NSF pulls out from the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) and goes alone after 2013
Sep 28, 2011
With fear of more budget constraints, NSF decided to pull out of the program it co-lead with Japan (and involving 26 countries in total) and continue research on its own, in the hope to better support U.S. investigators and cut costs. NSF overall budget was 1% lower this year than in 2010, and the income received from the 2009 stimulus package is almost exhausted. The future will see “a new operating model that streamlines operating costs and generates new external sources of revenue to support the research vessel JOIDES Resolution” say Timothy Killeen and David Conover in their letter to the community. While the Japanese partners understand NSF’s decision, it is worrisome for global scientific cooperation and an international vision for ocean drilling.
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