Oregon Factsheet
Investing in Federal R&D: Making Oregon an Innovation Leader
Action
Oregon's Congressional delegation should include robust increases to agencies that support physical sciences (DOD Basic and Applied Research, DOE Office of Science, NASA Science, NIST, NSF) in their member requests to appropriators for the FY2027 appropriations process.
In 2023, federal funding from the largest supporters of physical sciences in OR powered:
9 universities and national labs.
307 STEM graduate students and postdocs.
34 local businesses employing 444 people.
There’s been a dramatic acceleration of investment in R&D from the business sector… But that of course does not substitute for the importance of the federal government in supporting research at federal agencies. That is an indispensable foundation.
— Dario Gil, Under Secretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy; former IBM Senior Vice President and Director of Research
Developing the Technologies of Today and Tomorrow
Federal investment in fundamental research in the 20th century unexpectedly transformed into everyday technologies.
1985:DOE funds chirped pulse amplification for lasers.
1990:NSF funds ultrafast laser science.
1997:Small Business Innovation Research funding brings bladeless LASIK to market.
Today, fundamental research remains the key to unlocking future technologies.
- Biophysics Improving health outcomes
- Condensed matter Advanced computing
- High energy physics Nuclear safeguarding
- Laser science National security
Institutions Receiving Federal Funding in 2023
- Businesses
- Universities
- Research Centers
In 2023, 9 universities in OR received $216,548,130 in federal funding.
Robust Investments in Federal R&D Will Build American Prosperity
For the U.S. to maintain its competitiveness, Congress should:
- Prioritize agencies that support physical sciences in the completion of FY2026 appropriations
- Include robust increases to those agencies in their member requests to appropriators for the FY2027 appropriations process
Investing in R&D today creates jobs and trains the STEM workforce while building the foundation for our future economic competitiveness and national security.