Posted March 18, 2011 4:05 PM MST

Dr. Subra Suresh
Director, National Science Foundation

On behalf of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), I would like to extend our sympathy to all those who have suffered due to the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunamis in Japan late last week and the earthquake in New Zealand last month.

We are deeply concerned about the loss of life and the gravity of the destruction throughout the directly affected regions. These regions are home to many fine research institutes and universities, including Tohoku University in Japan, that have hosted many NSF-supported students and researchers over the years. Christchurch, New Zealand serves as a key deployment hub for personnel of the U.S. Antarctic Program, which is managed by NSF.

Like the United States, the Japanese and New Zealand governments have a strong and tested commitment to science, engineering, and technology. We at NSF are proud of our relationship with the research communities in these countries. We stand with our colleagues and friends in Japan and New Zealand and are eager to do everything we can to assist them in this critical time.