Section 2
SEC. 2. The purposes of this corporation are: In general, to stimulate research in the mathematical, physical, and biological sciences, and in the application of these sciences to engineering, agriculture, medicine, and other useful arts, with the object of increasing knowledge, starting studies of problems of the national defense, and of contributing in other ways to the public welfare. To survey the larger possibilities of science, to formulate comprehensive projects of research, and to develop effective means of utilizing the scientific and technical resources of the country for dealing with these projects. To promote cooperation in research, at home and abroad, in order to secure concentration of effort, minimize duplication, and stimulate progress; but in all cooperative undertakings to give encouragement to individual initiative as fundamentally important to the advancement of science. To gather and collate scientific and technical information at home and abroad, in cooperation with governmental and other agencies and to render such information available to duly accredited persons.