Volume 35 (2016)
Events Calendar
Future Directions in Mental Health Research: The View from Psychological Science, Washington, DC, October 4, 2016 Summit on Social and Behavioral Sciences for National Security, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, October 4-5, 2016 Center for Public Scholarship 35th Social Research Conference, New York, NY, October 13-14, 2016 Evaluation 2016, American Evaluation Association, Atlanta, GA, October 22-30, 2016 Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Annual Convention, New York, NY, October 27-30, 2016 A list of COSSA members’ annual meetings and other events can be found on the COSSA webpage. COSSA members who have an upcoming event they would like to see listed in the Events Calendar and on…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 35, Issue 18
Congressional News Lawmakers Poised to Pass Stopgap Funding, Return to Campaign Trail Federal Agency & Administration News NSF Releases Open Government Plan 4.0 Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Seeks Input Department of Education Seeks Nominations for National Assessment Governing Board White House SBS Team Celebrates One-Year Anniversary NIH Department of Bioethics Fellowship Opportunities Available for Fall 2017 Request for Information Solicits Input on International Trends in Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality Nursing Institute Releases New Strategic Plan DOD Seeks Candidates for Associate Director for Social Science Research Publications & Community Events PCORI Challenge Offers Prize for Research Questions on Addressing Cardiovascular Disease Funding…
Lawmakers Poised to Pass Stopgap Funding, Return to Campaign Trail
Members of Congress are hoping to get out of town by the end of the week — a week early — to head back out on the campaign trail. However, at the time of this writing, challenges remain in negotiating a stopgap funding bill to keep the government operating into the next fiscal year, which begins on October 1. Lawmakers had planned to stay in session for the remainder of September, but noted earlier in the month that they were poised to strike a deal on a continuing resolution (CR) by this week, allowing them to head home until after…
NSF Releases Open Government Plan 4.0
Earlier this month, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released the latest iteration of its transparency plan, Open Government Plan 4.0. NSF’s original plan, (version 1.0) was developed in 2010 in response to a 2009 White House directive calling for federal agencies to “implement the principles of transparency, participation and collaboration” across their activities and functions. This newest report, issued last week, reflects updates that have been made to federal guidelines pertaining to open government practices. The plan covers a variety of topics, including specific NSF transparency initiatives, the use of social media for communicating with the public, Freedom of Information…
Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Seeks Input
The Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking, established by a law passed in March 2016, is charged with producing a report that identifies how the government can enhance its use of data and evidence to improve federal programs and policies, to be delivered to the President and Congress within 15 months of the Commission’s formation. As it begins its work, the Commission is seeking input on existing strategies and practices for generating and incorporating data and evidence into policymaking as well as potential challenges it may encounter. The Commission has requested comments on 19 questions across three broad categories: (1) overarching questions,…
Department of Education Seeks Nominations for National Assessment Governing Board
The Department of Education seeks candidates for four open seats on its National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB). The Board sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a nationally representative measure of U.S. students’ knowledge and abilities in core academic subjects. NAEP is broadly recognized as the gold standard in testing. NAGB is composed of 26 members consisting of “governors, state legislators, chief state school officers, a local school superintendent, local and state school board members, principals, classroom teachers, curriculum and testing experts, a business representative, a representative of nonpublic schools, and members of the general public, including…
White House SBS Team Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
On September 15, the White House’s Social and Behavioral Sciences Team (SBST) celebrated its one-year anniversary. SBST, a group of behavioral scientists within the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), is chaired by the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). It also includes the participation of federal agencies, departments, and White House offices. The 2016 Social and Behavioral Sciences Team Annual Report cites the progress made by the team in implementing President Obama’s Executive Order 13707, “Using Behavioral Science Insights to Better Serve the American People” (see Update, September 22, 2015). The 2016 report…
NIH Department of Bioethics Fellowship Opportunities Available for Fall 2017
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Department of Bioethics is accepting applications for its fall 2017 fellowship program. The two-year post-doctoral and pre-doctoral fellows engage in the activities and “intellectual life” of the Department, as well as study “ethical issues related to conduct of research, clinical practice, genetics, and health policy.” In addition to having access to educational opportunities at NIH, fellows also have opportunities to participate in weekly bioethics seminars, case conferences, ethics consultations, and IRB deliberations. The application deadline for the post-doctoral fellowship is December 31, 2016 and January 15, 2017 for the pre-doctoral fellowship. To view the…
Request for Information Solicits Input on International Trends in Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently released a request for information (RFI) (NOT-HL-16-440) seeking input for an October 2018 conference that will address “international trends in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.” The conference will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the landmark “Conference on the Declining Mortality from Coronary Heart Disease” (CHD). That conference brought together experts from epidemiology, clinical research, cardiology, and public health. Similarly, NHLBI would like to bring experts “in a broad range of fields to consider from a global perspective where we are in terms of understanding the…
Nursing Institute Releases New Strategic Plan
On September 15, the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a new strategic plan, “Advancing Science, Improving Lives: A Vision for Nursing Science.” The new strategic plan was informed by NINR’s Innovative Question (IQ) initiative, which “sought to explore unanswered questions, promote results-oriented research, and guide the science over the next five to 10 years.” Four areas of scientific focus are highlighted in the plan: symptom science, wellness, self-management, and end of life and palliative care. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
