Executive Branch News
NIH Seeking Comments on Upcoming Diversity Strategic Plan
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking stakeholder comments in regards to the proposed framework for the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) currently in development. This strategic plan is being developed in response to an Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce released in June 2021 by the Biden Administration. The framework currently names three major objectives of the strategic plan: Implement organizational practices to center and prioritize DEIA in the workforce; Grow and sustain DEIA through structural and cultural change; and Advance…
Bob Valdez Named New ARHQ Director
On February 22, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announced that Robert “Bob” Otto Valdez had been appointed as the agency’s director and would assume leadership responsibilities immediately. Dr. Valdez comes to the agency with a lengthy career in health disparities research and policy, having previously been the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health and Director of Interagency Health Policy during the Clinton Administration. He has also served as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Professor Emeritus of Family & Community Medicine and Economics at the University of New Mexico and led several global health initiatives focused on health promotion…
NSF Announces New “Open-Source Ecosystems” Program
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has established a new interdisciplinary program called “Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems” (POSE), which is intended to “harness the power of open-source development for the creation of new technology solutions to problems of national and societal importance.” The program will fund the establishment of entities to manage networks of open-source products and platforms with the goal of ensuring “more secure open-source products, increased coordination of developer contributions, and a more focused route to impactful technologies.” The program will accept two types of proposals: Phase I projects, focused on “scoping” the development of a potential Open-Source…
White House Seeks Input on Update to AI R&D Plan
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is seeking input on updates to the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research and Development Strategic Plan. The most recent update to the plan (2019) sets out 8 strategic aims for AI R&D: Make long-term investments in AI research. Develop effective methods for human-AI collaboration. Understand and address the ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI. Ensure the safety and security of AI systems. Develop shared public datasets and environments for AI training and testing. Measure and evaluate AI technologies through standards and benchmarks. Better understand the national AI R&D workforce…
NSF to Fund New Research Data System Resource
The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) has announced the establishment of a new data platform to “modernize data collection and management to maximize the scientific value of people-centered data, enabling efficient and innovative multidisciplinary research focused on serving society and improving the lives of people in the U.S.” Funded under NSF’s Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure II program (see previous coverage), the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research will establish a Research Data Ecosystem: A National Resource for Reproducible, Robust, and Transparent Social Science Research in the 21st Century. More details about the new…
Nominations Open for the National Medal of Science
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a call for nominations for the 2022 National Medal of Science, the highest scientific honor in the United States, which recognizing outstanding individuals’ contributions to science, including to the physical, biological, mathematical, engineering, and behavioral or social sciences. Candidates will be considered on the following criteria: The impact of an individual’s body of work on science; The significance of an individual’s achievements on the development of through in science; Distinguished service in the general advancement of science; Recognition by peers within the scientific community; Contributions to innovation and industry; Influence on education through…
White House Releases Science Integrity Report
On January 11, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released the report of its Scientific Integrity Fast-Track Action Committee, a group created by President Biden charged with identifying ways the federal government at all levels can preserve the accuracy and objectivity of science and protect government science from suppression, manipulation, and political interference. The report was developed in response to a 2021 Presidential Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking, which COSSA has been reporting on and that aligns with COSSA’s recommendations to the Biden Administration delivered in late 2020. The…
New Social Science Fields Added to DHS List of STEM Programs
On January 21, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) updated its list of STEM Designated Degree Programs. F-1-visa-holding students completing degrees within these fields of study may apply for 24-month extensions to their visas to undertake optional practical training (OPT). A number of the fields added to the list are relevant to the social and behavioral sciences, including: Human-Centered Technology Design Anthrozoology Economics and Computer Science Geography and Environmental Studies Mathematical Economics Data Science, General Data Analytics, General, and Business Analytics. The Federal Register notice announcing the change includes more information about the process for petitioning to add fields to…
OMB Requests Input on Standard Application Process for Accessing Federal Data
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued a request for comments on the recommendations of the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy (ICSP) regarding the implementation of a standard application process for accessing confidential federal data (which may be downloaded here). The ICSP report, which was written in response to requirements in the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (“Evidence Act,” see previous coverage), outlines considerations for applying to access confidential statistical data, agency review of applications, and an appeals process for applications that are denied. OMB is particularly interested in receiving comments on the proposal…
NIH Releases Collection of Resources Highlighting Accomplishments in Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently released an installment of fact sheets and infographics containing summaries of important advancements in public health with major contributions from the behavioral and social sciences. The collection of resources focuses on the ten following public health topics: Sleep Chronic Pain Diabetes Intimate Partner Violence Teen Pregnancy Tobacco Use Depression Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Phobias Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder OBSSR had released a previous resource in 2013 highlighting achievements of the behavioral and social sciences acknowledging OBSSR’s 20th anniversary. The full collection of resources is available on…
