President Biden Proposes Creating Two DARPA-Like Agencies

These new initiatives would tackle problems relating to health and climate.

Written byLisa Winter

| 2 min read

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President Joe Biden released his request for discretionary funding for fiscal year 2022 on Friday (April 9), with a number of proposed increases to science organizations. On top of a boost to existing research and development programs, Biden also calls for the creation of high-risk, high-reward agencies that would operate in much the same way as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), but would tackle problems in health and climate.

DARPA is known for developing technologies for defense-related problems through visionary “blue sky” thinking that isn't confined to what is immediately realistic or attainable. It is unburdened by the typical constraints of grant applications and bureaucratic red tape, giving its researchers the liberty to pursue projects that might not have a guaranteed payoff.

As part of a proposed $9 billion increase to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Biden administration has earmarked $6.5 billion ...

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Meet the Author

Lisa Winter
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Lisa joined The Scientist in 2017. As social media editor, some of her duties include creating content, managing interactions, and developing strategies for the brand’s social media presence. She also contributes to the News & Opinion section of the website. Lisa holds a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in genetics, cell, and developmental biology from Arizona State University and has worked in science communication since 2012.
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