Knowledge Transfer Yields Dividend for the NSF Science and Technology Centers Program

Abstract

This paper presents the performance and policy questions raised in a recent review of the STC program by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Specifically, the AAAS study assessed of the value added in each of five objectives of the STC program: research, education, diversity, knowledge transfer and integrative partnerships. The AAAS review analyzed the work of the 17 centers funded in three cohorts: 2000, 2002, 2005-06. It is the first evaluation of the STC program since 1995. Several sources of evidence were employed by the research team to triangulate the findings. These ranged from self-reported accomplishments by the centers to primary data collected from site visits and surveys. The presentation here will focus on the study’s exploration of the knowledge transfer objective of the STCs, with respect to its mechanisms, value-added and contributions to human and structural capacity building to promote excellence in science and engineering