OSTP Releases Guidance for NSPM-33, Long Awaited Research Security Roadmap
On January 4, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced the publication of the implementation guidance for National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM)-33, the guidelines released in early 2021 intended to improve research security efforts at federal agencies (see previous COSSA coverage for more details). This long-awaited guidance, which was released as a report by OSTP’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Joint Committee on the Research Environment (JCORE), aims to clarify requirements for federally funded researchers and set best practices at federal agencies to strengthen research security. The guidance offers direction on five major areas of…
NSF Announces Topics for 2022 Convergence Accelerator, Agency Seeking Feedback on Future Topics
On January 4, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the topics for the Convergence Accelerator for fiscal year (FY) 2022, applications for which are expected to open in the coming months. NSF’s Convergence Accelerator aims to promote research in areas of strategic and societal importance through a three-tiered process: ideation, and two convergence research phases. The tracks for FY 2022 are: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges Food & Nutrition Security In addition, NSF has announced it is seeking community feedback for future Convergence Accelerator topics. On December 13, 2021, NSF released a Dear Colleague…
NSF Announces Partnership with WT Grant Foundation on Enhancing the Impact of Research about Youth
In December, the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) issued a Dear Colleague Letter announcing a partnership with the William T. Grant Foundation to solicit research proposals on “Increasing the Use, Usefulness and Impact of Research about Youth.” Research topics may cover improving decision-makers’ use of research, making research more useful in policy creation and practice, and identifying when and how using research findings improves youth outcomes. Proposals may be submitted to either NSF or the WT Grant Foundation. More information is available in the Dear Colleague Letter. Additional research opportunities supported…
Larry Tabak Named Acting Director for NIH, Questions Remain Regarding Presidential Nomination
On December 9, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra announced that Larry Tabak, current principal deputy director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), would take leadership of NIH as acting director beginning on December 20. Current NIH director Francis Collins announced his intent to step down earlier this year after 15 years of service in the role as the agency’s director (see previous coverage for more details). Tabak has been a mainstay at NIH, serving as director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) for a decade prior to his naming as principal deputy…
GAO Report Cites Need for Better Police Use-of-Force Data
The Government Accountability Office has released a report assessing the release of data from the Department of Justice (DOJ) related to law enforcement use of force. Overall, the report finds that the Department has not been consistently publishing legally required data on excessive force and that DOJ can do a better job of sharing this information. The report makes note of delays in the release of data produced by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), an issue not limited to use-of-force data (COSSA has written several letters advocating for the timely release of BJS data). The report recommends that BJS…
Census Seeking Comment on New “Ask U.S.” Opinion Panel
The Census Bureau is seeking approval for a new nationally representative survey panel called “Ask U.S.,” to be used for “tracking public opinion on a variety of topics of interest to numerous federal agencies and their partners, and for conducting experimentation on alternative question wording and methodological approaches” as well as potentially collecting “nationwide rapid-response data to address emerging data needs.” Public comment is being accepted on the new activity, which will also be coordinated with the Economic Research Service, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics, and the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, among other…
NSF Announces Build and Broaden 3.0 Collaborations with Minority-Serving Institutions
The Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) Directorate at the National Science Foundation (NSF) is accepting applications for Build and Broaden 3.0, the latest iteration of the collaborative program aiming to support fundamental research and research collaborations at minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Updates on the Build and Broaden program were featured during the SBE Advisory Committee meeting on December 2, with NSF staff providing comments on previous fiscal year awards, updated eligibility criteria for the awards, outreach efforts to tribal-serving institutions, and the creation of a new Program Officer role for Build and Broaden 3.0. The target due date for Build…
NIH to Hold Series of Listening Sessions on UNITE Initiative and Racial Equity
Throughout the end of 2021 and early 2022, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be holding a series of listening sessions to gather stakeholder feedback on achieving racial equity as part of the agency’s UNITE Initiative. The UNITE Initiative, which was launched by NIH in March 2021, is intended to analyze and address the agency’s practices to better foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the biomedical research enterprise (see previous COSSA coverage for more details). A full list of the upcoming sessions and registration information is available here.
Cures 2.0 Bill Introduced in the House, Includes RISE Act and ARPA-H Authorization
On November 16, Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Fred Upton (R-MI) introduced the Cures 2.0 Act, long anticipated legislation aiming to bolster the U.S. biomedical research enterprise. Most notably, the legislation would authorize $6.5 billion for an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), a long-touted Biden Administration priority. Unlike the previously introduced Advanced Research Project Agency-Health (ARPA-H) Act (H.R. 5585) which authorizes $3 billion for an independent ARPA-H within the Department of Health and Human Services, the Cures 2.0 Act would establish ARPA-H within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (see previous coverage for more details). In addition to…
Applications Being Accepted for Federal Evaluation Fellowships
The Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES) at the General Services Administration is currently accepting applications for 2022 fellowships. OES is a team of applied researchers that works to build insights from the social and behavioral sciences into federal programs. OES designs, implements, and analyzes evidence-based interventions and randomized evaluations. Fellows shape their own high-impact portfolio of work, design and direct projects, and author academic publications. For 2022, applications are being sought for Design Fellows (deadline December 10), Fellows (deadline January 3), and Federal Detailees (deadline January 3). More information about all three positions is available on the OES website.