Science Community News
Remembering Dr. Daniel Kahneman: A Pioneer of Behavioral Economics
The social and behavioral science community lost a giant with the passing of Dr. Daniel Kahneman on March 27 at the age of 90. Kahneman, known as the “grandfather of behavioral economics,” leaves behind a legacy that has fundamentally shaped our understanding of human decision-making, risk, and cognitive biases. Throughout his career, Kahneman’s research was heavily supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), receiving three significant grants that propelled his work on cumulative decision-making. His projects, such as “Understanding Loss Aversion,” “Analysis of Retrospective Utility,” and “Decision Under Uncertainty,” have paved the way for new insights in the fields of economics, psychology,…
COSSA Remembers Dr. Norman B. Anderson
COSSA mourns the passing of Norman B. Anderson, PhD, who died unexpectedly on March 1. Dr. Anderson, a clinical psychologist renowned for his research on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities, has left an indelible mark on the social and behavioral science community through this leadership, scholarship, and wisdom. Among his many leadership posts, Dr. Anderson served as the inaugural Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) from 1995 to 2000. In this role, he championed the inclusion and integration of the social and behavioral sciences across the NIH, laying the…
CNSTAT Releases Third Data Infrastructure Report in Series Intended to Modernize Data Collection
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) has released its third and final report in an ongoing series of data infrastructure reports intended to modernize and enhance data collection (previous COSSA coverage). This latest report, Toward a 21st Century National Data Infrastructure: Managing Privacy and Confidentiality Risks with Blended Data, builds off the previous two reports on mobilizing data and blending data from various sources by addressing concerns about mitigating privacy and confidentiality risks within the data infrastructure. The report provides potential policy approaches to protecting data privacy as well as a suggested framework…
OPPORTUNITY: FY 2025 Funding Request for NIH
COSSA, a member of the steering committee of the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, has signed on in support of a funding request of “at least $51.303 billion” for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year (FY) 2025. The request would represent a $3.579 billion or 7.5% increase over the level included in the Senate bill for FY 2024. Other organizations wishing to lend their support to the NIH funding request for FY 2025 are encouraged to sign-on by March 1.
COSSA Remembers Science Champion Eddie Bernice Johnson
On New Year’s Eve, the scientific community lost one of its most dedicated champions. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) represented the people of Dallas in Congress for 30 years, retiring at the end of 2022. Over those 15 terms in Congress, Johnson served as a member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, most recently serving as Chair. Johnson began her career as a nurse after being told that women could not be doctors. She rose through the ranks of the Veterans Administration hospital in Dallas, ultimately becoming chief psychiatric nurse. She became active in civil rights efforts and…
NASEM Seeks Experts for Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is seeking experts to be considered for the Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication. NASEM is looking to fill four open seats on the Standing Committee in addition to collecting information for potential speakers, participants, and other forms of engagement. The Standing Committee is looking for expertise particularly in the following areas: science communication researchers (psychology, cognitive science, anthropology, sociology, political science); science communication practitioners (journalists, think tanks, federal agencies, and nonprofit research organizations); and related professions and disciplines (marketing, health communication/health promotion, risk communication, mass media communications; science education; research design…
CALL FOR EXPERTS: Communications Advisory Group for the National Academy of Medicine
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) announced that they will be appointing a Communications Advisory Group to inform the direction of its communications and engagement activities. The group will be comprised of 15 volunteers to serve 2-year terms, beginning in January 2024. NAM is looking for a mix of experts with a particular interest in the following: Learn more about the group and submit nominations for members by December 15 here.
Call for Nominations: 2024 Golden Goose Award
Nominate your colleagues, collaborators, and role models for a 2024 Golden Goose Award! The Award honors federally funded researchers whose work may sound silly, odd, obscure, wasteful of taxpayer funding, or serendipitous, but has had a major positive impact on society. The purpose of the Award is to demonstrate the human and/or economic benefits of federally funded scientific research. It’s intended to demonstrate that scientific outcomes build upon each other and that the technological advances that flow from them cannot easily be predicted at the outset of a particular scientific research project. Nominations for the 2024 Award are being accepted through…
National Academies Hosting Workshop Encouraging Greater Science Accessibility
On November 30 through December 1, the National Academies of of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will be hosting a public workshop aiming to provide crucial insights and recommendations to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This two-day event is set to address topics surrounding scholarly publications and key focus areas of the workshop include promoting equity in publication, enhancing accessibility, addressing publication and increasing transparency of research. The National Academies invites all interested parties to participate and contribute to this vital conversation. For more information and to register,…
NASEM Seeks Experts for the Executive Committee of the Societal Experts Action Network
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN) (see previous coverage) is seeking suggestions for experts to participate on their Executive Committee. SEAN is a network of leading individuals and institutions in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences that facilitates rapid responses to actionable questions from federal, state, and local decision makers. The National Academies staff will be looking to fill open seats on the Executive Committee of approximately 12 total volunteer experts with expertise particularly in the following areas: Submit nominations here by November 27. Follow COSSA’s continued coverage on the SEAN initiative.
