Volume 37 (2018)
FY 2018 Nearing Completion; House Members Join Together to Support NSF in FY 2019
More than five months into fiscal year (FY) 2018, Congress is finally close to a resolution on the annual appropriations bills. The government is currently operating under a stop-gap spending resolution that will end on March 23 and Congressional leaders are confident that funding for the remainder of the fiscal year will finalized before that deadline. Much of the remaining negotiations are still uncertain and exact timing is unclear. Read COSSA’s complete coverage of FY 2018 appropriations here. Looking ahead to next fiscal year, 161 members of the House of Representatives joined Representatives G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) and David McKinley (R-WV)…
OSTP Publishes Report on “Science & Technology Highlights” in the Trump Administration
Earlier this month, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published a 12-page report detailing the “tremendous” science and technology achievements made during the first year of the Trump Administration. According to the report, OSTP “has built a robust team of over 50 staff members,” although the size of the office is less than 40 percent of what it was under the previous Administration, and the President has yet to nominate an OSTP Director or a science advisor. The report describes accomplishments, such as the awarding of Nobel prizes to National Science Foundation-funded scientists whose research was…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 37 Issue 5
Featured News NSF Releases Additional Details of FY 2019 Budget Request COSSA in Action Sian Beilock, President of Barnard, to Keynote COSSA Conference; Other Speakers Announced The Council on Social Work Education and The Society for Social Work and Research Answer “Why Social Science?” Letters & Statements Federal Agency & Administration News National Institute of Justice Seeking Peer Reviewers Nomination Opportunities Funding Opportunities Notices & Requests for Comment Recent Reports Community News & Reports AAAS Accepting Nominations for Awards and Prizes DC Social Science Team Highlights Research on Improving District Programs Nomination Opportunities Notices & Requests for Comment COSSA Member…
NSF Releases Additional Details of FY 2019 Budget Request
On February 28, full details of the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget request for the National Science Foundation (NSF) were released. Preliminary details were unveiled on February 12 with the rest of the President’s FY 2019 budget. The President’s request includes a total of $7.5 billion for NSF in FY 2019, which is flat with the FY 2017 enacted level (Note: FY 2018 appropriations have not yet been completed, so comparisons are made to the last enacted level). As previously reported, prior to enactment last month of a bipartisan budget deal to raise discretionary spending caps, the Administration’s budget…
Sian Beilock, President of Barnard, to Keynote COSSA Conference; Other Speakers Announced
COSSA has announced that Sian Beilock will deliver the keynote address for the COSSA 2018 Science Policy Conference on April 30. Beilock is the 8th president of Barnard College and a psychologist who studies how children and adults learn and perform at their best, especially under stress. She is the author of Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal about Getting It Right When You Have To (2010) and How the Body Knows Its Mind: The Surprising Power of the Physical Environment to Influence How You Think and Feel (2015). COSSA has also released information about some of the…
National Institute of Justice Seeking Peer Reviewers
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research and evaluation agency of the Department of Justice, is seeking to expand its pool of peer reviewers. NIJ’s grant making process relies on scientists and criminal justice practitioners to provide expertise and feedback on the scientific rigor and merit of applications. NIJ is specifically seeking research and technical experts in the following areas: human trafficking, firearms violence, mass shootings, school safety, terrorism, gangs, persistently violent communities, and hate crime. More information about becoming a peer reviewer can be found on the NIJ website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
AAAS Accepting Nominations for Awards and Prizes
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has opened the nominations process for several of its annual awards and prizes that recognize significant contributions to science and the public’s understanding of science. The awards and prizes currently accepting nominations include: AAAS Award for Public Engagement with Science – Recognizes scientists and engineers who have made outstanding contributions to the popularization of science (Nominations accepted through August 1, 2018) AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science – Recognizes early-career scientists and engineers who have demonstrated excellence in their contributions to public engagement with science activities (Nominations accepted…
DC Social Science Team Highlights Research on Improving District Programs
On Tuesday, February 27, The Lab @ DC hosted its latest event, The Forum @ DC, at the University of the District of Columbia. The Lab @ DC is a team of social scientists within the District of Columbia government that conducts scientific evaluations and collects academic research related to the District to design policy interventions that help improve the quality of life for citizens of DC. During the event, researchers presented current studies that could have potential impacts on DC programs and policies. These researchers represented a variety of fields but emphasis was placed on social science and data…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 37 Issue 4
Featured News Trump Releases FY 2019 Budget Request; Read COSSA’s Analysis of Social Science Impacts COSSA in Action Don’t Forget to Register for COSSA Science Policy Conference & Advocacy Day Congressional News Congress Passes Bipartisan Budget Deal to Raise Spending Caps, Keep Government Open Until March 23 Federal Agency & Administration News NSF Issues 2018-2022 Strategic Plan Nomination Opportunities Funding Opportunities Notices & Requests for Comment Fellowships & Professional Development Community News & Reports Notices & Requests for Comment COSSA Member Spotlight American Academy of Arts and Sciences Issues Perceptions of Science in America Report Events Calendar
