NSF is the only federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering, except for medical sciences.

NSF keeps the United States at the leading edge of discovery in areas from astronomy to geology to zoology. In addition to funding research in the traditional academic areas, the agency also supports “high-risk, high pay-off” ideas, novel collaborations and numerous projects that may seem like science fiction today, but which the public will take for granted tomorrow.