COSSA Member Spotlight

SBM Hosts NIH Good Clinical Practice for Social and Behavioral Research Training Course

The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM), a COSSA member, is hosting a free National Institutes of Health (NIH) training and certification course for good clinical practice in behavioral and social science research at the request of the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research. The Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program, funded by the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, developed the training material which is comprised of nine video modules. As previously reported, all NIH-funded investigators and staff who are involved in applying for, conducting, overseeing, or managing clinical trials are required, effective January 1, 2017, to…

National Communication Association Announces Next Executive Director

The National Communication Association (NCA), a COSSA Governing Member, has announced the appointment of Dr. Paaige K. Turner as its next Executive Director. Turner is currently Associate Dean and Professor in the School of Communications at Webster University in St. Louis. She will begin her tenure at NCA on April 1. Back to this issue’s table of contents.

AERA Extends Deadline for Congressional Fellowships

The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a COSSA Governing Member, has extended the deadline for the 2017-2018 Congressional Fellowship Program. Applications are due January 17, 2017 for fellowships that run from September 1, 2017 through August 31, 2018. The fellowship aims to “use education research skills to inform public policy in a Congressional office in Washington, D.C.” Interested candidates can apply here. Back to this issue’s table of contents.

AERA Holds Six-City Centennial Lecture Series

As part of a year-long celebration of its centennial year, the American Educational Research Association (AERA), a COSSA governing member, is holding a Centennial Lecture Series, which reflects AERA’s “fundamental commitment to connecting education research on significant issues to wide public and policy audiences across our country.” The six-city series kicked off in Brooklyn in November 2016 and will continue through April 2017. Webcasts of the November 30 lecture featuring Patricia Gándara discussing Educating Immigrant Students and Emergent Bilinguals (In an Anti-Immigrant Era), and the December 6 lecture in Seattle with Bruce McCandliss on Early Education and the Brain: Making…

AAPSS Inducts 2017 Fellows

The American Academy of Political and Social Science, a COSSA member, has announced its 2017 class of Fellows. They include sociologist Lawrence Bobo (Harvard University); political scientist Margaret Levi (Stanford University); economist Timothy Smeeding (University of Wisconsin, Madison); psychologist Claude Steele (University of California, Berkley); and Martha Minow of Harvard Law School. COSSA congratulates these distinguished individuals on their achievement. Click here to read more about the 2017 class. Back to this issue’s table of contents.

Alan Krueger Wins 2017 Moynihan Prize

The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), a COSSA member, announced economist Alan Kruger as the winner of the 2017 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize. Kruger is a professor at Princeton University and served as Chairman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors from 2011 to 2013. Kruger also served as the Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy and Chief Economic at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor. The Moynihan Prize was established in 2007 to “recognize social scientists, public officials, and civic leaders who champion the use of informed judgement…

AAPSS Discussion Predicts Middle East Challenges for the Next Administration

On October 24, the Middle East Institute (MEI) and the American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), a member of COSSA, held a panel discussion to highlight the November 2016 volume of The ANNALS, the flagship AAPSS publication. The November volume, “The Middle East and Regional Transition, Terrorism, and Countering Violent Extremism: What the Next President Will Face,” analyzes the state of U.S. relations in the Middle East and provides concrete policy recommendations and priorities for the next president and administration. The ANNALS’s guest co-editors Rand Beers (former Deputy Homeland Security Advisor to President Obama), Richard A. Clarke (former…

‘Statisticians Share Insights for Applicants and Reviewers’ with NIH Center for Scientific Review

In its September 2016 edition of Peer Review Notes, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Scientific Review (CSR) shared a recent discussion the Center had with members and staff of the American Statistical Association (ASA). According to CSR, the discussion “covered many important topics and insights… including how statisticians can (1) help improve rigor and reproducibility, (2) be key members of a research team, (3) identify common statistical issues, and (4) play valuable roles in peer review meetings.” The American Statistical Association is a COSSA Governing member. Back to this issue’s table of contents. 

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. 

SBM/NCI to Host Webinar Highlighting Six New NCI Funding Opportunities

The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM), a COSSA member, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), will host a webinar on Friday, August 12 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. designed to share information about new priorities in behavioral research from NCI in areas such as cognition, integrated data analysis, and cancer communication in new media. Associate Director of the NCI Behavioral Research Program William Kleinwill provide an overview the funding opportunities. To view the webinar register here. The associated NCI Funding Opportunity Announcements are: Leveraging Cognitive Neuroscience Research to Improve Assessment of Cancer Treatment Related Cognitive Impairment RO1…