Trump Releases FY 2019 Budget Request; Read COSSA’s Analysis of Social Science Impacts
On February 12, the Trump Administration began releasing details of its fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget request to Congress, although details for some agencies (such as the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health) have yet to be released and are expected in the coming days or weeks. In light of a recent bipartisan agreement to increase discretionary spending over the next two years, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released an addendum to the FY 2019 budget outlining a number of adjustments to the budget request. However, the President’s views the new spending caps as a “ceiling” for…
Don’t Forget to Register for COSSA Science Policy Conference & Advocacy Day
There is still time to register for COSSA’s 2018 Science Policy Conference and Social Science Advocacy Day on April 30-May 1 in Washington, DC! More information about the conference is available on COSSA’s website. Remember: All participants affiliated with COSSA member organizations and universities are eligible for a discount on Conference registration. Check your inbox for a previous email from COSSA with the discount code or email jmilton@cossa.org. And undergraduate and graduate students can register for only $50, an 80% savings off the base price. Interested students should send an email to jmilton@cossa.org with their program, university, and anticipated year of graduate to receive the…
Congress Passes Bipartisan Budget Deal to Raise Spending Caps, Keep Government Open Until March 23
On February 9, Congressional leaders reached an agreement on a two-year deal to raise the budget caps that have limited federal spending since 2011. As COSSA has previously reported, these spending caps have limited the ability of Congress to pass full-year appropriations for fiscal year (FY) 2018 and diminished the chances of federal science agencies would see funding increases. The budget deal, known as the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, increases discretionary spending by $385 billion above the existing caps for the next two years. This increase includes $131 billion in non-defense discretionary (NDD) funding, which includes federal research funding….
NSF Issues 2018-2022 Strategic Plan
Alongside the release of the fiscal year (FY) 2019 budget request (see related article), the National Science Foundation issued its latest five-year strategic plan, Building the Future: Investing in Discovery and Innovation, NSF Strategic Plan for FY 2018-2022. The new report outlines the agency’s strategic goals and objectives, which include: (1) expand knowledge in science, engineering, and learning; (2) advance the capability of the Nation to meet current and future challenges; and (3) enhance NSF’s performance of its mission. The plan also states that a “Performance Plan for FY 2019” has been developed and that it includes the following “Agency…
American Academy of Arts and Sciences Issues Perceptions of Science in America Report
On February 12, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a COSSA member, issued a new report assessing the current state of public trust for science in the U.S. Perceptions of Science in America is the first report to be issued as part of the Academy’s ‘Public Face of Science project, a three-year activity that looks to better understand and explain the complex relationship between the scientific community and the public. Drawing from existing public opinion survey data sources, including government and non-governmental surveys, the report identifies three main takeaways about the state of science among public audiences: (1) confidence in…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 37 Issue 3
Featured News Senate Commerce Committee Hears Updates from NSF, NIST Leaders COSSA in Action COSSA Kicks Off the Second Year of “Why Social Science?” Catch Up on COSSA’s Advocacy Twitter Chat with MPSA Letters & Statements Congressional News Government Funding Remains Uncertain; Another Stopgap Likely Federal Agency & Administration News OBSSR Research Soliciting Papers for 11th Annual Matilda White Riley Honors National Science Board Releases Policy Statement on U.S. STEM-Capable Workforce Nomination Opportunities Funding Opportunities Notices & Requests for Comment Recent Reports Fellowships & Professional Development Community News & Reports Notices & Requests for Comment Recent Reports COSSA Member Spotlight…
Senate Commerce Committee Hears Updates from NSF, NIST Leaders
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation featured Dr. France Córdova, Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), and Dr. Walter Copan, Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in a hearing on January 30 to examine the implementation of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (AICA). AICA was signed into law during the final days of the Obama Administration in January 2017. AICA’s priorities included maximizing basic research, improving STEM education, and encouraging commercialization and technology transfer opportunities. Both NSF and NIST have taken many steps toward implementing the law including increasing oversight and accountability…
Catch Up on COSSA’s Advocacy Twitter Chat with MPSA
On January 23, COSSA co-hosted a Twitter chat with the Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA), a COSSA governing member, that shared tips for social scientists who would like to become more involved in advocacy. You can read a recap of the conversation here. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Government Funding Remains Uncertain; Another Stopgap Likely
Four months after fiscal year (FY) 2018 began, Congress seems no closer to appropriating funds for the remainder of the fiscal year or agreeing on top-line spending levels. The government is currently operating under a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) until February 8 and some Congressional leaders are considering a fifth CR that could fund the government into March. Larger policy debates, including immigration, have created a stalemate that must be resolved before spending levels or FY 2018 appropriations can be finalized. Further complicating this dynamic is the fact that Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee,…