COSSA Member Spotlight
CASBS and SSRC to Host 2014 Behavioral and Social Science SummitâNovember 8
The Center for Advanced Study in the behavioral Sciences at Stanford University (CASBS) with the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), both COSSA members, will host the 2014 Behavioral and Social Science Summit on November 8 at Stanford University. This yearâs summit, âThe City,â will feature social and behavioral scientists speaking about âthe best means and policies for improving the urban experience.â The list of speakers and discussion topics, as well as registration information can be found on the summit website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
AAA&S Restoring the Foundation Report Calls for Increased Federal Investment in Research
On September 16, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, a COSSA member, released a new report, Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream. The report makes the case that Americaâs economic successes in the twentieth century have largely been due to our investments in scientific research and that failure to maintain sustainable funding for research âcould threaten the very principlesâopportunity, social mobility, innovationâthat have inspired our nation for the past century.â
American Academy of Arts & Sciences to Release New Report on Scientific Research and the American Dream
On September 16, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, a COSSA member, will publish a new report, Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream, at a public release event and Congressional briefing. Presenters include report committee co-chairs Norman R. Augustine, Retired Chairman and CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation and former Under Secretary, United States Army; and Neal F. Lane, Malcolm Gillis University Professor at Rice University, former Director of the National Science Foundation, and former Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The events will also feature Hunter R. Rawlings…
AAPSS Invites Nominations for 2015 Moynihan Prize
The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), a COSSA member, is inviting nominations for the 2015 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize. This annual prize honors âpublic servants and scholars who champion the use of social science research and evidence in policymaking.â Acceptance of the award entails a ceremony in Washington, DC in May 2015 and a public address. The 2014 Moynihan Prize was awarded to Joseph Stiglitz of Columbia University. Nominations are due September 26. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
LSA Promoting Native American Language Revitalization
The Linguistic Society of America (LSA), a COSSA Governing Member, has engaged in an initiative to educate policymakers about the value of Native American language revitalization. Two bills pending in Congressâthe Native American Languages Reauthorization Act of 2014 (H.R. 726/S. 2299) and the Native Language Immersion Student Achievement Act (H.R. 4214/S. 1948)âseek to preserve and revitalize Native American languages. Interested organizations can express their support of the bills here. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
GeoHumanities, New AAG Journal, Seeks Editorial Team
The American Association of Geographers (AAG), a COSSA member, has put out a call for applications and nominations for an editorial team to helm their new journal, GeoHumanities. The team should be comprised of one representative from geography and one representative from a humanities discipline. They will be appointed to a four-year term beginning in December 2014. The new journal will âdraw on and further explore the multifaceted scholarly conversations between geography and the humanities that have been evolving over the past decade.â It will âserve as a home for the critical and creative interdisciplinary work of artists, authors, historians,…
COSSA Members Advocate for Disabilities Treaty Ratification
In late July, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 12-6 to move the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on to the full Senate for ratification. The scientific community is mobilizing in support of the Convention, which, among other things, affirms statesâ responsibilities to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal opportunity to pursue and enjoy the benefits of scientific progress. COSSA endorsed a statement by the AAAS Board of Directors in support of ratification. In addition, several COSSA members are also urging the Senate to ratify the treaty: The American Statistical Association (ASA) released a…
New COSSA Member: American Academy of Arts & Sciences
We are delighted to welcome the American Academy of Arts & Sciences to the COSSA membership. Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, the Academy is one of the nationâs oldest learned societies and serves as an independent policy research center, providing âauthoritative and nonpartisan policy advice to decision-makers in government, academia, and the private sector.â We are thrilled that they have joined the COSSA community. COSSA’s full membership list can be viewed online. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Importance of Statistics Highlighted by ASA White Papers and International Year of Statistics Workshop Report
The American Statistical Association (ASA), a COSSA governing member, has released three white papers detailing how statistics can contribute to the Administrationâs research initiatives and priorities, particularly those of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Â The white papers focus on the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, the Big Data Research and Development Initiative, and climate change. Â In an overview of the white papers, ASA Director of Science Policy Steve Pierson observed that the papers share several common themes: