The article "NSF Offers Funds For University Buildings And Staff" (The Scientist, Jan. 6, 1992, page 3) discusses the new National Science Foundation graduate traineeship program. The article states that the program "creates university traineeship programs for doctoral students in the range of disciplines in the natural and physical sciences that NSF supports" (my emphasis). This gives the impression that the social and behavioral sciences, which NSF also supports, are ineligible. There is nothing in the congressional approval of the funding for the traineeship program that would support such an impression. Terence Porter, who heads the program at NSF, also has confirmed that social and behavioral scientists will be eligible for the program. The social and behavioral sciences are part of NSF. NSF director Walter Massey has recognized this by creating a research directorate for these disciplines.
HOWARD J. SILVER
Executive Director
Consortium of Social Science Associations
Washington, D.C.
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