Research Centers Available to Purchase

Federal contract research centers administered by educational institutions reported expenditures of $289.1 million for separately budgeted research and development during fiscal year 1958, according to a recent report by the National Science Foundation. This was more than twice the figure reported for 1954, the period covered by the last such study. In addition, the amount spent in 1958 represents 39 percent of all R & D expenditures of colleges and universities during that year, whereas in 1954 the comparable figure was only 32 percent. Of the 1958 total, $285.3 million was received from federal sources and $3.8 million from nonfederal sources. Most of the money was spent on work in engineering ($117.1 million) and the physical sciences ($157.7 million). About one quarter of the total ($70 million) was reportedly spent for basic research.