Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) and DOE Resources
The Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) serves as the central hub for managing and disseminating the vast wealth of knowledge generated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). As a critical component of the DOE's Office of Science, OSTI ensures that the results of research, development, and commercial applications funded by the government are accessible to the global community.
Under the mandate of the Energy Policy Act PL 109–58, Section 982, the Secretary of Energy is tasked with maintaining publicly available collections of scientific and technical information. OSTI fulfills this responsibility by providing sophisticated web-based systems and tools that allow researchers, students, and the general public to search, retrieve, and reuse vital energy and science data.
[ไม่มีภาพประกอบ]Key Facts
- Jurisdiction: United States Government, Department of Energy (DOE).
- Primary Mission: Maintaining public access to scientific and technical information resulting from DOE-supported activities.
- Core Function: Providing search, retrieval, and re-use tools for energy and technology R&D results.
- Collaborative Reach: OSTI hosts Science.gov in partnership with 17 organizations across 13 Federal science agencies.
Publicly Available Science Information Resources
OSTI manages a diverse ecosystem of digital tools designed to make specific types of research outputs easy to find. These resources range from peer-reviewed papers to open-source software.
Primary Search and Discovery Tools
- OSTI.GOV: The main organizational hub and primary search tool for DOE science, technology, and engineering research and development (R&D) results.
- DOE PAGES: The Public Access Gateway for Energy and Science, which allows users to read, download, and analyze peer-reviewed scholarly publications resulting from DOE funding.
- Science.gov: A massive USA.gov science portal hosted by OSTI. It provides a gateway to over 2,100 websites and enables deep web searching across more than 50 databases. This portal is a collaborative effort involving 13 Federal science agencies and CENDI, a cooperative group of scientific and technical information (STI) managers.
Specialized Data and Multimedia Repositories
- DOE CODE: A dedicated submission and search tool for open-source software funded by the DOE.
- DOE Data Explorer: A tool for searching scientific research data, including numeric files, scientific images, interactive maps, computer simulations, and plots.
- DOE ScienceCinema: A multimedia collection of videos that highlight the DOE's scientific research achievements.
- DOE Patents: A searchable database focused on patent information derived from DOE-sponsored R&D.
Legislative Evolution of OSTI
The structure of energy research management in the U.S. has evolved through several key legislative acts over the decades, shifting from atomic energy focus to a broader energy and science mandate.
| Year | Legislation | Key Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Atomic Energy Act PL 79-585 | Created the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) |
| 1954 | Atomic Energy Act Amendments PL 83-703 | Updated atomic energy regulations |
| 1974 | Energy Reorganization Act PL 93-438 | Split AEC into the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) |
| 1977 | Department of Energy Organization Act PL 95-91 | Replaced ERDA with the Department of Energy (DOE) |
| 2005 | Energy Policy Act PL 109-58 | Defined OSTI's responsibility for public information collections |
| 2007 | America COMPETES Act PL 110-69 | Furthered scientific competitiveness and research goals |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main purpose of OSTI?
The main purpose of the Office of Scientific and Technical Information is to maintain and provide public access to scientific and technical information resulting from research, development, and commercial applications supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.
How can I find peer-reviewed papers funded by the DOE?
Peer-reviewed scholarly publications can be accessed through DOE PAGES (the Public Access Gateway for Energy and Science), where they can be read, downloaded, and analyzed.
Does OSTI provide access to software and patents?
Yes. DOE CODE is used for searching and submitting DOE-funded open-source software, while DOE Patents provides a searchable database of patent information resulting from DOE-sponsored R&D.
What is Science.gov and how does it differ from OSTI.GOV?
While OSTI.GOV focuses specifically on DOE results, Science.gov is a broader portal hosted by OSTI in collaboration with 13 Federal science agencies. It provides access to over 2,100 websites and searches more than 50 different databases across the federal government.
Where can I find scientific data like computer simulations or maps?
The DOE Data Explorer is the specific tool designed for searching collections of research data, including interactive maps, numeric files, scientific images, and computer simulations.