Harry Alpert

Harry Alpert (1912 – 1977) was an American sociologist, best known for his directorship of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) social science program in the 1950s. During his time at the NSF (1953-1958), Alpert guided the development of the U.S. NSF's earliest efforts to provide funding to the social sciences, and helped to establish the agency's basic policy framework for funding social science research and fellowships. In his short five-year term as director, Alpert was able to establish a viable policy framework for NSF funding that would help to demonstrate both the value and scientific legitimacy of social science research. rdf:langString