Potential budget-balancing moves in Washington, D.C. may have repercussions that affect Iowa State.

This is the topic Dan Greenberg, editor and publisher of Science and Government Report, an internationally circulated newsletter founded in 1971, will speak about in a lecture to be held Monday, Dec. 16. The lecture will take place in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union at 7:30 p.m.

Greenberg is an expert on federally funded research and how changes in Washington, D.C., can affect funding. He has been an active figure on the political scene for the past 20 years.

John Anderson, interim director for university relations, said Greenberg will be “talking about the role of research in public universities.” He will discuss the current research environment as well as potential changes in the system.

Greenberg will also talk about the role of government funding for research and the changing world of research.

“There’s a lot of questions now about how much government funding should be provided for research,” Anderson said. “There’s a lot of discussion in Washington about balancing the budget; one way of balancing it is to cut research funds.”

Some groups which would be affected by the cuts include the U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense and the National Science Foundation.

He said the government is a source of a great deal of the money Iowa State uses to fund its research projects.

“Last year, Iowa State received almost $150 million from outside sources to fund research. The greatest share of that was from the national government,” Anderson said. “Any change in federal policy could affect ISU.”

The lecture is being sponsored by ISU President Martin Jischke’s office. It is the first in a series of lectures to be sponsored by the office focusing on research.

Following the lecture, there will be a reception in the Campanile Room.