A staple since COSSA’s earliest days, the biweekly COSSA Washington Update newsletter provides members and the public with comprehensive coverage of policy developments impacting social and behavioral science research.
NSF Signs Memorandum of Understanding with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
On November 14, Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The agreement is intended to foster a collaborative research partnership between the United States and Canada on various subjects including artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, climate change, and more, through building on current projects and developing new opportunities. Some of these current projects include the NSF-led Global Centers, the NSERC-NSF AI/Quantum Lead Agency Opportunity, and the Canadian-led New Frontiers in Research Fund. Stay tuned to COSSA for continued coverage.
Biden Administration Appoints New NCI Director
On November 17, the Biden Administration announced intent to appoint Dr. W. Kimryn Rathmell as Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The position was previously held by Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, the recently confirmed Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (see previous COSSA coverage). Dr. Rathmell currently serves as the Physician-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She received her PhD in biophysics and her M.D. from Stanford University following a Bachelor of Science in biology and chemistry from the University of Iowa. Dr. Rathmell also served as an internal medicine resident, fellow…
OSTP to Address Climate Change and Environmental Injustice as Social Determinants of Health
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released The U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) to address social and environmental impacts on public health. The Biden Administration recognizes that addressing public health needs requires a multidisciplinary approach and has expressed their commitment to doing so. SDOH addresses important issues such as housing and food security, education access, and a healthy environment. It recognizes three pillars as a starting point for addressing these topics, including improving data collection in health care, public health, social care services, and other data systems, providing funding to address social needs, and…
White House Announces Initiative on Women’s Health Research
On November 13, the White House and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden announced a new initiative to advance women’s health research, recognizing gaps in funding for this research as a barrier to accessible healthcare for women. The Initiative on Women’s Health Research will be led by Dr. Biden and newly appointed Chair Dr. Carolyn Mazure, a previous National Institutes of Health (NIH) fellow and researcher at Yale University. Dr. Biden highlighted the importance of the new initiative, stating that “there’s just not enough research yet on how to best manage and treat even common women’s health conditions…Our new White House Initiative on…
NEW ACTION ALERT: Tell Congress to Reject Cuts to Science Funding in FY 2024!
The U.S. House of Representatives is voting this week on fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations bills that fund social and behavioral science research. The bills in the House propose massive cuts to discretionary spending, including for research. Write to your members of Congress TODAY and urge them to reject these proposals. For more details, follow COSSA’s FY 2024 coverage here. Visit COSSA’s TAKE ACTION page to send a quick message to your Senators and Representatives and tell them why they must reject cuts to science funding in FY 2024.
SAVE THE DATE: COSSA’s 2024 Social Science Advocacy Day is April 8-9
COSSA’s tenth annual Social Science Advocacy Day will be taking place on April 8-9, 2024 in Washington, DC! Our signature, members-only event will bring together social and behavioral science researchers, faculty, students, association professionals, and other advocates from across the country to meet with their elected officials in Congress to discuss the value of our sciences and the importance of federal funding. Stay tuned for additional details, early bird registration will be opening in a few weeks! Until then, save the date and share this exciting opportunity with your colleagues. We hope to see you in Washington, DC in April 2024!
House Unveils Potential Stopgap Measure and Continues Appropriations Process
On November 11, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) unveiled a potential stopgap funding deal that would extend the current continuing resolution (CR) beyond the current November 17 deadline. The Speaker’s proposal includes “tiered deadlines;” some bills would be extended to mid-January and others to early February (see previous COSSA coverage). Under the draft bill, agencies within the Military Construction-VA, Agriculture, Energy-Water and Transportation-HUD bills would receive an extension to January 19 while all remaining bills – including those that fund the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health – would be extended to February 2. The bill would also include a…
Monica Bertagnolli Confirmed as NIH Director
On November 7, Dr. Monica Bertagnolli was confirmed by the Senate as the new National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director in a bipartisan 62-36 vote after having been nominated by the Biden Administration in May and experiencing several deterrents from Senators, including Chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP), Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT), who requested Bertagnolli address pharmaceutical drug prices (see previous COSSA coverage). Despite her challenging confirmation process, Bertagnolli will be the 17th Director of the NIH following a two-year gap in leadership with Dr. Lawrence Tabak as Acting Director (see previous COSSA coverage). Following her confirmation, Bertagnolli stated, “As…
OMB Seeks Public Comment on AI Governance Memorandum
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced an open call for public comment on draft memorandum “Advancing Governance, Innovation, and Risk Management for Agency Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).” This initiative seeks to establish new requirements for federal agencies in AI governance, innovation, and risk management. The proposed memorandum is designed to direct agencies towards adopting specific minimum risk management practices, particularly for AI applications that could impact public safety and individual rights. OMB encourages feedback on various aspects, such as recommending roles and responsibilities for Chief AI Officers across federal agencies, effective coordination methods for AI Governance Bodies,…
Special Assistant Appointed to the NSF Director for Sexual Assault and Harassment Prevention and Response Implementation
On November 2, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the appointment of Renée V. Ferranti as the special assistant to the NSF director for sexual assault and harassment prevention and response implementation. In this new role, Ferranti will lead cross-agency efforts, implement sexual assault prevention policies, and recommend organizational improvements by providing expert evaluation of existing policies, procedures, and resources. Establishing this role is the most recent measure in the agency’s ongoing initiatives to address and prevent sexual assault and harassment (see previous COSSA coverage). Ferranti has over 25 years of experience in sexual assault prevention and response. She previously served as the director of…
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…
SPSP Launches New Advocacy Resource
On October 16, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) unveiled their new State of Research report designed to help anyone interested in leveraging personality and social psychology research to address societal challenges. SPSP is a COSSA governing member. The State of the Research resources offers easy summaries of personality and social psychology research findings that can inform practical policy solutions. The report focuses on the following key priority areas: Interested parties can learn more about the report here or download the full resource here.
