Volume 39 (2020)
Administration Plans to Eliminate DOD Social Science Research Program
While the majority of the details of the Presidentâs fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget request were made public the week of February 10 (read COSSAâs analysis), full details for some agencies and departmentsâincluding the Department of Defense (DoD)âwere delayed until the following week. The DoD budget request reflects over $5 billion in cuts made as a result of the FY 2021 Defense-Wide Review. The FY 2021 Defense-Wide Review is a major DoD initiative led by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper âto improve alignment of time, money, and people to [National Defense Strategy] priorities,â including finding budget cuts at DoD. The…
Administration Releases FY 2021 Budget Request; Read COSSAâs Analysis
On February 10, the Trump Administration released its fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget request to Congress. In a significant departure from last yearâs budget rollout, the FY 2021 budget is not delivered on the heels of a major government shutdown, like we saw in early 2019. Given that Congress passed its FY 2020 appropriations bills in December 2019âalbeit nearly 3 months lateâthe Presidentâs FY 2021 budget can be compared to FY 2020 enacted levels, providing a clearer look at the potential implications of the Administrationâs proposals. However, the positive news largely ends there with respect to the Trump Administrationâs budget…
OBSSR Seeks Input on 2022-2026 Strategic Plan
The NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) is seeking broad public input on important new directions for health-related behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR). Specifically, OBSSR requests input on research directions that will support the achievement of the scientific priorities in the OBSSR Strategic Plan 2022-2026 (see the current strategic plan) and that will advance or transform the broader health impact of BSSR. OBSSR is interested in focusing on research directions that are trans-disease and cross-cutting in nature and address critical gaps in the field. The role of OBSSR is to coordinate and promote BSSR research across…
NSF Celebrates 70 Years
On February 6-7, the National Science Foundation (NSF) hosted a symposium celebrating the 70th anniversary of the agencyâs creation. The first day looked back at NSFâs history and featured discussions highlighting some the greatest scientific breakthroughs over the last seven decades as well as a discussion on the evolution of the agency itself featuring six previous NSF Directors alongside current Director France CĂłrdova. The second day brought the discussion back to the present with a session about NSFâs 10 Big Ideas, a panel on âIndustries of the Futureâ featuring representatives from Google, IBM, and others within the private sector, and…
NIH Requesting Comments on Strategic Plan
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a request for information (RFI) asking for stakeholder comments on the proposed framework for the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2021-2025 slated for a December 2020 release. Rather than focus on specific research opportunities or institute initiatives, NIH releases a strategic plan every five years to highlight the achievements of the agency and set broader priorities. The proposed framework for the new strategic plan highlights several cross-cutting themes for NIH including increasing diversity, reducing health disparities, optimizing data science, promoting collaborative science, and addressing public health challenges across the lifespan. These…
NSF Invites Proposal Submissions on 2026 Idea Machine Finalist Themes
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is requesting proposals for the NSF 2026 Idea Machine themes and activities for finalist applicants. The NSF 2026 Idea Machine is a prize competition for emerging science, engineering, or learning research challenge. Thirty-three finalists were selected from over 800 applicants. NSF is now seeking project proposals to enrich the activities the Idea Machine finalists will participate in, specifically in conference activities and in Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) projects testing the ideas and concepts coming from the finalists. EAGER project outlines are due March 1, 2020 and conference proposals are due March 15, 2020….
NIMHD to Celebrate 10th Anniversary with Scientific Symposium
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is hosting a scientific symposium titled Innovations to Promote Health Equity in honor of the instituteâs 10th anniversary. The symposium will highlight new discoveries in minority health and health disparities research and will feature four panels focused on the following issue areas: Integrative Biological and Behavioral Sciences Community Health and Population Sciences Clinical and Health Services Research Multidisciplinary Intramural Research at NIMHD The symposium will take place at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland on March 3, 2020 and will be webcast live…
COSSA Welcomes Wiley
COSSA is pleased to welcome Wiley as its newest affiliate member. Wiley is a leading publisher of scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, books, and other digital content. Wiley has joined under COSSAâs new affiliate membership category, which invites users of social science findings and other stakeholders to join in COSSAâs advocacy on behalf of the social and behavioral science community. COSSAâs full membership list is available here. Information on how to join can be found on the COSSA website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
Nominations Open for 2020 SAGE-CASBS Award
The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University and SAGE Publishing now are accepting nominations for the 2020 SAGE-CASBS Award. The Award recognizes accomplishments in the behavioral and social sciences that push the boundaries of our understanding of social issues. In addition to a cash prize, the SAGE-CASBS Award winner will deliver a public lecture to be held at CASBS on November 19, 2020. The deadline for nominations is March 16, 2020. More information about the Award can be found on the CASBS website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 39 Issue 3
