COSSA Member Spotlight
AAPOR Report Assesses 2016 Election Polling Performance
After Donald Trumpâs surprise win in the 2016 election, the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), a COSSA governing member, convened a committee to review the performance of pre-election polling (AAPOR has convened such committees after the past several elections). The committee, chaired by Courtney Kennedy of the Pew Research Center, recently released An Evaluation of 2016 Election Polls in the U.S., outlining its findings and recommendations. According to the committee, âWhile the general public reaction [to the election result] was that âthe polls failed,â we found the reality to be more complex â a position held by a…
CJRA and COSSA to Host âAsk a Criminologistâ Panel on Technology and Policing
The Crime & Justice Research Alliance (CJRA) (a collaborative effort of the Academy of Criminal Justice Science and the American Society of Criminology, both COSSA members) and COSSA will be hosting the second in a series of âAsk a Criminologistâ Congressional briefings on Wednesday, June 21. This interactive event will feature criminologist experts who will provide an overview of research on the latest technologies police are using across the country. Experts include CJRA Chair Dr. Nancy La Vigne of The Urban Institute, Dr. Cynthia Lum of George Mason University, Dr. Eric Piza of John Jay College, and Eddie Reyes of…
Alan Krueger to Deliver 2017 Moynihan Lecture
On May 18, the American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), a COSSA member, will formally award the 2017 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize to Alan B. Kreuger, Bendheim Professor of Economics & Public Policy at Princeton University. The award recognizes âsocial scientists, public officials, and civic leaders who champion the use of informed judgment to advance the public good.â Kreuger, whose work focuses on analyzing the economic and policy implications of the growing âgigâ economy, will deliver a lecture on Capitol Hill entitled âIndependent Workers: What Role for Public Policy?â Information on the lecture, including how to attend, is…
COSSA Welcomes Florida State University
COSSA is pleased welcome Florida State University as its newest member. Located in Tallahassee, Florida State ranks eighth in the nation in federal funding of R&D in the social and behavioral sciences.  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.
Society for Prevention Research Joins COSSA
COSSA is happy to welcome the Society for Prevention Research (SPR) as a Membership Organization. SPR is an âorganization dedicated to advancing scientific investigation on the etiology and prevention of social, physical and mental health, and academic problems and on the translation of that information to promote health and well-being.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.
COSSA Members Join March for Science
Several COSSA member organizations, including the American Anthropological Association, American Association of Geographers, American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, American Sociological Association, Linguistic Society of America, Society for Social Work and Research, and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues have partnered with the March for Science. COSSA had previously announced its partnership with the March in February (a complete list of partner organizations is available here). The March will take place on April 22 in Washington, DC and at more than 300 satellite locations around the world. Like science more generally, the March for Science is nonpartisan. It…
LSA Releases Annual Report on Linguistics in Higher Education
The Linguistic Society of America (LSA), a COSSA Governing Member, has issued its fourth 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 such as career trends, demographics, and specializations. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
AAA&S Report Makes Recommendations for Improved U.S. Language Education
On February 28, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAA&S), a COSSA member, released, Americaâs Languages: Investing in Language Education for the 21st Century, the final report of the Commission on Language Learning. A bipartisan group of U.S. Members of Congress requested that AAA&S establish the Commission in order âto examine the current state of U.S. language education, to project what the nationâs education needs will be in the future, and to offer recommendations for ways to meet those needs.â The Commission found that only 10 percent of the U.S. population speaks a second language proficiently, a number insufficient…
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 issueâs 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 âuse education research skills to inform public policy in a Congressional office in Washington, D.C.â Interested candidates can apply here. Back to this issueâs 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 AERAâs âfundamental commitment to connecting education research on significant issues to wide public and policy audiences across our country.â 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 GĂĄndara 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 Obamaâs 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 ârecognize 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, âThe Middle East and Regional Transition, Terrorism, and Countering Violent Extremism: What the Next President Will Face,â 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…
âStatisticians Share Insights for Applicants and Reviewersâ 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 âcovered 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.â The American Statistical Association is a COSSA Governing member. Back to this issueâs table of contents.Â
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.Â
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 2017â 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 Centerâs website through November 4, 2016 for the 2017â2018 fellowship year. For more information, guidelines, and…
COSSA and CJRA Host âAsk a Criminologistâ 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 âAsk a Criminologistâ 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…