TCNJ President Michael Bernstein was one of 20 presidents and chancellors of New Jersey colleges and universities to sign a letter to the New Jersey Congressional Delegation requesting they support and advocate for robust funding for the National Science Foundation in 2025.
The letter states, in part, that “NSF is the cornerstone of America’s scientific enterprise and the only federal agency charged with the promotion of scientific progress across all science and engineering disciplines. The discovery science and engineering research funded through NSF’s rigorous peer review process underpins U.S. scientific leadership and international competitiveness and ensures continued economic growth by transforming novel ideas into new discoveries and productive enterprises. NSF support for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students also contributes to the creation of a strong STEM workforce that will lead the industries of the future.”
“New Jersey is a hub of innovation, and we have seen an explosion of STEM-related industry growth here over the last decade,” said Sunita Kramer, dean of TCNJ’s School of Science. “The NSF, which supports sciences across all disciplines and levels of education, fuels research and creates mechanisms for scientific discovery and workforce development. Additional funding would provide great value to employers and appealing opportunities for students in our state.”
TCNJ has received numerous NSF grants over recent years. In April, three TCNJ seniors earned recognition from the NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
In October 2023, TCNJ was awarded two grants from the NSF. The first was a $935,000 Major Research Instrumentation grant to enhance the college’s nationally recognized engagement of undergraduate student research by updating the high-performance computing center.
The second was a $400,000 grant to strengthen innovation and encourage partnerships with industry, nonprofits and governmental entities through the NSF’s Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity program.
“Colleges and universities in the state are teaching and training the next generation of scientists,” Kramer said. “Continued NSF support would help to ensure that we maintain a strong pipeline of students that remain in New Jersey and contribute to the state’s economic and professional growth.”