,” he said.
Visitors to the University of Georgia’s ARRA Web site can learn about how federal economic stimulus funds are supporting research across the university, including the topics of individual projects, the UGA faculty leading them, the funding source and the amount of ARRA funds received by each project.
The Recovery Act, passed by Congress in February, has provided more than $21 billion for scientific research and development, the purchase of scientific equipment and science-related construction-an affirmation of the essential role scientific inquiry and discovery play in both short-term recovery and long-term economic growth.
ScienceWorksForUS is an initiative of the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and The Science Coalition.AAU, A۰P۰L۰U and TSC collectively represent more than 200 of the nation’s leading academic research institutions.
For more information, see www.ScienceWorksforUS and www.ovpr.uga.edu/arra.