Executive Branch News
The Bureau of Economic Analysis Appoints Dr. Vipin Arora as Director
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has named Dr. Vipin Arora as their new Director, replacing Brian Moyer after he accepted the role of Director of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Arora previously has served as Deputy Assistant Director of the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Deputy Director of the NSFâs National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. Dr. Arora has a PhD in economics, a masterâs degree in public administration, and a bachelorâs degree in chemistry.
Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis Request Comments on Data Collection Security
The U.S. Census Bureau and US Bureau of Economic Analysis have released a request for comments related to the collection of data from the public âto fulfill their data security requirements when providing access to restricted use microdata related to evidence building.â As part of the agenciesâ ongoing implementation of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (or Evidence Act), the White House of Office Management and Budget (OMB) established a Standard Application Process (SAP) for researchers to use when requesting access to confidential government data assets. The request for comment related data security requirements seek to understand if…
Application Period Opens for Federal Evaluation Fellowships
The Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES) within the General Services Administration (GSA) has announced they are accepting applications for their 2023 Annual Fellowships. OES is a team comprised of social science researchers that helps federal agencies evaluate and use evidence in their practice. OES Fellows join the office for a minimum of one year in Washington, DC or remotely. Applications are being accepted for Fellowships and Federal Details and will be accepted through January 11, 2023. More information is available on the OES website.
NIH to Host 2022 Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival
The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be holding the 2022 NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival next month on December 8 and 9. The festival, held annually by OBSSR and the NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Coordinating Committee (BSSR-CC), features panel discussions on recent social science research results, growing areas, and innovations in the field of health-related BSSR. This year, the festival will focus on social connection, mental and emotional health, social determinants of health, and measurement in BSSR. The keynote address will be delivered by Richard…
NSF Announces Name Change of Education Directorate
On October 25, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) had been renamed to the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) in an effort to more accurately reflect the directorateâs portfolio and focus. In addition, the Division of Human Resource Development within the Directorate has been renamed the Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM (EES).The name changes were initially proposed in the Presidentâs FY 2023 budget request to Congress. Â The newly named EDU Directorate, which funds education research grants and career development opportunities for scientists, reportedly will not have its portfolio or…
NSF to Consider Proposals on Reproducibility and Replicability in Science
On October 25, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released a Dear Colleague Letter reaffirming the agencyâs commitment to the findings of a 2019 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) titled Reproducibility and Replicability in Science. This report was aimed at providing clear research practices and guidelines to recreate scientific results through multiple research methods and to identify ways to improve public confidence in scientific findings (see previous COSSA coverage). In addition, the NSF letter notes that the agency may be interested in funding proposals for research addressing reproducibility and replicability in science. NSF is especially…
National Board for Education Sciences Appointments Announced
President Biden has announced 15 appointments to the National Board for Education Sciences (NBES) within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). NBES is responsible for advising the Director of IES to ensure that the institutes priorities are consistent with itâs mission. NBES is also responsible for strengthening procedures for technical and scientific peer review, presenting recommendations to strengthen education research, soliciting advice and information from the field, and ensuring IES is compliant with the Education Sciences Reform Act. NBES has not held a meeting since the end of the Obama Administration in 2016. For more information on appointments, please refer…
NIH Releases UNITE Progress Report for 2021-2022
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released the inaugural progress report covering fiscal years (FY) 2021-2022 for the UNITE Initiative, the agency-wide program comprised of five committees charged with identifying and addressing structural racism within the NIH research community and the greater biomedical research enterprise (see previous COSSA coverage). This progress report is the first such report on the UNITE Initiative and aims to describe NIHâs actions since the Initiativeâs establishment in 2021 in identifying and addressing structural racism as well as areas that still need to be addressed. The report cites actions that have been taken to address…
NIH Creates New Scientific Diversity Advisor Position
The Division Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) within the Office of the Director (OD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking to fill a new role, Scientific Diversity Advisor. This position will be tasked with leading the development and implementation of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives. The ideal candidate should have a Ph.D., experience identifying and addressing DEIA gaps, and prior scientific and/or policy knowledge of biomedical, behavioral, or social science research relevant to DEIA. Details about the position are available at USA JOBS.