CASBS Seeks Fellowship Applications

The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University, a COSSA member, is now accepting applications for its residential fellowships for the 2017– 2018 academic year. The CASBS fellowship provides an outstanding opportunity for scholars to pursue innovative research and expand their horizons while engaging with a diverse, interdisciplinary community. The fellowship has been considered a career milestone for any scholar, and most recipients report that the year had a transformative effect on their work. Online applications will be accepted at the Center’s website through November 4, 2016 for the 2017–2018 fellowship year. For more information, guidelines, and…

COSSA and CJRA Host “Ask a Criminologist” Congressional Roundtable on Increasing Homicide Rates

On July 7, COSSA and the Crime and Justice Research Alliance (CJRA) hosted the first in a series of “Ask a Criminologist” Congressional Roundtables. This briefing highlighted the work of Dr. Richard Rosenfeld of the University of Missouri, St. Louis on possible research directions to identify the causes of the sharp increase in U.S. homicides in 2015 (slides available here). Dr. Rosenfeld presented to over 130 attendees and was joined by CJRA chair Dr. Nancy La Vigne and Washington Post crime reporter Tom Jackman for a panel discussion and audience questions. The audience of Capitol Hill staff and community stakeholders…

AERA Briefing Examines the Supreme Court Decision in Fisher v. UT Austin

On June 28, the American Educational Research Association (AERA) held a briefing, After Fisher: What the Supreme Court’s Ruling Means for Students, Colleges, and the Country, to discuss the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Fisher v. University of Texas, Austin (Fisher II). A distinguished panel of civil rights and education research experts focused on the impact of the Fisher II ruling and its implications for ensuring quality education for all students. The Court’s June 23 ruling reaffirmed “the compelling governmental interest in promoting student-body diversity in higher education and upheld the constitutionality of the University’s race-conscious admissions policy under the…

CJRA & COSSA to Host “Ask a Criminologist” Roundtable on Homicide Rates

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) and COSSA will be hosting the first in a series of “Ask a Criminologist” Congressional roundtables on Thursday, July 7.  This roundtable will feature new research commissioned by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) exploring why homicide rates in the United States increased in 2015 and include a discussion with CJRA Chair Dr. Nancy La Vigne, Dr. Richard Rosenfeld, and Washington Post reporter Tom Jackman. More information, and a link to RSVP, can be found…

COSSA Welcomes North Carolina State University

COSSA is pleased to welcome North Carolina State University as its newest university member. NC State is a former COSSA affiliate member dating back to the early 1990s. The university receives roughly $6 million annually in federal social science funding. Welcome back NC State! COSSA’s full membership list can be viewed here. Information on how to join can be found on the COSSA website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.

SSRC Seeks Nominations for Hirschman Prize

The Social Science Research Council, a COSSA member, is inviting nominations for its highest honor – the Albert O. Hirschman Prize. The Hirschman Prize recognizes excellence in social science research, theory, and public communication. Nominations are requested by June 15 and should be submitted to hirschmanprize@ssrc.org along with information on the nominator, a brief statement of commendation, and the nominee’s curriculum vitae or links to the nominee’s website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.

LSA Releases Annual Report on State of Linguistics in Higher Ed

The Linguistic Society of America (LSA), a COSSA Governing Member, has issued its third Annual Report on the State of Linguistics in Higher Education. The report shows a growing popularity of the linguistics major at four-year colleges and universities, as well as a number of other interesting highlights, including career trends, demographics, and specializations. Back to this issue’s table of contents.

NCA to Hold Discussion on Citizenship in America

The National Communication Association (NCA), one of COSSA’s governing members, will host a Washington, DC event on March 22, addressing the question “What does it mean to be a citizen in contemporary America?” The discussion will feature input from scholars whose work touches on the meaning and power of American “citizenship,” including Elisabeth R. Anker (George Washington University), Robert Asen (University of Wisconsin), Elizaeth Markovits (Mount Holyoke College), and Eric King Watts (University of North Carolina). More information is available on NCA’s website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.

Haskins, Sawhill Win 2016 Moynihan Prize

The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), a COSSA member, has announced the winners of the 2016 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize, which is given annually to “a leading policy-maker, social scientist or public intellectual whose career demonstrates the value of using social science evidence to advance the public good.” This year’s winners are Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill, both of the Brookings Institution, who are recognized for their influential research on inequality and poverty. They are scheduled to give a public lecture on Capitol Hill on May 12 and will be honored at an event later that evening….

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Do you enjoy receiving your copy of the COSSA Washington Update and want to do more to promote social and behavioral science research? Become a member of COSSA today! COSSA membership is institutional, meaning once your organization/institution/association joins, anyone at the organization can receive our member benefits, including discounted rates for the COSSA Annual Meeting and Social Science Advocacy Day. To learn more about what COSSA has to offer, download our list of member benefits. And if you are already a member, check out the list to make sure you are getting the most out of your membership. Back to…

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