'A Model for Execution of Science'

Each fall, the National Science Foundation (NSF) conducts a rigorous review of CBN and its programs to determine continued funding. Following this year’s meeting on Nov. 3 at Spelman College, an NSF site visit team led by Dr. Charles Snowdon of the University of Wisconsin issued its report enthusiastically endorsing a seventh year of NSF support. The site visitors particularly praised the center for creating “a model for execution of science that can be applied to other areas of bioscience—from behavioral ecology to biomedical research.” CBN, the report noted, has delivered on the promise of multiinstitutional, interdisciplinary collaboration to achieve significant scientific discoveries. The team also lauded CBN’s public education programs with its community partners for being “truly impressive in bringing science to the people.”

Over the last several months, CBN has been undertaking a thorough strategic planning process to identify its core strengths and determine the best allocation of resources. The site visit report provides an important measure of our programs from outsiders’ perspectives—input that will certainly guide us in our strategic planning. We appreciate NSF’s assessment and look forward to reporting continued successes in the years to come.

– H. Elliott Albers, CBN director