The University of Oregon recently achieved a new milestone with its first-ever visit from the director of the U.S. National Science Foundation, one of the leading sources of scientific research funding in the world. Sethuraman Panchanathan was on campus Aug. 26, the first such visit in the organization’s 75-year history. But his message was more about what was to come, rather than what has been.

“You are the future,” Panchanathan said to a group of UO early-career researchers. “And the National Science Foundation cares deeply about the people who make the future happen.”

Panchanathan is the 15th director of the National Science Foundation, the only U.S. government agency charged with advancing all fields of scientific discovery, technological innovation and STEM education. The NSF currently has 255 active grants with more than $35 million invested in UO researchers in core areas including earthquake resilience, engineered wood technologies, STEM education and more.

Panchanathan delivered a presentation open to the university community and met with industry representatives, government officials and community leaders. But he had one special request for his visit: He wanted to meet early-career faculty members and graduate students who are benefiting from NSF funding.

“Our higher education institutions are the pride of our nation,” Panchanathan said. “Go anywhere in the world and they want to see how they can build the kind of institutions we have here. How do we ensure these institutions become engines of prosperity? Not just educating, as important as it is, but engines of prosperity.”