Featured News COSSA Releases 2020 Rankings of College and University Social Science Investment COSSA in Action COSSA Responds to JCORE RFI Early Bird Pricing for Social Science Advocacy Day Extended through Feb. 14 Still Time to Register for Februaryâs Headlines Webchat on the Presidentâs Budget Request Cassandra R. Davis, UNC Public Policy Professor, Answers âWhy Social Science?â Letters & Statements Congressional News House Republicans Introduce Bill to Reauthorize Science Agencies House Passes Bill on Suicide Prevention Research Federal Agency & Administration News NSF Hosting Symposium to Celebrate 70th Anniversary NCHS Releases First Estimate of Maternal Mortality in 13 Years NIMHD…
COSSA Releases 2020 Rankings of College and University Social Science Investment
On January 29, COSSA released its 2019 College and University Rankings for Federal Social and Behavioral R&D, which highlight the top university recipients of federal research dollars in the social and behavioral sciences. This yearâs rankings feature a dashboard with an interactive map of recipients of social and behavioral science R&D funding so you can see how your university stacks up among more than 500 U.S. institutions. Based on the most recent available federal data, the COSSA rankings use an inclusive selection of fields representing the breadth of the social and behavioral sciences to calculate the total federal R&D funding…
COSSA Responds to JCORE RFI
In response to a request for information (RFI) from the Joint Committee on the Research Environment (JCORE) (see previous coverage), COSSA submitted a collection of resources produced by its member associations relevant to JCOREâs four primary areas of interest: (1) Research Rigor and Integrity; (2) Coordinating Administrative Requirements for Research; (3) Research Security; and (4) Safe and Inclusive Research Environments. As COSSAâs letter states, âGiven [the social sciencesâ] focus on the human condition across multiple scales, it is not surprising that our sciences have a lot to say about the topics of interest to JCORE.â The document is intended to…
Early Bird Pricing for Social Science Advocacy Day Extended through Feb. 14
The deadline for early bird registration for COSSA’s 2020 Social Science Advocacy Day has been extended through Friday, February 14. COSSA members can take advantage of this opportunity to register for only $75. COSSAâs annual spring event will include a kickoff session featuring special guest speakers (to be announced in the coming weeks), a half-day of intensive context setting and advocacy preparation, COSSAâs annual Celebration of Social Science Rooftop Reception, and a full day of meetings on Capitol Hill. Advocacy Day is open exclusively to individuals employed by or affiliated with COSSA member organizations. Individuals from non-member organizations can learn…
Still Time to Register for Februaryâs Headlines Webchat on the Presidentâs Budget Request
COSSA members are encouraged to sign up for the monthly Headlines webchat on Thursday, February 13. The COSSA team will break down the most important social and behavioral science news from the past month and answer your questions. The February chat will feature a deep dive discussion on the Trump Administrationâs budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2021, scheduled to be released on February 10. Individuals employed by or affiliated with a COSSA member organization or university can register for the webchat here. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
House Republicans Introduce Bill to Reauthorize Science Agencies
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced the Securing American Leadership in Science and Technology Act (H.R. 5685), a bill to reauthorize science agencies, on January 29. Science Committee Democrats are working on their own science agency reauthorization legislation, but details have not yet been released for the agencies most important to the social sciences. COSSA will report on the majorityâs proposals when they are released. The Republicansâ legislation proposes doubling basic research funding over the next ten years at the Department of Energy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Oceanic…
House Passes Bill on Suicide Prevention Research
On January 27, the House of Representatives passed the Advancing Research to Prevent Suicide Act (H.R. 4704) by a vote of 385 to 8. The bill, sponsored by freshman Member Ben McAdams (D-UT), would direct the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund cross-disciplinary researchâincluding research in the social and behavioral sciencesâfocused on preventing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Additionally, the bill enables NSF to collaborate with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund research grants on suicide prevention and promote the professional development of suicide prevention researchers. Although the bill was passed by the Democrat-controlled House, it is unlikely to…
NSF Hosting Symposium to Celebrate 70th Anniversary
The National Science Foundation (NSF) will host a symposium on February 6 and 7 to begin a year-long commemoration of NSFâs 70th anniversary. The symposium will take place at NSFâs Alexandria, Virginia headquarters and will also be webcast. The two-day event will feature past and present NSF Directors, Waterman award winners, and leaders from academia and industry. More information, the event agenda, and details about how to attend are available on NSFâs website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
NCHS Releases First Estimate of Maternal Mortality in 13 Years
NCHS recently released its final 2018 mortality data, which includes the first official estimate of maternal mortality since 2007. NCHS suspended annual estimates of the maternal mortality rate (defined as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy) due to inconsistencies and errors in state death records. To create the new estimates, NCHS performed an analysis of the use of checkboxes indicating current or recent pregnancy that had been added to the standard death certificate and revised its coding procedures to ensure that it was sufficiently accounting for potential errors. Thanks to this work, NCHS…
NIMHD Names Psychologist Monica Webb Hooper Deputy Director
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced the selection of Dr. Monica Webb Hooper as its new Deputy Director. Dr. Webb Hooper comes from Case Western Reserve Universityâs School of Medicine, where she is a professor of oncology, family medicine, and psychological sciences. She has also served as Associate Director for Cancer Disparities Research and Director of the Office of Cancer Disparities Research at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. She comes to NIMHD with years of expertise in minority health and cancer-related health disparities spanning multiple disadvantaged populations….