A staple since COSSA’s earliest days, the biweekly COSSA Washington Update newsletter provides members and the public with comprehensive coverage of policy developments impacting social and behavioral science research.
New Academies Study on Advancing Social and Behavioral Science within the Weather Enterprise Seeks Committee Members
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has announced a new study, “Advancing Social and Behavioral Science Research and Application within the Weather Enterprise,” and is seeking nominees to serve on the study committee. The goal of the study is to “to develop a framework for generating and applying social and behavioral science (SBS) research within the context of meteorology, weather forecasting, and weather preparedness and response.” The Academies is particularly interested in candidates with expertise in the following fields: weather forecasting, meteorological research, behavioral economics, communication research, decision making, risk perception, assessment and communication, human factors and product…
Events Calendar
NIH and the Science of Science and Innovation Policy: A Joint NIH-NSF Workshop, Bethesda, MD, April 7-April 8, 2016 Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, April 7-April 10, 2016 American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, April 8-April 12, 2016 Progress Reversed: The Importance of Health, Mortality and Poverty for Public Policy, Washington, DC, April 11, 2016 “Wasteful” Research? Looking Beyond the Abstract, Washington, DC, April 13, 2016 Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, April 13-17, 2016 22nd Annual CNSF Exhibition & Reception, Washington, DC, April 26, 2016 2016 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Lecture: Policy, Politics and…
Funding Opportunity Announcements
NIJ: Research and Evaluation on Victims of Crime (NIJ-2016-9600) NIJ: FY 2016 Comprehensive School Safety Initiative (NIJ-2016-9093) ED/IFLE: Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation for Research Abroad FDA: Development, Implementation, and Management of a Funding System to Advance Conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS) (U18), (RFA-FD-16-016) FDA: Strengthen and Promote the Role of Local Health Departments in Retail Food Safety Regulation (U50), (RFA-FD-16-019) FDA: Strengthening Partnerships with State Legislatures to Promote the Safety of FDA Regulated Products and Advance Public Health (U18), (RFA-FD-16-041) AHRQ: AHRQ Announces Interest in Research that Uses Shared Decision Making as a Tool to…
House Science Committee Discusses FY 2017 NSF Budget; Social Science Highlighted
On March 22, the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology held an oversight hearing to discuss the fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget request for the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF Director France Córdova and Chair of the National Science Board, Dan Arvizu, testified before the Subcommittee. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) chaired the hearing. In his opening statement, Ranking Member Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), a PhD political scientist, expressed the importance getting more people to understand the critical role NSF plays, especially across all disciplines of science. In addition, and noting that the discussion could turn to the…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 35 Issue 6
Featured News Recap of the 2016 COSSA Annual Meeting COSSA in Action Social Science Advocates Take Capitol Hill COSSA Presents Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson with Distinguished Service Award Congressional News House Subcommittee Discusses FY 2017 NSF Budget, Funding for All Disciplines of Science NIH Makes Annual Appearance Before House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Federal Agency & Administration News DARPA Announces Next Generation Social Science Program; Abstracts Due March 31 HHS Seeks Members for Healthy People 2030 Advisory Body Publications & Community Events Friends of IES Briefing Highlights Research on Supporting Students with Disabilities Transition to Adulthood Funding Opportunity Announcements COSSA Member…
Recap of the 2016 COSSA Annual Meeting
COSSA held its 2016 Annual Meeting on March 15th in Washington, DC. Meeting sessions focused on topics like congressional attacks on federally-funded research, social science and the media, use of social and behavioral science in industry, and how to communicate the value of social and behavioral science research. In addition, participants heard updates on activities at federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency, and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Click here to read COSSA’s summary of the meeting’s sessions. You can also check out our social media recap, which covers…
