Goals of SciSIP
According to the 2006 program prospectus, the program’s goals are:
"To understand the contexts, structures and processes of S&E [science and engineering] research, to evaluate reliably the tangible and intangible returns from investments in research and development (R&D), and to predict the likely returns from future R&D investments within tolerable margins of error and with attention to the full spectrum of potential consequences.
"Specifically, the research and community development components of SciSIP’s activities will: (1) develop usable knowledge and theories of creative processes and their transformation into social and economic outcomes; (2) develop, improve and expand models and analytical tools that can be applied in the science policy decision making process; and (3) develop a community of experts across academic institutions focused on SciSIP.
"Characterizing the dynamics of discovery and innovation is important for developing valid metrics, for predicting future returns on investments, for constructing fruitful policies, and for developing new forms of workforce education and training" (NSF 2006, 1).
