The Optical Society applauds funding increases for science and technology benefitting the global optics and photonics community in U.S. President Biden's FY2022 budget request. The spending proposal calls for an increase of USD 128 million to expand research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in many areas relevant to optical science. The measure also allocates significant resources for climate change initiatives, an increase of more than USD 14 billion, as well as strong investments in clean energy technologies and global health.
A new Directorate within the National Science Foundation (NSF) proposed by the president aims to translate important research into practical applications. The move would foster collaborations critical to advancing technology development in emerging fields such as robotics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and quantum information science. Funding to enhance research opportunities for underrepresented students in STEM fields is essential to build a robust and diverse workforce.
