Search Results: AI
ICE Proposes Major New Restrictions to International Student Visas
On September 25, the Department of Homeland Securityâs Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a proposed rule fixing the initial visa term for all international students, exchange visitors, and foreign media representatives to four years, among other restrictions. Furthermore, the proposal would restrict the initial visa term to two years for individuals born in countries designated as state-sponsors of terrorism and citizens of countries with student and exchange visitor overstay rates over 10 percent. Applications to extend the duration of the visa would be possible âif the additional time needed is due to a compelling academic reason, documented medical illness…
CIA Establishes First-Ever Federal Laboratory
On September 21, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) announced the establishment of CIA Labs, a new research and development office focused on science and technology issues affecting national intelligence, marking the establishment of the CIAâs first ever federal laboratory. Some of the stated priorities of the laboratory include: advanced materials and manufacturing; artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics; bioscience and biotechnology; distributed ledger/blockchain-enabled technologies; virtual and augmented reality; high performance and quantum computing; future wireless and telecommunications technologies; and robotic, autonomous, and human interface systems. While it appears CIA Labs will be primarily performing in-house research, the CIAâs announcement…
NASEM Holds Webinar on Earning Trust in the Age of Pandemic
On September 16, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) held a webinar on understanding how to build and trust in the scientific community and the development in a potential COVID-19 vaccine. The webinar featured a panel discussion and Q&A session featuring Professor of the History of Science and Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University Evelyn Hammonds, Professor of Comparative Media Studies and Writing and Director of the Graduate Program in Science Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seth Mnookin, and Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security Monica…
COSSA Welcomes the Society for Personality Assessment
COSSA is pleased to welcome the Society for Personality Assessment (SPA) its newest member. SPA is the worldâs largest organization âdedicated to the development of methods of personality assessment, the advancement of research on their effectiveness, the exchange of ideas about the theory and practice of assessment, and the promotion of the applied practice of personality assessment.â 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.
Volume 39, Issue 18
Featured News Remembering James Jackson (1944-2020) New from COSSA COSSA Endorses Bipartisan Bill to Extend Census Deadline Congressional News House Science Committee Holds Hearing on the Impact of COVID-19 on University Research Executive Branch News White House Directs Federal Agencies to Defund Race-Related Trainings for Federal Employees USDA Names New ERS Administrator Science Community News Nominations Due Sept 17 for National Academies Committee on Accelerating Behavioral Science Through Ontology Development and Use National Academies Releases Consensus Study on Assessing Morbidity and Mortality After Disasters Research!America Health Research Forum Features Pandemic Response Leaders Resources & Opportunities COSSA Letters & Statements Nomination…
House Science Committee Holds Hearing on the Impact of COVID-19 on University Research
On September 10, the House Science Committeeâs Research and Technology Subcommittee held a hearing on the Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on University Research. Witnesses included the Vice Presidents for Research from the University of Illinois System, Oakland University in Michigan, and Purdue University, as well as a Carnegie Mellon graduate student in physics. Witnesses and participating Members of Congress praised the Science Committeeâs bipartisan proposals to support the university research system through the disruptions caused by COVID-19, including the RISE Act (H.R. 7308) (see previous coverage), which we have discussed before, authorizes $26 billion in emergency relief funding for…
Nominations Due Sept 17 for National Academies Committee on Accelerating Behavioral Science Through Ontology Development and Use
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is launching a consensus study on Accelerating Behavioral Science Through Ontology Development and Use to inform the development of classification systems and knowledge structures across the behavioral sciences. The study, which is being sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the American Psychological Association, will “define the scope of ontology development for behavioral science research (BSR), summarize the state of behavioral ontology development and use in BSR, and identify compelling use cases as well as approaches, gaps and challenges that need to be addressed in order to…
National Academies Releases Consensus Study on Assessing Morbidity and Mortality After Disasters
The National Academies has published a new consensus study report: A Framework for Assessing Mortality and Morbidity after Large-Scale Disasters. The Congressionally-mandated study was sponsored by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and was intended to identify ways to better understand the scope of death and injury caused by large-scale disasters (both natural and human-caused). Among the reportâs recommendations are adopting a uniform framework across federal agencies for data collection and adopting methods that distinguish direct and indirect deaths resulting from disasters. While the study commenced prior to the pandemic, COVID-19 provided a case study illustrating the needs described in the…
Research!America Health Research Forum Features Pandemic Response Leaders
From September 8-11, Research!America virtually hosted the 2020 National Health Research Forum, an annual meeting bringing together leaders in the research community, federal agency officials, and national media to highlight current trends in health research and the effect of those trends on public policy decisions. This yearâs theme was Straight Talk: Securing a Science-Strong Future, which was stated to be a focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on multiple facets of the U.S. research enterprise. The virtual event featured appearances from several high level government officials including the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, Director…
Remembering James Jackson (1944-2020)
Dr. James S. Jackson, renown social psychologist and Daniel Katz Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, passed away on September 1. A pioneer in national and international surveys of Black populations, Dr. Jackson dedicated his career to understanding racial and ethnic influences on life course among African Americans across the lifespan. He was a recognized leader and advocate for the social and behavioral sciences, evidenced by his appointments to national leadership positions and committees, including several advisory councils of the National Institutes of Health, the Board of the Division of Behavioral and Social…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 39 Issue 17