SSRC Announces New Criminal Justice Fellowship Program with Arnold Ventures
The Social Science Research Council (SSRC), a COSSA member, has announced a new criminal justice fellowship program with support from Arnold Ventures. The Arnold Ventures Criminal Justice Innovation Fellowships will support five post-doctoral fellows who are pursuing policy-relevant causal research designed to innovate and evaluate cost-effective and scalable policy solutions that advance the efficacy and equity of criminal justice practices. The Fellowships will begin in September 2024, are available for up to three years, and will provide salaries of $120,000 with full benefits and annual increases. Applications are due January 15. More information about the program can be found here.
President Biden Issues Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence
On October 10, President Biden unveiled a groundbreaking Executive Order (EO), setting the stage for the United States to lead in harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) while effectively managing its risks. This EO builds upon existing commitments from 15 major companies, showcasing a united front in the pursuit of safe and trustworthy AI development that addresses 8 critical areas: This EO represents a significant stride toward ensuring that AI development and use are safe, secure, and beneficial for all Americans. It addresses critical aspects ranging from safety and security to privacy, equity, and leadership on both domestic and international fronts….
Newly Elected House Speaker Mike Johnson Releases Appropriations Schedule Amidst Risk Government Shutdown
On October 25, Mike Johnson (R-LA) stepped into the pivotal role of Speaker of the House, a position that demands immediate attention to pressing challenges, including a potential government shutdown in the coming weeks, and crucial decisions regarding U.S. financial support for Ukraine and Israel. Throughout his career, Johnson has been known for his strong conservative stances on social issues, particularly anti-abortion policies and restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights. As a staunch conservative, he has also been an active participant in the House’s impeachment inquiry into President Biden. What may further complicate funding agreements, President Biden has requested $106 billion in supplemental…
NIH Director Nomination Progresses
On October 25, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) voted to advance Dr. Monica Bertagnolli’s confirmation as the next Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (see previous COSSA coverage). Six Senators voted against her confirmation, including the Chair of the HELP Committee Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT), citing concerns about rising drug prices in the United States. If confirmed, Bertagnolli will replace the current Acting Director, Dr. Lawrence Tabak, who has been serving since the departure of Francis Collins in 2021. During her nomination hearing, Bertagnolli spoke of the importance of the social and behavioral sciences stating,…
NIH Releases RFI on Draft Scientific Integrity Policy
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released a request for information (RFI) on the draft of their new Scientific Integrity Policy. This policy is in response to the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP) memorandum requiring federal agencies to develop scientific integrity policies to restore trust in science (see previous COSSA coverage). NIH expects the policy to ensure that research is trustworthy and available to the public, and that their policies and programs are transparent, and evidence based. The draft policy changes include a new definition of scientific integrity; roles and responsibilities of the new positions NIH Chief Scientist and NIH…
HHS Requests Comments on Revision of Research Misconduct Policies
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a request for information (RFI) on a proposed revision of the Public Health Service (PHS) Policies on Research Misconduct within the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). This policy has not been updated since its creation in 2005 and HHS expects to update the policy to clarify confidentiality requirements and revise definitions of various terms that were not previously defined in the original policy. Comments are requested by December 5 and can be submitted here.
OBSSR Launches Two Funding Opportunities focused on Intimate Partner Violence Research
On October 4, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) announced two Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Visions for Everyone (IMPROVE) initiative funding opportunities focused on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) research. NIH launched the IMPROVE initiative in 2019 to support research that aims to minimize preventable causes of maternal mortality and improve maternal health outcomes. Within this initiative, the Career Enhancement Award to Advance the Study of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the Context of Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Research invites experienced researchers in maternal morbidity and mortality to enhance their skills and knowledge in…
NSF Press Conference: A Stride Towards Pandemic Prediction and Prevention
In an upcoming press conference, the National Science Foundation (NSF) is set to unveil the Phase II Centers Program of the Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention (PIPP) initiative, marking a significant stride towards understanding, predicting, and preventing infectious disease pandemics. This event will provide an overview of the PIPP Phase II Centers Program, discuss the roles of NSF Directorates, and highlight the necessity of broad expertise and collaboration across various research communities. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with NSF representatives, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of the community’s collective role in transforming society’s ability to forecast, detect, and…