The National Science Foundation announced a new initiative to fund materials science research centers at nine universities. Each of the universities will receive $18 million over the next six years, according to Forbes. These universities collectively hold billions in endowments and charge students tens of thousands of dollars to attend.
Universities receiving the funding will create centers tasked with “extending basic materials science discoveries into practical innovations and applications,” according to Forbes.
While this sounds like a laudable goal, these schools are already on the cutting edge of material science research and innovation without federal funding. Two schools, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University, are tied for #2 in the country for material science.
The schools selected also have massive coffers, which they could use to fund the programs. University of Pennsylvania has a $20.5 billion endowment and charges $59,000 for tuition. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor has a $16.8 billion endowment and charges $55,000 tuition.
The University of Illinois system has an endowment of $2.5 billion, and charges out of state students between $36,000 and $44,000 tuition. Northwestern’s endowment is $14.4 billion, and charges students $62,000 to attend.
Universities already have incentives to make scientific breakthroughs to further their reputation, and these schools have the financial means to fund these experiments. Sending millions to some of the wealthiest institutions in the world only makes them richer, leaving behind schools with smaller endowments that need the funding opportunities.
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