COSSA Presents Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson with Distinguished Service Award
On March 15, as part of COSSA’s Annual Meeting and Celebration of Social and Behavioral Science reception, COSSA presented the 2016 Distinguished Service Award to Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). Congresswoman Johnson was recognized for her “unwavering support for social and behavioral science research and steadfast leadership on behalf of the U.S. scientific enterprise.” In accepting the award, Congresswoman Johnson reaffirmed her commitment to all disciplines of science and resolved to continue to ensure that social science receives the support it deserves. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Social Science Advocates Take Capitol Hill
On March 16, about 50 social and behavioral science researchers, stakeholders, and advocates met with their Members of Congress to advocate in support of fiscal year (FY) 2017 funding for federal agencies and programs that support social and behavioral science research. Despite the system-wide shutdown of the DC Metro, advocates from 14 different states made it to Capitol Hill to discuss the value of this research and why it is in the national interest. Materials used to help articulate these messages can be found on the COSSA website, including fact sheets on COSSA’s FY 2017 funding requests. Back to this…
Friends of IES Briefing Highlights Research on Supporting Students with Disabilities Transition to Adulthood
On March 4, the Friends of the Institute of Education Science (IES), in cooperation with honorary co-chairs Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA) held a congressional briefing, “Transitioning to Adult Productivity: Supporting Secondary Students with Disabilities in Successful Movement to College and Career.” IES’ National Center for Special Education supports research that has identified interventions that can “prepare students with disabilities for postsecondary education and the workforce.” The COSSA-supported briefing featured IES-funded research on improving transition outcomes for students with disabilities. Speakers discussed how the programs assist these students in gaining employment, becoming…
DARPA Announces Next Generation Social Science Program; Abstracts Due March 31
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense has announced a new social science research effort – Next Generation Social Science (NGS2) – which seeks to “begin to assess the research opportunities provided by today’s web-connected world and advanced technologies.” NGS2 is looking to fund research that will enhance three core social science capabilities – predictive modeling and hypothesis generation, innovative experimental methods and platforms, and interpretation and reproducibility of research results. An initial focus of the program will be to “challenge researchers to develop and use new tools and methods to identify causal mechanisms…
HHS Seeks Members for Healthy People 2030 Advisory Body
On March 17, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it is establishing the “Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2030 (Committee)” and is inviting nominations for membership. In 1979, HHS created Healthy People, an initiative “grounded in the notion that setting science-based, measurable objectives and monitoring progress can motivate action.” The new Committee is expected to provide relevant and objective advice around health determinants and risk factors. It will perform the “single, time-limited task” of providing advice regarding creating Healthy People 2030 and advise the HHS Secretary on the Healthy…
House Subcommittee Discusses FY 2017 NSF Budget, Funding for All Disciplines of Science
On March 16, the House Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing on the fiscal year (FY) 2017 budget request for the National Science Foundation (NSF), featuring NSF Director France Córdova. Subcommittee Chairman John Culberson (R-TX) opened the hearing by expressing the subcommittee’s longtime support for NSF and basic research, while noting the need to be “exceptionally good stewards” of taxpayer dollars given the tough budgetary environment. As previously reported, the President’s budget request for NSF includes $400 million in one-time mandatory funding, which Chairman Culberson said is “not going to happen.”
