NSF is announcing its FY '93 competition for Grand Challenge Applications Groups within the High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) program. Six to eight proposals will be funded at $300K-$800K per year for 3-5 years. Emphasis will be on groups requiring HPCC capabilities where such focused, cross-disciplinary support is difficult to obtain. Preproposals are due by 3/15, final proposals by 6/16. Contact Merrell Patrick ([email protected]), (202) 357-7936, or your own disciplinary division. The flyer, NSF 93-10, can be requested from [email protected]. [John R. Lehmann ([email protected]), ciselist, 2/10.] (Hint: Have enthusiastic users help write the proposal and participate in the project.)

NSF/CISE deadlines: Educational Infrastructure, 3/15, Caroline Wardle ([email protected]). Institutional Infrastructure -- Minority Institution planning and continuing grants, 4/8, Gerald Engel ([email protected]). Networking and Communications Research, 5/1, Aubrey Bush ([email protected]). Target date: NSFNET Program -- Connections to NSFNET, 3/1, Daniel VanBelleghem ([email protected]). [NSF Bulletin, 3/92. grants, 2/11.]

Japan's Real World Computing Partnership is inviting applications for small-scale subcontracting research in the range of $120K per year for 3-4 years. The closing date is 3/5/93. Mr. Yoshimitsu Hirai ([email protected]), +81-3-5820-8681, +81-3-5820-8690 Fax. [David K. Kahaner ([email protected]), 2/11. Steve Goldstein.]

NSF has released "National Patterns of R&D Resources: 1992," an 84-page report (#92-330). University and FFRDC research (now at $24B) had the highest growth of any sector during 1985-1992, but industry (at $110B) does the most R&D -- and is paying an increasing share of university R&D. Basic research has increased from 13% to 16%. Employment of R&D scientists and engineers is up 46% from 1980, to 949K in 1989 (including almost 449K PhDs). [Richard M. Jones (fyi.aip.org), FYI #18. Russel Shermer ([email protected]), sci.research, 2/11.] Plus, researchers now get to use better computers! [Henry Choy ([email protected]), sci.research, 2/15.]

Rep. George Brown (CA), chair of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, is declaring war on academic pork. The White House Science Office acknowledges 160 such projects in FY '93, but there were many other earmarks that implied a specific recipient without naming one. Earmarking is traditional in Agriculture, common in Energy, and growing in NASA, EPA, and Defense budgets. Brown says that grants to 50 universities will be studied. [Robert L. Park, WHAT'S NEW, 2/12.]

The SF Examiner is investigating "body shopping," whereby companies have hired 10K-30K foreign programmers on easy-to-get "business" visas (H-1B?). Such programmers can be paid low wages as employees of a foreign agency, whereas B-1 hires must be paid US wage rates. Call (415) 777-7827, (415) 957-9428 fax, to report such practices. [Tom Abate, 2/14, p. E-1.]

The American Institute of Physics can send you a free brochure on Communicating With Congress. Send a business-sized SASE to AIP Office of Government and Institutional Relations, 1630 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20009. Richard M. Jones ([email protected]), (202) 332-9661. Russel Shermer (rsherme @diamond.nswc.navy.mil), sci.research, 2/8.]

The Clinton campaign used to handle 60K calls per day; now the President has a Kennedy-era plug-cord switchboard that will only handle 5K calls. Republicans "promised to run the government like a business -- they meant a business in the 1950s. ... It's a yesterday place, and we need to make it a tomorrow place." Jeff Eller is in charge of electronic upgrades, including electronic news wires to replace teletype printout. [Steve Holland, Reuters, 2/3. Edward Vielmetti ([email protected]), com-priv, 2/4.] Jock Gill is willing to relay urgent messages from the CompuServe account I reported in V3 N5, but the White House would prefer that you call (202) 456-1111 to register opinions or (202) 456-2226 to find out when a bill has been signed or vetoed. The President's number is (202) 456-1414; Al Gore's is (202) 456-2326 or (202) 456-7125. Mail (or MCI mail) can be sent to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500. [Jon Darling, 1/31. CARR-L, 2/10.]