APS News

Air Force Proposes to Move Main Research Management Office

APS calls on members to share concerns on proposed AFOSR relocation.

January 27, 2014

Request for Information

Deadline for Response:
January 29, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. EST
Gray Arrow Submit Input

Letter from APS President
Gray arrow Read Letter format_pdf

The American Physical Society is calling on its membership to contact the Air Force about a proposed move of its Air Force Office of Scientific Research from Arlington Virginia to Dayton, Ohio as a cost cutting measure. The Air Force issued a Request for Input regarding the impact of the move location on industry, academia and others. The deadline for that input is 3pm EST January 29th.

In cooperation with private industry, academia, and other organizations, AFOSR is responsible for much of the basic research investment by the Air Force. In addition, Northern Virginia has become a major hub of military research. AFOSR is within blocks of several federal research organizations including the Office of Naval Research, the National Science Foundation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

In past instances when the Defense Department relocated facilities, most of the staff and researchers did not move with them. The concern is that this could ultimately lead to a shift in focus away from basic research towards mainly applied research, and that existing synergy with the other basic research agencies nearby will be lost.

The APS leadership is encouraging all of its members with an interest in AFOSR, particularly those who receive grants from the AFOSR and its Multi-disciplinary University Research Initiative, to contact the Air Force and provide input about the proposed move. The link to the official Request for Information is available online.