events
2025 Social Science Advocacy Day
COSSA’s Social Science Advocacy Day is back! Join COSSA on March 24-25, 2025 in Washington, DC! Advocacy Day brings together social and behavioral scientists and science advocates from across the country to engage with policymakers. This fun, informative event is a must for everyone across the social and behavioral sciences who care about funding for research and who believe this research should be used to inform sound public policy. This opportunity is available to individuals affiliated with a COSSA member organization. If you are a member of or employed by one of COSSA’s member organizations, you are eligible to participate. You can check your organization/institution’s membership status here. Not a member? Click here to learn more about how your organization can join COSSA and take advantage of members-only opportunities. COSSA Member Benefit Participation in Advocacy Day is a benefit reserved exclusively for COSSA member organizations. Check our member list to see if you belong to a member organization, or contact us to learn more about joining COSSA. MORE ABOUT ADVOCACY DAY
Save the Date: NIH Town Hall with COSSA on August 29!
In early June, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), in partnership with the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Chair Robert Aderholt (R-AL), released a framework outlining potential reforms for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (see previous COSSA coverage). Since this framework was released, there has been a lot of conversation about the future of NIH and what this framework would look like in action. On August 29 at 12pm EST, join COSSA Staff for an informal conversation about recent developments and the proposed framework. Keep an eye on your inbox…
Save the Date: AAPSS 2024 Moynihan Lecture
This fall, The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), a COSSA member, will award the 2024 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize to acclaimed public interest attorney and scholar Bryan Stevenson. The annual Prize is intended to honor those who have “promoted the use of sound analysis and social science research in policymaking, while contributing to the civil discourse in society.” Each year, the winner of the Moynihan Prize delivers the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Lecture on Social Science and Public Policy in Washington, DC. Stevenson will deliver this year’s lecture on November 18 and the lecture will be followed by a conversation between…
Population Scientists Discuss Maternal Mortality on Capitol Hill
On July 22, the Population Association of America (PAA), in cooperation with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Statistical Association (ASA), Association of Population Centers, March of Dimes, Population Reference Bureau, and Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), sponsored its annual in-person briefing on Capitol Hill, “Maternal Mortality in America: Understanding the Challenges and Crafting Population Based Solutions.” PAA, ASA, and SRCD are COSSA governing member organizations. The briefing featured a panel of experts who addressed not only nuances in data regarding U.S. maternal mortality trends, but also addressed potential policy recommendations. The speakers’ presentations also underscored…
August 2024 Headlines: NIH Town Hall
In early June, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), in partnership with the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Chair Robert Aderholt (R-AL), released a framework outlining potential reforms for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (see previous COSSA coverage). Since this framework was released, there has been a lot of conversation about the future of NIH and what this framework would look like in action. On August 29, join COSSA Staff for an informal conversation about recent developments and the framework proposed for the NIH. Guest Presenters Wendy Naus Executive Director,…
American Statistical Association Releases “The Nation’s Data at Risk” Report
On July 9, The American Statistical Association (ASA), in partnership with George Mason University, hosted a webinar and released a report focused on assessing the health of the principal federal statistical agencies. This webinar provided an overview of the most comprehensive and current assessment of the challenges facing the nation’s most vital statistics and the report detailed the findings and recommendations from the project team. The team assessed the health of federal statistical agencies regarding professional autonomy, support from their parent agency, sufficiency of their budget and staffing, challenges and opportunities for data quality and innovation, and engagement with data…
PAA to Host Congressional Briefing on “Maternal Mortality in America: Understanding the Challenges and Crafting Population Based Solutions”
On July 22, the Population Association of America (PAA) will host a congressional briefing on “Maternal Mortality in America: Understanding the Challenges and Crafting Population Based Solutions.” The event will feature discussion about the complex social, economic, and health factors contributing to the maternal mortality rate in the U.S. Speakers to include: Dr. Robert Anderson from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Dr. Alecia McGregor from Harvard University, and Dr. Amanda Stevenson from the University of Colorado-Boulder. This event will offer a space to explore and address these issues, fostering an informed conversation about the research and potential interventions…
DBASSE Hosts First Webinar in 2024 Spring Hauser Webinar Series
On May 23, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (DBASSE) hosted the first of two webinars in their Hauser 2024 Spring Webinar Series titled, “Navigating the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Achieving Human-AI Harmony.” The webinar focused on the 2022 report titled Human-AI Teaming: State of the Art and Research Needs. The panel consisted of a diverse group of researchers from varying universities and organizations focused on artificial intelligence (AI). The panelists discussed changes in AI, including increased communication between real AI and humans, advancements in ethics of human-AI teaming, and ongoing…
Catch Up on COSSA’s May Headlines Webinar
Did you miss our May Headlines Webinar on Recent Developments at the U.S. Census Bureau? You can catch up on the recording here featuring special guest Dr. Robert L. Santos, Director of the U.S. Census Bureau! Watch for additional COSSA Headlines announcements and view previous webinar recordings on the COSSA website.
NIMH Workshop: Discrimination as a Social Determinant of Mental Health Disparities
On June 6, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will be hosting a one-day workshop with expert investigators, NIH staff, and the public to discuss the science of discrimination and mental health disparities, and to identify research gaps and opportunities in mental health disparities research. Register to attend here.
