Volume 39 (2020)
President-Elect Biden and a Divided Congress: 2021 Policy Outlook
The results of the 2020 elections seemed to have something for everyone to be happy (or unhappy) about. Former Vice President Joe Biden pulled out a convincing electoral victory, and while President Trump has yet to concede and his team continues to threaten legal challenges to the results, these protestations seem to be largely political theater at this point. However, while winning the White House was obviously the most important outcome for Democrats, they dramatically underperformed expectations in the Congressional races. This outcome likely leaves President-elect Biden with a difficult landscape to navigate in order to enact his policy agenda…
AAPSS Seminar Highlights Pandemicâs Impact on Working Families
The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), a COSSA member, held a virtual seminar on October 29 convening a panel of experts to discuss âWorking Parents in COVID-19: The Impact and the Policy Response.â The panel was moderated by Isabel Sawhill, Brookings Institution, and featured presentations by Michal Grinstein-Wiess, Washington University in St. Louis; Molly Kinder, Brookings Institution; Claudia Goldin, Harvard University; and Nisha Patel, Washington University in St. Louis. Panelists discussed the unique impacts of the pandemic on economically vulnerable working families and potential policy solutions that could assist these familiesâ recovery. A recording of the webcast…
NIH Releases Final Policy for Data Management and Sharing
On October 29, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released its final agency policy for data management and sharing (DMS) of scientific data generated from NIH-funded or conducted research. The NIHâs DMS policy takes stakeholder feedback into account to ensure that data from scientific research is accessible, sharable, and managed properly. More information about the policy is available on the NIH website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
NIH Seeking Comments on Agency-Wide Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Research
On October 28, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a request for information (RFI) to gather public input on the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Research released in July (see previous COSSA coverage for more details). As the coronavirus pandemic persists, NIH acknowledges that the framework in the Strategic Plan should be updated periodically to meet the needs of the research community in addressing the pandemic. NIH is seeking comments related to the following topics: Significant research gaps or barriers not currently identified in the Strategic Plan; Resources required or lacking that could advance the priorities in the Strategic…
November Headlines to Feature Deep Dive on 2020 Election
COSSA members are encouraged to sign up for the monthly Headlines webchat on Thursday, November 12 at 2:00 pm Eastern Time. The COSSA team will break down the most important social and behavioral science news from the past month, followed by a deep dive discussion on the 2020 election with Costas Panagopoulos, Professor of Political Science at Northeastern University and member of the American Political Science Association’s Election Assistance Task Force. Individuals employed by or affiliated with a COSSA member organization or university can register for the webchat here. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
COSSA Executive Director Featured on âMomentum HSSâ Podcast
Wendy Naus, COSSA Executive Director, was featured on a recent episode of the Momentum HSS podcast, which âfeatures conversations with Humanities and Social Sciences scholars, associational leaders, funders, and others who comprise the vast network of Humanities and Social Sciences support.â Her conversation with host Darby Orcutt of North Carolina State University covered the relationship between social science and STEM, the unique challenges of advocating for the social sciences, and an overview of trends in federal support for social science research. All episodes of the Momentum HSS podcast can be found here. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 39 Issue 22
Featured News President-Elect Biden and a Divided Congress: 2021 Policy Outlook New from COSSA COSSA Executive Director Featured on âMomentum HSSâ Podcast November Headlines to Feature Deep Dive on 2020 Election Congressional News Senate Kicks Off Lame Duck Session by Releasing FY 2021 Spending Bills Executive Branch News NIH Seeking Comments on Agency-Wide Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Research NIH Releases Final Policy for Data Management and Sharing COSSA Member Spotlight AAPSS Seminar Highlights Pandemicâs Impact on Working Families Resources & Opportunities COSSA Letters & Statements New COVID-19 Resources Nomination Opportunities Funding Opportunities Requests for Comment & Calls for Papers Notices,…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 39 Issue 21
Featured News ASA Webinar Corrects the Record on âRace and Sex Stereotypingâ Executive Actions New from COSSA CJRA, COSSA Host âAsk a Criminologistâ Briefing Addressing Policing and Community Relations âWhy Social Science?â Looks at Women and Political Ambition Congressional News Supreme Court Ends Census Count Early; Congress Could Still Act to Protect Accuracy Executive Branch News White House to Weaken Protections for Civil Servants through âSchedule Fâ Classification NSF Seeks Input on Future Convergence Accelerator Topics, Midscale STEM Education Infrastructure Science Community News AAAS Forum Focuses on COVID Impacts, Systemic Racism in Science Research!America Requesting Proposals for 2020-2021 Microgrants CNSF…
ASA Webinar Corrects the Record on âRace and Sex Stereotypingâ Executive Actions
The American Sociological Association (ASA), a COSSA governing member, held a webinar on October 20 to respond to recent White House actions prohibiting trainings and other activities that touch on white privilege, structural inequality, and other supposedly âdivisiveâ concepts (see previous coverage). The webinar âSociology Speaks: Experts Explain the Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotypingâ featured three sociologists, Karyn Lacy of the University of Michigan, Bandana Purkayastha of the University of Connecticut, and Shelley Correll of Stanford University, who corrected the misrepresentations of these concepts in the orders and memoranda and explained how they have contributed to a…
CJRA, COSSA Host âAsk a Criminologistâ Briefing Addressing Policing and Community Relations
On October 22, COSSA, in partnership with the Crime & Justice Research Alliance (CJRA), hosted the latest in an ongoing series of âAsk a Criminologistâ briefings, which seek to connect leading criminologists to policy makers to address prevalent criminal justice issues. The event, which focused on issues related to policing and community relations in the wake of recent protests, featured Dr. Jennifer Cobbina, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University; Dr. Rod Brunson, Thomas OâNeill Chair of Criminology at Northeastern University; and Dr. Everette Penn, Professor of Criminal Justice at University of Houston Clear Lake and founder of…