DOD Seeks Candidates for Associate Director for Social Science Research
The Department of Defense (DOD) Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research is seeking candidates to fill the position of Associate Director of Social Science Research. This position includes direction of the Minerva Research Initiative. The Minerva Initiative was launched in 2008 as a university-based social science research program. The position will be filled through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act process, so applicants must be the employee of state, local, federal, or tribal government; an institution of higher education; or another eligible nonprofit, and agree to serve a set term in the position. Demonstrated experience with large program…
PCORI Challenge Offers Prize for Research Questions on Addressing Cardiovascular Disease
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have announced a contest for researchers and clinicians to submit research questions that can help address evidence gaps to improve treatment for people with cardiovascular disease. The challenge will award four cash prizes of $5,000. Proposed hypotheses should pose questions that can be answered using comparative effectiveness research and a precision medicine approach. Entries must be submitted by October 6, 2016. More information is available on the PCORI website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Funding Opportunity Announcements
AHRQ: Developing Measures of Shared Decision Making (R01) (PA-16-424) AHRQ: Large Research Projects for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CARB) (R01) (PA-16-423) AHRQ: Large Health Services Research Demonstration and Dissemination Projects for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CARB) (R18) (PA-16-422) AHRQ: Advancing Patient Safety Implementation through Safe Medication Use Research (R18) (PA-16-421) AHRQ: Advances in Patient Safety through Simulation Research (R18) (PA-16-420) NIH: Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) Enhancing Diversity in Biomedical Data Science (R25) (RFA-MD-16-002) NIH: BD2K Research Education Curriculum Development: Data Science Overview for Biomedical Scientists (R25) (RFA-ES-16-011) NIDCD: Notice of NIDCD’s Participation in PA-16-305 “Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award…
AERA Releases “Ed-Talks”
The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a COSSA governing member, has released over thirty “Ed-Talk” videos, which feature discussions of cutting-edge research on education and learning. Additionally, AERA released research fact sheets to provide more details on the findings and research presented in the “Ed-Talks”. These presentations were given at a forum held in Washington, DC as well as the AERA annual meeting in April of 2016. More details can be found here. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Events Calendar
Golden Goose Award Ceremony, Washington, DC, September 22, 2016 Congressional Briefing on Violence Prevention from the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy and WestEd’s Justice and Prevention Research Center, Washington, DC, September 27, 2016 Summit on Social and Behavioral Sciences for National Security, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, October 4-5, 2016 Center for Public Scholarship 35th Social Research Conference, New York, NY, October 13-14, 2016 Evaluation 2016, Atlanta, GA, October 22-30, 2016 Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Annual Convention, New York, NY, October 27-30, 2016 A list of COSSA members’ annual meetings and other events can be found on the COSSA webpage. COSSA…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 35, Issue 17
Featured News Congress Returns with Much Left Undone COSSA in Action COSSA Releases Second Issue of “Setting the Record Straight on ‘Wasteful Research’” Congressional News Congressional Briefing on Violence Prevention Federal Agency & Administration News NSF Seeks Input into Next Strategic Plan NIH Center for Scientific Review Seeks Director for Division of AIDS, Behavioral, and Population Sciences Diana Bianchi Named director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development NIH Seeks Input on Metrics to Assess Value of Biomedical Digital Repositories NIOSH Requests Input on Motor Vehicle Safety Research Priorities Candidates Sought for CDC Health Disparities Advisory Subcommittee…
Congress Returns with Much Left Undone
Congress returns to work this week for one more stretch before the November elections. This will be the final work period before the current fiscal year (FY 2016) expires on September 30. That means some type of action is needed in the coming weeks to keep the federal government funded and operating come October 1. See COSSA’s analysis of the state of play of FY 2017 Appropriations bills for full details. In addition to action on the annual spending bills (which will undoubtedly result in a continuing resolution punting final action to after the election), Congress will be looking to…
COSSA Releases Second Issue of “Setting the Record Straight on ‘Wasteful Research’”
COSSA has released the second issue of Setting the Record Straight on “Wasteful Research” (PDF available here). This series features interviews with researchers whose work has been called out in Congressional wastebooks or other attacks. We are hoping to give these scientists the chance to set the record straight about the value and potential of their work– and confront misconceptions about social science research funded by the federal government. This edition features Lisa Neff (University of Texas, Austin), whose National Science Foundation-funded study on relationships among older adults was ridiculed in James Lankford’s “Federal Fumbles” wastebook. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Congressional Briefing on Violence Prevention
The Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy and WestEd’s Justice and Prevention Research Center are hosting a Congressional Briefing on Tuesday, September 27 on violence and violence prevention. Topics covered will include strategies for violence prevention, patterns of violence, as well as the influences and costs of violence. Nancy Rodriguez, the Director of the National Institute of Justice, will introduce a diverse panel of experts from the public, academic, and non-profit sectors, including COSSA board member and Director of the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center Nancy La Vigne. Register to attend the briefing here. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
NSF Seeks Input into Next Strategic Plan
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is in the beginning stages of updating its strategic plan, which it does every four years. Its current strategic plan, Investing in Science, Engineering, and Education for the Nation’s Future, was released in 2014 and runs through 2018. As an initial step, NSF is soliciting comment on the “Vision, Core Values, Strategic Goals, and Strategic Objectives” included in the current plan (2014-2018). Public input can be provided on the NSF website by September 27. Back to this issue’s table of contents.