DBASSE Announces Hauser 2024 Spring Webinar Series
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (DBASSE) has announced their Hauser 2024 Spring Webinar Series titled, “Navigating the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Achieving Human-AI Harmony“. The two-part webinar series will explore DBASSE’s expertise in artificial intelligence and highlight the value of social and behavioral science perspectives. This first webinar will expand on insights from the 2022 report, Human-AI Teaming: State-of-the-Art and Research Needs, to focus on how the presence of artificial intelligence systems affects the ways people work in teams. The session will explore the efficiencies and inefficiencies created by integrated…
REGISTER NOW: May 22 Webinar to Feature Census Director – Register Now!
COSSA’s 2024 Headlines Webinar series will continue to feature discussions with leaders of federal science agencies, providing opportunities for the social and behavioral science community to learn about agency research programs, funding opportunities, and priorities. The next webinar will be taking place on May 22, featuring a discussion with the Director of the U.S. Census Bureau, Robert L. Santos. RSVP here. Did you miss April’s webinar? You can watch the recording now to catch up on our discussion about the behavioral and social science priorities at the National Institutes of Health with Dr. Jane M. Simoni. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations.
Registration is Open for the 17th Matilda White Riley Honors
Registration is officially open for the 17th Matilda White Riley Behavioral and Social Sciences Honors. The event recognizes both emerging scientists and leaders in the field whose research reflects Dr. Matilda White Riley’s vision of research excellence in health-related behavioral and social sciences. Matilda White Riley was a celebrated scientist and member of the National Academy of Sciences whose work and leadership left a lasting impact on behavioral and social sciences across the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and beyond. Registration for the event is required and the Distinguished Lecturer will be Dr. Bernice Pescosolido, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at Indiana University….
May 2024 Headlines: Recent Developments at the U.S. Census Bureau
The 2024 Headlines series continues with a discussion about recent developments and research activities within the U.S. Census Bureau. Presenter Director Robert L. Santos, the U.S. Census Bureau. Robert L. Santos is the 26th director of the U.S. Census Bureau. He was sworn in on January 5, 2022. His career spans more than 40 years in survey research, statistical design and analysis and executive-level management. Before coming to the Census Bureau, he spent 15 years as vice president and chief methodologist at the Urban Institute and directed its Statistical Methods Group – and served as executive vice president and partner…
REGISTER NOW: Headlines Webinars continue April 23
COSSA’s 2024 Headlines Webinar series will continue to feature discussions with leaders of federal science agencies, providing opportunities for the social and behavioral science community to learn about agency research programs, funding opportunities, and priorities. Upcoming Webinars: Did you miss March’s webinar? You can watch the recording now to catch up on our discussion about the research and education programs and priorities of the STEM Education Directorate at the National Science Foundation with Dr. James L. Moore III. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations.
Upcoming AAPSS Webinar: “Media Policy for an Informed Citizenry”
On April 17, The American Academy of Political & Social Science (AAPSS) will be hosting an open webinar titled “Media Policy for an Informed Citizenry: Revisiting the Information Needs of Communities for Democracy in Crisis”. AAPSS is a COSSA member institution. The topic of this webinar is based on the May 2023 edition of The Annals, a scholarly periodical produced by AAPSS. The webinar will discuss how people obtain news and information and how changes in technology have influenced the availability and reliability of such information. The webinar will be moderated by Molly Laas of the Social Science Research Council and will feature experts from…
REGISTER NOW: Headlines Webinars continue April 23
COSSA’s 2024 Headlines Webinar series will continue to feature discussions with leaders of federal science agencies, providing opportunities for the social and behavioral science community to learn about agency research programs, funding opportunities, and priorities. Upcoming Webinars: Did you miss March’s webinar? You can watch the recording now to catch up on our discussion about the research and education programs and priorities of the STEM Education Directorate at the National Science Foundation with Dr. James L. Moore III. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations.
AEA to Host Summer Evaluation Institute
The American Evaluation Association (AEA) has opened registration for the Summer Evaluation Institute which will take place June 26-28 at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC. The Summer Evaluation Institute offers development workshops for all experience levels of evaluators as well as applied researchers, grantmakers, foundation program officers, nonprofit administrators, and social science students. More information about the event can be found here. Any questions can be directed to education@eval.org. AEA is a COSSA member organization. All COSSA members can receive a 10% discount on general registration costs with the code SUM_COSSA24.
March 2024 Headlines: Research and Education Programs and Priorities of the STEM Education Directorate at the National Science Foundation
The 2024 Headlines series continues with a discussion about the research and education programs and priorities within the STEM Education Directorate at the National Science Foundation. View the Slides Presenter Dr. James L. Moore III, Assistant Director for the Directorate for STEM Education at the National Science Foundation As a member of the executive leadership team at the National Science Foundation (NSF), Dr. James L. Moore III is the Assistant Director for the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU). With an annual budget of over $1 Billion and personnel oversight for nearly 200 employees, he serves as the senior leader for…
February 2024 COSSA Headlines: Research Programs and Priorities of the National Institute of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics
The 2024 Headlines series kicks off with a discussion about the research and data activities within the National Institute of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics. Presenters Dr. Nancy La Vigne, Director, National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, DOJ Nancy La Vigne was appointed by President Biden as Director of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in March 2022. Dr. La Vigne’s research expertise ranges from policing and corrections reform to reentry from prison, criminal justice technologies and evidence-based criminal justice practices. Prior to joining NIJ, she served as executive director of the Council on Criminal Justice’s Task…