Supreme Court Ends Census Count Early; Congress Could Still Act to Protect Accuracy
On October 13, the Supreme Court issued a ruling allowing the Department of Commerce to end its 2020 Census field operations early (see COSSAâs previous coverage for the complete back-and-forth on the end date). However, while the enumeration efforts have ended, the Census Bureau now moves to critical data processing and quality-checking work to ensure that the final counts submitted for redistricting and reapportionment purposes are accurate. The timeline for this essential work is significantly compressed compared to both the Bureauâs original 2020 Census operating plan and the Administrationâs COVID-19-adjusted plan. Congress can act to move statutory deadlines and instruct…
White House to Weaken Protections for Civil Servants through âSchedule Fâ Classification
On October 21, President Trump issued an Executive Order on Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service, a move that elicited wide criticisms from federal employee organizations. The executive order would create a new classification of federal employee, Schedule F, and defines this class of employee as those in âpositions of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character that are not normally subject to change as a result of a Presidential transition.â Furthermore, heads of executive agencies would be given the power to determine which Federal positions are covered by Schedule F upon approval by the White House Office of…
NSF Seeks Input on Future Convergence Accelerator Topics, Midscale STEM Education Infrastructure
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a request for information (RFI) on future topics for the NSF Convergence Accelerator. The Convergence Accelerator is a capability within NSF to accelerate use-inspired convergence research in areas of national importance via partnerships between academic and non-academic stakeholders. The Convergence Accelerator is entering its third funding cycle and has previously featured tracks related to NSFâs Industries of the Future (IotF) initiative and Big Ideas related to Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier (FW-HTF), Harnessing the Data Revolution (HDR), Quantum Leap (QL). The RFI is seeking ideas for new topics that build upon…
AAAS Forum Focuses on COVID Impacts, Systemic Racism in Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) held its annual Science & Technology Policy Forum in a virtual format on October 13-14. The forum featured two days of panels and lectures focused on pressing policy issues facing the sciences. The majority of the first dayâs sessions focused on how COVID-19 has impacted science and innovation, the essential role science has played in responding to the pandemic, and lessons that can be drawn from this experience to strengthen the science and technology enterprise going forward. The second day featured a number of sessions on confronting the dark history of…
Research!America Requesting Proposals for 2020-2021 Microgrants
Research!America has announced that it is accepting proposals from graduate and postdoctoral-led science policy groups for the 2020-2021 round of microgrants funding projects connecting scientists with public policy experts. These grants aim to support early-career scientists with funding for civic science projects including virtual events, podcasts, data visualization projects, and startup funding. One microgrant track, the Science Meets Science track, pairs social scientists with scientists from other fields to fund interdisciplinary civic science projects. All early-career scientists selected for the microgrant program will have access to various science policy resources including webinar trainings, a formal science policy course, and participation…
CNSF Hosts Congressional Briefing on Undergraduate Learning During COVID-19
On October 22, the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF), of which COSSA is a member, hosted a virtual briefing for Congressional staffers on undergraduate learning during COVID-19 and how funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) can address gaps in learning. The briefing featured presentations from Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at North Carolina A&T State University Adrienne Aiken Morgan and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Digital Innovation and Enterprise Learning at Northeastern University Kemi Jona. In addition, brief remarks were offered by Representatives G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) and Katherine Clark (D-CA). The briefing was moderated by Associate Executive Director of…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 39 Issue 20
Featured News Get Out the Vote with âVote Science Strongâ New from COSSA CJRA and COSSA to Host âAsk a Criminologistâ Virtual Briefing on Police and Community Relations COSSA and NIH Minority Health Institute Discuss COVID-19 Response Congressional News FY 2021 Begins Under a CR; COVID Relief Negotiations Up in the Air House Science Committee Holds Hearing on Research Needs for Coping with Compound Crises House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Combatting Misinformation in the 2020 Election Executive Branch News Fight for Accurate Census Continues Even as Counting Wraps Up NIH Encourages Participation in Surveys on Impacts of COVID-19 on Extramural…
Get Out the Vote with âVote Science Strongâ
Research!America, a DC-based advocacy organization working in support of health and medical research, has partnered with several scientific organizations on a website aimed at equipping the scientific community with resources to help make informed decisions at the polls this November. Vote Science Strong seeks to make scientific researchâacross all domainsâpart of the conversation in this yearâs elections. It includes several different tools to help scientists engage with candidates, such as through town hall meetings and social media, and includes factsheets on the benefits of research to various aspects of life. Help amplify science in this yearâs elections by visiting Vote…
CJRA and COSSA to Host âAsk a Criminologistâ Virtual Briefing on Police and Community Relations
COSSA and the Crime & Justice Research Alliance (CJRA) (a collaborative effort of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and the American Society of Criminology, both COSSA members) will host the next in a series of âAsk a Criminologistâ Congressional briefings on Wednesday October 21 at 3:00 pm ET. This interactive briefing will focus on the intersection between law enforcement and residents during an extremely complicated time. Panelists will include Dr. Jennifer Cobbina, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University; Dr. Rod Brunson, Thomas OâNeill Chair of Criminology at Northeastern University; and Dr. Everette Penn, Professor of Criminal…