NSF realignment plan includes moving polar office into geosciences directorate

Abstract

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced plans on 7 September to realign four program offices that are currently within the office of the NSF director, reducing the number of NSF directorates and offices within the director's office from 16 to 13 “to maximize research and education outcomes for science and engineering while enhancing NSF's operational agility.” Under the realignment, which would begin 1 October, the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) would become a division within the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO); OPP, which is currently within the office of the director, had been part of GEO until 1993. The Office of Cyberinfrastructure, also currently in the director's office, would become a division within the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering. Two other offices within the director's office—the Office of International Science and Engineering and the Office of Integrative Activities—would be merged to become the Office of International and Integrative Activities.