NIH Makes Annual Appearance Before House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee
On March 16, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins made his annual, and perhaps final, appearance before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS) as an official of the Obama Administration. Collins was accompanied by four of the NIH’s 27 institute and center directors and/or acting directors, including Anthony Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Richard Hodes, National Institute on Aging (NIA), Doug Lowy, National Cancer Institute (NCI); and Nora Volkow, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The NIH panel received a warm welcome from Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold…
Funding Opportunity Announcements
AHRQ: AHRQ Announces Interest in Research on Health IT Safety (NOT-HS-16-009) DARPA: Next Generation Social Science (NGS2) (DARPA-BAA-16-32) NIJ: Investigator-Initiated Research and Evaluation on Firearms Violence (NIJ-2016-9091) NIH: NIH Director’s Early Independence Awards (DP5) (RFA-RM-16-006) NIMH: Using the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Approach to Understand Psychosis (R21) (PAR-16-135), (R01) (PAR-16-136) NCI: Cancer Research Education Grants Program to Promote Diversity – Research Experiences (R25) (PAR-16-138), (R25) (PAR-16-139) NIGMS: Maximizing Investigator’s Research Award (R35) (RFA-GM-17-002) NIH/AHRQ: Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R01) (NOT-CA-16-025), (R21) (NOT-CA-16-026) [NCI, AHRQ, NCCIH, NHGRI, NHLBI, NIAAA,…
LSA Releases Annual Report on State of Linguistics in Higher Ed
The Linguistic Society of America (LSA), a COSSA Governing Member, has issued its third Annual Report on the State of Linguistics in Higher Education. The report shows a growing popularity of the linguistics major at four-year colleges and universities, as well as a number of other interesting highlights, including career trends, demographics, and specializations. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Events Calendar
What does it mean to be a citizen in contemporary America? Washington, DC, March 22, 2016 Southwestern Social Science Association Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, March 22-27, 2016 Midwest Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 23-26, 2016 Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, March 28-April 2, 2016 NIJ Webinar: New Investigator/Early Career Program in the Social and Behavioral Sciences, March 29, 2016 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, March 29-April 2, 2016 Society of Behavioral Medicine Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, March 20-April 2, 2016 Population Association of America Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, March 31-April…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 35, Issue 5
Featured News Preview of the COSSA Annual Meeting, March 15-16 – Still Time to Register! COSSA in Action COSSA and Partners Urge Strong FY 2017 Funding for Science Agencies Federal Agency & Administration News OBSSR to Develop “Revised, Contemporary Definition of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research” National Children’s Study Archive Available to Investigators NIA Requests Input on Alzheimer’s Disease Bypass Budget Implementation Funding Opportunity Announcements COSSA Member Spotlight NCA to Hold Discussion on Citizenship in America Events Calendar
Preview of the COSSA Annual Meeting, March 15-16 – Still Time to Register!
The COSSA Annual Meeting is just one week away. The agenda includes a wide range of topics impacting social and behavioral science research, from federal funding and the media’s use of social science research, to communicating science and industry interests. Here’s a snapshot of what we have in store: Peer Review, National Interest & Late Night Television: The Politics of Social Science Research In the Looking Glass: Social and Behavioral Science Communicates the Value of Social and Behavioral Science On the Record: Social Science & the Media Featuring reporters from NPR and Pacific Standard Trends in Federal Statistics Featuring Erica…
COSSA and Partners Urge Strong FY 2017 Funding for Science Agencies
Now that appropriations season is underway, COSSA has begun working with its coalition partners to urge strong support for agencies that fund social and behavioral science research in fiscal year (FY) 2017. Some of the most recent requests include: 3/3/2016: FY 2017 Appropriations Request for the Bureau of Economic Analysis 3/3/2016: Coalition for International Education FY 2017 Appropriations Request for International Education and Foreign Language Studies, House/Senate 3/1/2016: CDC Coalition FY 2017 Request for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2/25/2016: Friends of IES FY 2017 Appropriations Request for the Institute of Education Sciences, House/Senate 2/22/2016: FY 2017 302(b)…
OBSSR to Develop “Revised, Contemporary Definition of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research”
As part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) strategic planning process to update its 2007 strategic plan for fiscal years (FY) 2016-2020, the Office plans to reconsider NIH’s definition of behavioral and social sciences (BSSR). In his recent OBSSR Connector blog post, OBSSR Director William Riley explained that the office is Congressionally mandated to “define behavioral and social sciences research to assess and monitor NIH funding.” As a consequence, the current definition “resulted in a high level taxonomy of BSSR and delineates basic versus applied behavioral and social sciences research with a range…