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The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…" With an annual budget of more than $8 billion, NSF is the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America`s colleges and universities. In many fields such as mathematics, computer science and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of federal backing. NSF awards about 11,000 new awards per year, with an average duration of three years -- to fund specific research proposals that have been judged the most promising by a rigorous and objective merit-review system. In the past few decades, NSF-funded researchers have won more than 200 Nobel Prizes as well as other honors too numerous to list. NSF funds equipment that is needed by scientists and engineers but is often too expensive for any one group or researcher to afford. Another essential element in NSF`s mission is support for science and engineering education, from pre-K through graduate school and beyond.
The U.S. Department of Commerce has a broad mandate to advance economic growth and jobs and opportunities for the American people. It has cross cutting responsibilities in the areas of trade, technology, entrepreneurship, economic development, environmental stewardship and statistical research and analysis. The products and services the department provides touch the lives of Americans and American companies in many ways, including weather forecasts, the decennial census, and patent and trademark protection for inventors and businesses. The development of commerce to provide new opportunities was the central goal at the department's beginning in 1903 and it remains a primary obligation today.
The Chief Human Capital Officers Act of 2002, enacted as part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. No. 107-296) on November 25, 2002, required the heads of 24 Executive Departments and agencies to appoint or designate Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs). Each CHCO serves as his or her agency’s chief policy advisor on all human resources management issues and is charged with selecting, developing, training, and managing a high-quality, productive workforce. The CHCO Act also established a Chief Human Capital Officers Council to advise and coordinate the activities of members’ agencies on such matters as the modernization of human resources systems, improved quality of human resources information, and legislation affecting human resources operations and organizations. The Council is composed of the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), who serves as chairman; the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), who acts as vice chairman; the CHCOs of the 15 Executive departments; and the CHCOs of 12 additional agencies designated by the OPM Director. Additionally, the Council has an Executive Director who coordinates and oversees the activities of the Council. For more information on the Chief Human Capital Officers Council, please contact us at chcoc@opm.gov. Requests for contact information should be directed to the specific agency CHCO office.
The Access Board is an independent federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards. Created in 1973 to ensure access to federally funded facilities, the Board is now a leading source of information on accessible design. The Board develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, medical diagnostic equipment, and information technology. It also provides technical assistance and training on these requirements and on accessible design and continues to enforce accessibility standards that cover federally funded facilities. The Board is structured to function as a coordinating body among federal agencies and to directly represent the public, particularly people with disabilities. Twelve of its members are representatives from most of the federal departments. Thirteen others are members of the public appointed by the President, a majority of whom must have a disability.
Argonne National Laboratory, one of the U.S. Department of Energy`s national laboratories for science and engineering research, employs 3,400 employees, including 1,400 scientists and engineers, three-quarters of whom hold doctoral degrees. Argonne`s annual operating budget of around $1 billion supports upwards of 200 research projects. Since 1990, Argonne has worked with more than 600 companies and numerous federal agencies and other organizations. Argonne`s mission is to apply a unique mix of world-class science, engineering and user facilities to deliver innovative research and technologies. We create new knowledge that addresses the most important scientific and societal needs of our nation. We actively seek opportunities to work with industry to transfer our technologies to the marketplace through licensing, joint research and many other collaborative relationships. Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy`s Office of Science. We are located on 1,500 acres (6.9 sq. km) in southwest DuPage County, Illinois 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Chicago. The site is completely encircled by the beautiful Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve.