Bruce Alberts | Dec 6, 1998 | 3 min read
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), the Institute of Medicine (IOM)--along with our "operating arm," the National Research Council (NRC)--are private, independent nonprofit organizations. Most of the work that we do is funded by the federal government in our role as science advisers to the nation. This tradition of service reaches back to our 1863 charter, and providing independent advice to our government remains the central role of the NAS, NAE,