By Lisa Ferdinando, DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON -- The Air Force and the National Science
Foundation are boosting cooperation on mutual scientific research in support of
national security.
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and National Science
Foundation Director France Cordova signed a letter of intent today, initiating
a strategic partnership that focuses on four areas: space and geosciences,
advanced materials sciences, information and data science, and the development
of the scientific workforce.
The work of the Air Force and the National Science Foundation
has overlapped in the decades since the founding of the two institutions, in
areas such as atmospheric science, chemistry, material science, human
physiology, aeronautics and astronautics, Wilson said.
"We now face the re-emergence of great power competition,”
Wilson said, explaining the new partnership brings the two institutions closer
to jointly pursue research, expand understanding and provide for the common
defense.
The agreement, Cordova said, creates a new pathway between
the basic research supported by the National Science Foundation and the
breakthrough technologies needed to support the Air Force of tomorrow.
National Security Through Innovation
“Ensuring national security through innovation and science
and engineering has been part of the National Science Foundation’s founding
mission for nearly seven decades,” she said, “and it remains one of our highest
priorities today.”
This new partnership will help accelerate the research and
development cycle and ensure that more basic research breakthroughs are
considered for the potential national security applications, she explained.
“It will drive cooperation at every level of research and
will maximize collaboration, avoiding duplicative efforts and resulting in
discoveries that support jobs, the nation’s economy and our national security,”
Cordova said.
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