U.S. science official will see how the money is spent

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33095, 9 December 1972, Page 16

U.S. science official will see how the money is spent

A man responsible for an annual budget of s6oom arrived in Christchcurch yesterdayon his way to the Antarctic, where he will get a first-hand idea of how s2sm of its is spent.

He is Dr H. G. Stever, director of the American National Science Foundation who, accompanied by Dr G. Murray, a member of the foundation’s governing body, will spend four days in the Antarctic. “This is a critical time for us, as any moment now we will learn how the National Science Foundation’s budget for next year will look, and it is important that we present a good case to Congress regarding the financial allocation we seek,” Dr Stever said.

“In Washington, I get force-fed a lot about the Antarctic in the course of my daily work. This visit should give me a closer sensitivity to the problems, so that I will be able to understand them better as they come up before me in Washington," he said.

Of the s6oom, Dr Stever said that the largest portion, s2som, was for basic scientific research projects, and their support, for small research scientists at universities. The next largest amount was allocated to the N.S.F.’s national and international programmes, which included the Arctic and the Antarctic. Dr Stever said he was unable to say whether the National Science Foundation would try to procure an extra two ski-equipped Hercules aircraft in the next financial year. This year, it was auth-

orised to buy three of the five it originally sought for the support operation. In spite of the National Science Foundation taking over the financial control of the Antarctic research programme, Dr Stever said he personally believed there were no plans to transfer the support role from the United States Navy to commercial operators. “In think we will be under continuous pressure to determine the Navy’s future support role. I feel we get far better value from the Navy than from a commercial support operation, although I have no doubt the matter will be studied each year,” he said.

While it was unfortunate that the Navy was reduced to only three ski-equipped Hercules this season, Dr Stever paid tribute to the help of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and Royal Air Force units in recent weeks. Such assistance was but a further example of the excellent spirit of co-operation that existed between the nations working in the Antarctic—a co-operation which he hoped would become increasingly closer. On future research in the Antarctic, Dr Stever said he saw, as now, more multinational scientific projects taking place. Although the Antarctic Treaty had another 20 years to go, the United States had no long-range

plans for research there much beyond this. “We work on a five-year planning cycle, and beyond this specific long-range plans are pretty nebulous,” he said.

On pollution and the environment, Dr Stever said the National Science Foundation was concerned about the problem in relation to the Antarctic. Ecology pressures in the United States were very great, and it was now normal practice for Government

i agencies, when engaged on developmental proposals and ■ projects, to make statements I about what the environmeni tai impact of these would be. > “We are very sensitive about this on the Antarctic contin- ■ ent,” Dr Stever said. I During his brief visit ■ there, Dr Stever will, wea- ! ther permitting, visit the : Russian Vostok base. There was today a much greater : scientific exchange between ■ Americans and Russians, and ■ so there was nothing specific : about his visit there.