In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, SIAM created the Task Force on Future Research Directions for NSF in the Era of COVID-19 under the SIAM Committee on Science Policy (CSP). The goal of the task force, which was chaired by incoming SIAM Executive Director Suzanne L. Weekes, was to inform the response of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to present needs associated with COVID-19 and help lay the groundwork for a more robust disaster response regime and future economic security and prosperity.
The pandemic has illuminated new research needs to increase our nation’s resilience and ability to overcome the pandemic, exposed major gaps in our research enterprise, and had a dramatic impact on the science and engineering workforce. Applied mathematics and computational science are critical components of a future research agenda to recover from the pandemic and build a more resilient future. The SIAM community stands ready to aid in this effort and seeks NSF support to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on the research community. NSF support is central to continued innovation and economic recovery that will enable long-term U.S. competitiveness and ability to withstand challenges ahead.
Following a period of information gathering activities which included discussions between Task Force members and officials within the NSF Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS), as well as a survey issued to the broader SIAM membership to solicit community input, the task force presents the following recommendations on future research directions at the NSF in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SIAM’s findings and recommendations are organized into four categories:
Mathematics of Disaster Planning, Response, Recovery, and Resilience (MDPR3) – Research in applied mathematics and computational science can and should continue to be used to address the current pandemic through contributions to diagnostics, treatments, vaccines, forecasting, and studies of societal impacts. However, it is also critical that NSF look to support research now that can better prepare our country for future outbreaks and increase our overall resilience. Mathematical, computational, and data science research and modeling will be critical to laying the foundation for a more robust disaster planning and response regime by strengthening supply chain resilience and optimization, improving decision-making amid uncertainty, and understanding group dynamics in crises.
Partnerships – Research areas outlined under MDPR3 require convergent and interdisciplinary partnerships across NSF. In addition, many areas of disaster response and mitigation suffer from a gap in the pipeline between research and operations. Because basic science and operational readiness have separate communities and stakeholders, bridging that divide requires cross-sectoral and interagency partnerships.
Infrastructure and Collaboration Tools – The pandemic has thrown into sharp relief both the promise and limitation of remote work. At the same time, the present situation offers an opportunity to develop ideas, informed by real world experience, for what the future of research looks like and what infrastructure and tools are needed to enable that vision.
Workforce Development – SIAM is especially concerned about the negative ramifications of this pandemic on students, post-docs, and early career researchers. Special focus should be given to those at the critical transition points, underrepresented and underserved groups.