The US National Science Foundation is one of the US’s primary means of supporting fundamental scientific research—its investments account for about 25 percent of federal support to America's colleges and universities for basic research, or research driven by curiosity and discovery. But NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan has asked Ars for the opportunity to explain how the unique facilities that NSF supports in the Antarctic have value for both commercial interests and national security. In making this argument, he’s joined by Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas, who explains how NSF’s Antarctic research has had direct impacts on people in his district.
Antarctica's geopolitical significance is understated. US involvement in Antarctica is a strategic necessity for scientific advancement, engineering breakthroughs, educational opportunities, and national security.
Today, global competition is fiercer than ever. For our nation to maintain global competitiveness in an era of shifting geopolitical power dynamics—notably where China seeks to expand its global influence—we must support the critical science and engineering research efforts happening at the bottom of our planet. While seven nations claim territories across the Antarctic continent, the US recognizes none and claims none, in full alignment with the Antarctic Treaty. The US, with the world's most significant and influential presence in Antarctica, leads cooperatively to ensure interagency and international partnerships can succeed in everything from science to security.
That is why we, the US representative for the 23rd district of the great state of Texas and the director of the US National Science Foundation, are committed to ensuring that the scientific research conducted in Antarctica helps the US maintain a technological and innovative edge. To do this, we must continue providing and maintaining the infrastructure required to keep advancing the critical research that is taking place there across all the sciences. Equally important is the continued focus on the health and safety of the workforce stationed on the continent, whose efforts have been fundamental in fostering innovation and unlocking the mysteries behind the ice.
It is people who have always been—and will continue to be—the most important part of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics enterprise.
Antarctica is a living laboratory for cutting-edge research. For example, its cold, dry air and long, dark winters are prime conditions for discovering galaxies billions of light-years away and other astronomical research. The isolation and reliance on machinery, transportation, and robotics to conduct research have the potential to directly inform space missions. This is highly relevant to Texas, which is a leader in the space industry and home to NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and dozens of private space industry businesses; for example, Lunar Resources Inc. received a $1 million investment through NSF's America's Seed Fund. Lunar Resources Inc. will use that investment to develop a prototype capable of extracting oxygen and raw metals from the Moon's surface. The insights gained in Antarctica will foster advancements for the Texas space industry as public and private space flight companies prepare for manned and unmanned space exploration and operations.
Research in Antarctica goes beyond space, touching geophysics, glaciology, ocean systems, ecosystems, and more. For instance, this year marks the fifth field season where researchers and students from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) have gone to Antarctica to conduct geophysical research on the massive Thwaites Glacier. Helping to break the mystery behind the unstable motions of the glacier are data collected from sensors affixed to the glacier to detect icequakes. These insights can be connected to seismic activity that rumbles across West Texas.
It is a life-changing experience for the UTEP students, who received the rare opportunity to come study, work, and live at one of the US Antarctic Program's research stations for the polar summer. What is even more significant is when students return home from these highly immersive, collaborative experiences, they have the chance to take what they have learned and apply novel approaches to their own research projects, small business ventures, and more.
We are committed to ensuring that even more students, especially those from backgrounds that have been traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering, have access to hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. Programs like NSF's Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation—which assists universities and colleges in diversifying the nation's STEM workforce by increasing the number of STEM baccalaureate and graduate degrees awarded to populations historically underrepresented in these disciplines—are so vital to the STEM enterprise. Through this program, UTEP received a $1 million investment to host the Bridge to the Doctorate program. Cultivating a more diverse scientific community capable of combining a multitude of perspectives and ideas will be the key to solving complex global challenges.
US engagement in Antarctica transcends science. It encompasses national security and the advancement of scientific enterprise that connects directly to the economic growth in Texas and the entire country. We must continue to invest in Antarctica's research infrastructure. Only then can we prove we have taken the crucial steps to ensure that our democratic values and principles have the power to transform the future. We must continue to lay the groundwork for that today.
Sethuraman Panchanathan is a computer scientist who is serving as the 15th Director of the National Science Foundation. Tony Gonzales was a cryptologist in the United States Navy and currently represents Texas' 23rd District.