Featured News National Academies Study on COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Releases Discussion Draft, Seeks Feedback (Short Turnaround) Notable COVID-19 Resources COSSA in Action September Headlines to Feature Deep Dive Discussion with Dr. Annette Anderson of the Johns Hopkins Center for Safe and Healthy Schools Psychology of COVID-19 Authors Answer âWhy Social Science?â Letters & Statements Congressional News Fate of FY 2021 Funding and Coronavirus Relief in Limbo as Congress Returns Federal Agency & Administration News White House Outlines FY 2022 R&D Budget Priorities Stakeholders Rally to Salvage 2020 Census NIMH Requesting Comments on Improving Mental Health Disparities Applications Open for FY…
National Academies Study on COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Releases Discussion Draft, Seeks Feedback (Short Turnaround)
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has released a discussion draft of a Preliminary Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine, part of a fast-track study initiated over the summer (see previous coverage). The discussion draft, released September 1, aims to identify priorities to inform allocation of a limited initial supply of COVID-19 vaccine, taking into account factors such as racial/ethnic inequities and groups at higher risk due to health status, occupation, or living conditions. Feedback will be collected during a public listening session on September 2 as well as through a written comment period closing on…
Fate of FY 2021 Funding and Coronavirus Relief in Limbo as Congress Returns
Lawmakers return from summer recess next week, leaving only 16 working days to act on funding legislation before fiscal year (FY) 2021 begins on October 1. As previously reported, the House passed its version of the FY 2021 appropriations bills in July, while the Senate has yet to release details of its bills. It is a near certainty that FY 2021 will begin under a continuing resolution (CR). Since it is an election yearâone with major potential funding consequencesâhistory suggests that a shorter CR will be enacted to keep the government running through the November elections. The next steps after…
White House Outlines FY 2022 R&D Budget Priorities
On August 14, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a memorandum laying out the Trump Administrationâs research and development budget (R&D) priorities for fiscal year (FY) 2022. The memo cites five key White House priorities and four âhigh-priority crosscutting actionsâ for U.S. federal agencies to consider as they develop their FY 2022 budget submissions. While the FY 2022 memo shares similar priorities to R&D memos from previous fiscal years, a notable difference is the inclusion of public health security and innovation as a priority in light of the…
Stakeholders Rally to Salvage 2020 Census
With less than a month remaining before the Census Bureau plans to end all of its counting efforts for the 2020 Census, advocates are actively working to force the Bureau to take more time to ensure an accurate count. As previously reported, the Census Bureau announced in August that it would shorten its counting efforts by a full month, moving up its deadline from October 31 to September 30. According to the Bureau, the shortened timeframe is needed to in order to produce statutorily mandated apportionment counts by the end of the year. The Houseâs most recent coronavirus relief bill…
NIMH Requesting Comments on Improving Mental Health Disparities
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is requesting stakeholder comments to inform potential research seeking to improve mental health outcomes among minority and health disparity populations. The request specifically seeks input on how certain social determinants can affect mental health outcomes, how racial discrimination may affect mental health outcomes, potentially understudied social or behavioral determinants of mental health, ideas or innovations to reduce mental health disparities, promising interventions to treat mental health disparities, tools to properly measure mental health outcomes, and ideas on preventing racial discrimination at the individual, family, or community…
Applications Open for FY 2020 Title VI International Research and Studies Program
The International and Foreign Language Education Office (IFLE) within the U.S. Department of Education is accepting applications for the International Research and Studies (IRS) program for fiscal year (FY) 2020. The IRS program provides competitive grants to institutions and individuals to conduct research on improving education in foreign language and other international fields. Each year, the IRS program awards up to five additional points to applications that meet one of several competitive preference priorities. The priorities for FY 2020 are: Research on more effective methods of providing instruction and achieving competency in modern foreign languages, area studies, or other international…
SEAN Releases Guidance on Contact Tracing
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicineâs Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN) (see COSSAâs previous coverage) has released a new rapid expert consultation, Encouraging Participation and Cooperation in Contact Tracing. The guidance draws on survey research to provide federal, state, and local decision-makers, with evidence-based strategies to enhance contact tracing efforts, such as partnering with trusted sources, offering incentives, giving advance notice, tailoring messaging, and accepting partial information. The guidance is available on the National Academies website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
Congress Struggling to Reach Agreement on COVID-19 Relief, Potentially Delaying August Recess
Congressional leaders continue to negotiate with the White House on what many suspect could be the final COVID-19 relief bill, and the House, Senate and Trump Administration remain far apart on their preferred approaches. While the House passed a relief billâthe Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Actâin May, the Senate has only recently introduced its counterpart proposal, the Healthcare, Economic Assistance, Liability, And Schools (HEALS) Act. Though the Senate is scheduled to begin its August recess on Friday August 7, policymakers are reportedly pessimistic about reaching a deal before then. Senate leaders are expected to delay the…
COSSA Board Seeks Nominations for At-Large Seat
The COSSA Board of Directors is seeking nominations to fill one (1) at-large director seat on the COSSA Board of Directors for the 2021-2023 term. The Board of Directors is comprised of 19 members: 16 representing COSSAâs Governing Member Associations and 3 at-large directors. At-large seats are intended to bring to the table other influential voices with interests touching social and behavioral science research. They may include social science researchers and/or researchers whose work spans disciplinary boundaries, university administrators, professional association leaders, private sector or foundation representatives, or others who would offer a unique perspective to COSSA. At-large directors serve…