Dr. Rayvon Fouché Delivers 2023 Henry and Bryna David Lecture
On October 12, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) featured Dr. Rayvon Fouché, Professor of Communication Studies at Northwestern University, as the 2023 Henry and Bryna David Lecturer. The lecture was titled “Embracing the Social in Social Science: Notes for a Technoscientific Future” and addressed contemporary challenges in the scientific community. At the core of the discussion was analyzing the reasons for the reduction of public trust in scientific research, deviations from expert standards, and the feeling that science often excludes or misrepresents certain groups. Fouché’s research underscores this, finding that 80% of university faculty members hail from…
AAU Launches “Fund American Science” Campaign
The Association of American Universities (AAU) has launched a new campaign titled, “Fund American Science: Congress Must Act Now to Fund the CHIPS and Science Act” in response to the insufficient funding for the science portion of the CHIPS and Science Act (see previous COSSA coverage). The AAU stresses that budget constraints and disagreements in Congress pose further threats to catching up to CHIPS and Science’s funding goals. This campaign calls on Congress to fully fund the amounts that CHIPS and Science authorized for the Department of Energy (DOE)’s Office of Science, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the National…
Dr. Rayvon Fouché to Deliver 2023 Henry and Bryna David Lecture
On October 12, Dr. Rayvon Fouché will deliver the 2023 Henry and Bryna David Lecture titled, “Embracing the Social in Social Science: Notes for a Technoscientific Future”. Dr. Fouché is a Professor of Communication Studies at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, and Integrative Marketing Communications at Northwestern University. The annual lecture is a program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (DBASSE). This year, the lecture explores how integrating the social into all scientific inquiry can transform the science we do and why we do it. Register to attend the lecture…
Research!America Opens Applications for Civic Engagement Microgrant Program
Research!America has opened their applications for the 2023-2024 Civic Engagement Microgrant Program. The program supports groups of early career STEM researchers and their projects to increase scientists’ engagement with their local community, community leaders, and elected and non-elected public officials. Microgrants of up to $4,000 will be awarded to STEM graduate student and postdoc-led groups. These funds provide opportunities for grantees to develop skills in areas such as communication and program planning, along with an understanding of public policy and government to have an impact in their local communities. Applications close on October 24. Additional information and application guidelines can be found here.
Call for Applications: NASEM’s Mirzayan Fellowship Applications Now Open
The application window for the Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is now open. This 12-week fellowship is intended for current or recent graduate students to gain a broader understanding of the role of science and technology in influencing public policy as well as to broaden career prospects outside of academia. The newest cohort will run from March 4, 2024 to May 24, 2024. More information on how to apply is available on the NASEM website and the deadline to apply is October 16.
CALL FOR EXPERTS: Committee on Law and Justice
The Committee on Law and Justice (CLAJ) within the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (DBASSE) at the National Academies works to improve government decision making and public policy and promote the understanding and dissemination of research in matters involving law and justice. CLAJ’s independent, expert reports and other scientific activities identify new areas of research, assist in resolving scientific controversies, extend the research agenda in established areas, promote theory development, and advance research-based policies. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is seeking suggestions for experts to be considered for the membership rotation or other engagement with…
Currently Listening: How to Get People to Believe in Science Again Podcast
In a new episode of the In Reality podcast, National Academy of Sciences (NAS) President Marcia McNutt and Vidar Helgesen, executive director of the Nobel Foundation, discuss how to counter misinformation and build trust in science — the subject of a recent Nobel Prize Summit hosted by their institutions. Listen here.
Call for Nominations: The FABBS IDEA Award
The Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (FABBS) is welcoming nominations for the Award for Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility – or IDEA Award – to recognize and honor distinguished research, professional practice, and activities, that advance these principles in the behavioral and brain sciences. There are two award categories listed: FABBS is encouraging nominations of scientists from minoritized communities and from disciplines and subject matters that have been traditionally under-represented in the behavioral and brain sciences. The winner(s) of the IDEA award will be announced at the FABBS annual meeting in December and will receive $1,000, a…
AAAS Hosts Federal Agencies to Discuss Public Access Policies
On July 17, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) hosted federal agencies alongside the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a discussion, How can public access advance equity and learning? During the first half of the webinar, officials from NSF, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) discussed their implementation strategies for public access. During the panel and audience Q&A session, AAAS invited professors and PhD candidates to discuss the effect of public access on universities and students. In accordance with…
NAS: The Use of Race and Ethnicity in Biomedical Research
The National Academies’ Health and Medicine Division announced that they are seeking nominations for 12-15 volunteer experts to participate in the new consensus study tasked with evaluating the current use of the social constructs of race and ethnicity in biomedical research. The study will assess how racialized group and ethnic categories are currently used, review existing guidance for researchers on the use of race as a variable, and provide recommendations to guide the scientific community in the future use of race and ethnicity. The nominated experts should be from the following areas: Submit your nominations by July 15, 2023.