NSF Launches Workforce Development Program for Emerging Technologies
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced it is seeking applications for the new Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) Program. This program, which will be administered jointly by the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) and the new Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), seeks to develop workforce opportunities for individuals interested in gaining career experience in emerging technology areas such as artificial intelligence, microelectronics, and more. The program offers three pathways for individuals at different career levels and STEM experience: Pivots: For current professionals in any field looking to pivot into a career in…
OSTP Releases Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) recently released a Blueprint for an Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights aimed at protecting diverse communities through identifying concerns, risks, and potential solutions to combat discrimination and biases with artificial intelligence systems. To combat the rise of inequity and biases with Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, OSTPâs Bill of Rights blueprints identifies five practices: Safe and Effective Systems: Designers, developers, and deployers of automated systems should ensure systems have pre-deployment testing that identifies risks and determines the safety of the system. Algorithmic Discrimination Protections: Designers, developers, and deployers of automated systems…
ICYMI: Arati Prabhakar Confirmed as OSTP Director
In September, the Senate confirmed President Bidenâs nominee for Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Arati Prabhakar, by a vote of 56-40. Prabhakar, who is a former Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), had been nominated in June to take charge of the office that has been led in the interim by OSTP Deputy Director for Science and Society Alondra Nelson (see previous COSSA coverage). Prabhakar is also expected to assume the role of the Presidentâs science adviser, which had been carried out by former Director of the National Institutes of…
NSF Seeking Deputy SBE Director
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced they are recruiting for a deputy assistant director for the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) Directorate. This position would support NSFâs Assistant Director for SBE Kellina Craig-Henderson in guiding the strategic goals and daily operations of the Directorate including the wide range of research programs and the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). Applications for the position will be accepted through October 14. The position and its requirements may be found on USAJobs.
White House Releases Learning Agenda
In September, the White House released the final Presidentâs Management Agenda (PMA) Learning Agenda, which identifies questions in need of answering in order to achieve an âequitable, effective, and accountable [federal] government that delivers results for all Americans.â As previously reported, the 2018 Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act (âEvidence Actâ) called on the Federal Government to make decisions using the best available evidence. In 2021, the Biden Administration issued guidance (memorandum M-21-27) affirming the Administrationâs commitment to the goals of the Evidence Act and expanding on previously released guidance related to Learning Agendas and Annual Evaluation Plans. The PMA Learning Agenda released…
White House Releases Biennial Report on International Science & Technology Cooperation
In September, a subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a report on international collaboration related to science and technology. The report, which is a Congressionally mandated biennial document, identifies strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. approach to international scientific collaboration and offers recommendations on how to strengthen U.S. leadership in international science and technology. The report acknowledges that the U.S. remains a global leader in many areas of science and is successfully attracting and retaining talented foreign scientists. However, it also notes that other countries…
Bureau of Justice Statistics Announces Innovative Newsletter
After being appointed as the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) in August 2022, Dr. Alexis Piquero expressed his commitment to making justice statistics and data more accessible to the public, including by releasing data more quickly and in easy-to-read formats. To this end, BJS has announced âJust the Stats,â a series of short reports that will modernize the process of releasing data to the public. The timeline for releasing the first report is not yet known; however, stakeholders have been invited to subscribe here.
EPA Creates New Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights Office
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched an Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights Office to address environmental justice, enforce civil rights law, and deliver new grants and support. This office was created by merging three already existing programs within EPA: the Office of Environmental Justice, External Civil Rights Compliance Office, and Conflict Prevention and Resolution Center. EPA is dedicated to advancing justice and equity, particularly through aiding underserved communities with community-driven solutions.
OBSSR Requesting Comments on Draft Priorities for 2023-2028 Strategic Plan
The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released a Request for Information aiming to gather stakeholder feedback on the draft priorities and strategic objectives for the Office in their 2023-2028 Strategic Plan. These draft priorities are the result of evaluation of the previous strategic plan, a previous Request for Information, and multiple listening sessions with internal and external NIH stakeholders. The draft strategic plan provides a framework with three major scientific priorities which each carry their own objectives: Improve the synergy between basic behavioral and social sciences research and research…
White House Provides Updates on Social and Behavioral Sciences Subcommittee & Upcoming Framework
The White House has released a memo providing updates on the activities of the National Science and Technology Councilâs (NSTC) Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Subcommittee, including the development of a whole-of-government framework on the use of SBS research to advance evidence-based policymaking by April 30, 2023. The SBS Subcommittee was recently rechartered by the Biden Administration as part of a âYear of Evidence for Actionâ after being sidelined during the previous Administration. The Subcommittee has established interagency working groups on five policy priorities to assist with the development of the SBS framework. These working groups are tasked with applying…
National Science Foundation Launches Entrepreneurial Fellowships for Engineers and Scientists
The National Science Foundation has launched a new entrepreneurial fellowship program in partnership with Activate.org to support scientists and engineers engaging interested in translating their research into new products and services. NSF will invest $20 million to support the Activate fellows, which will provide extensive training and $350,000 over a two-year period. Fellows will develop leadership skills, turn their groundbreaking research into tangible products, and learn how to build a business. The fellowship program is the latest initiative to come out of NSFâs new Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships Directorate (TIP), which is bridging the gap between âlab and society.â The…