1. Illinois
THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) is the only federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering.
BY THE NUMBERS
Illinois in FY 2016
$315 Million: NSF funds awarded 7th: National ranking in NSF funds 70: NSF-funded institutions
840: NSF grants awarded 16: NSF research centers/facilities
“The outcomes of our research, development, and tech transfer have broad economic impact, creating new products, new businesses and new jobs, and—last but not least—attracting unique talent to the state.”
− Robert A. Easter
Former President, University of Illinois
EXAMPLES OF NSF-FUNDED RESEARCH IN ILLINOIS
Illinois is one of three earthquake research centers selected by NSF to extend understanding on the problems associated with low-frequency seismic events and reducing the potential earthquake losses to the central and eastern U.S.
NSF supports the Blue Waters petascale computing project to produce a computer four times more powerful than any computer that exists today.
NSF’s Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation program aids researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in creating an artificial skin with whiskers to enhance sensing abilities for robotic arms and whisker-tipped catheters for cardiac procedures to prevent atrial fibrillation.
Courtesy:
INVESTMENT IN NSF = INVESTMENT IN ILLINOIS
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and at Chicago are in the top 70 academic institutes for R&D expenditures in S&E fields.1
Illinois ranks second in granting the most graduate degrees in science, engineer, and technology across all the SET degrees.1
Being the 5th leading exporter in the United States, the state of Illinois has important ties globally.2
Illinois ranks 8th in the nation for research and development research and 13th in federal research and development funding.2
Researchers from the University of Illinois have started 48 companies, obtained over 230 patents, and disclosed 1,200 technologies.2
The University of Illinois system contributed $13.9 billion into the state economy in fiscal year
1Science and Engineering Indicators 2016 NSF
2 Research! America. “Global Health R&D”
3The Economic Value of the University of Illinois 2015
Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) 

2. Illinois
Since 1952, NSF has supported nearly 50,000 graduate students through research fellowships.
Illinois received $45 million in NSF educational funding in FY 2016.
THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) not only funds cutting-edge research at institutions across the country; NSF’s education initiatives ensure the U.S. will remain a global leader in innovation for generations to come.
EXAMPLES OF NSF-FUNDED EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN ILLINOIS
NSF funding assists Project Exploration, a nonprofit science education organization, in expanding inner-city minority youth’s and girls’ interests in science. Students are enabled to explore science, develop leadership skills, and expand their minds to include science as a career option.
University of Chicago participates in NSF-funded research to understand spatial learning and use this knowledge to renovate educational practices and support all children to excel in STEM related fields.
Tornado Alley, funded by NSF’s Informal Science Education, explores the science behind severe weather events, increases public understanding of meteorology, and showcases the research of VORTEX-2, a large-scale experiment to study tornadoes.
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“Our long-term economic vitality depends on our ability to continue nurturing an environment that supports innovation and growth.”
− Pat Quinn, Former Governor
“In terms of cultivating the next generation of scientists, few programs can match the impact of the NSF.
So, needless to say, we are elated that NSF has invested so much in students’ futures and in their research here at Illinois.”
− Ken Vickery, Director of External Fellowships in the Graduate College,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) 