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.
Ady Arguelles-Sabatier Named New AAA Executive Director
On July 10, the American Anthropological Association (AAA), a COSSA member, announced Ady Arguelles-Sabatier as its new executive director. Arguelles-Sabatier joins AAA with a background in anthropology and association management, dedicating her career to social entrepreneurship projects and non-profit fundraising for over 20 years. Previously, Arguelles-Sabatier served as the Senior Executive Director of Development, Innovation Philanthropy & Florida International University (FIU) Ventures, as well as the Interim Senior Executive Director of Corporate Relations at FIU. Arguelles-Sabatier will assume her role on July 31st, 2023 and will be responsible for guiding AAA’s strategic direction, enhancing member engagement, and advocating for the importance of…
FY 2024 Funding Bills Advance, Outlook is Still Murky
As previously reported, lawmakers on Capitol Hill have started moving fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations bills in recent weeks. The House Appropriations Committee has reported out five of its 12 appropriations bills, including those covering funding for agriculture, defense, energy and water, homeland security, and legislative branch activities. The Senate committee recently approved two bills dealing with military construction/veteran’s affairs and agriculture. On the surface, progress appears to be moving at a decent pace. However, bigger political pressures continue to bog down the annual appropriations process, creating lots of uncertainty about the path forward. Last week before considering its funding for two bills, the Senate Appropriations…
Shaping NSF’s TIP Directorate
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking public input into the development of a roadmap for the newly created Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP). The roadmap will guide the TIP Directorate’s activities and directions for the next three years, and COSSA needs your input to help ensure that insights from social and behavioral science research are included—if not prioritized—in efforts to shape the future of U.S. technology development and deployment. COSSA will be submitting comments to NSF on behalf of the research community before the deadline. We want to hear from you. Comments and ideas for the roadmap should be sent…
LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act Reintroduced
On June 9, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) reintroduced the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act in both the House and Senate. The bill aims to improve Federal population surveys by requiring the collection of voluntary, self-disclosed information on sexual orientation and gender identity in certain surveys, and for other purposes. “The LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act will help policymakers and leaders understand the full extent of the discrimination our LGBTQ+ community faces and how to better serve our constituents as we work toward fairness, freedom, and full equality,” said Senator Baldwin. In 2022, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine…
House Science Committee Holds Hearing on Advancing AI
On June 22, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing titled, “Artificial Intelligence: Advancing Innovation Towards the National Interest.” The hearing focused on the ethical implications of AI, the importance of responsible AI governance, and how increased public participation in AI oversight can steer the technology towards reflecting our national values. A primary recommendation that emerged during the hearing was the use of “red teaming;” that is, involving independent third-party experts who are given access to company AI systems to identify and address flaws. Dr. Dewey Murdick, Executive Director of the Center for Security and Emerging Technology…
Mandy Cohen to be Named Next CDC Director
On June 16, the President announced his intention to appoint Dr. Mandy Cohen as the next Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cohen will replace Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the current Director who has been serving since 2020. Cohen is expected to start in July; the CDC Director does not currently require Senate confirmation. In the release announcing the appointment, President Biden stated, “Dr. Cohen is one of the nation’s top physicians and health leaders with experience leading large and complex organizations, and a proven track-record protecting Americans’ health and safety… Dr. Cohen has been recognized by leaders from…
NSF Releases New Guidelines on Research Security
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released the Research Security Analytics Guidelines, a public document outlining the agency’s research security data-related practices. Developed in response to extensive feedback from community stakeholders, the guidelines serve as a strategic blueprint to safeguard the integrity and security of science, while promoting an open and collaborative research environment. The guidelines specify that: “These new Guidelines for Research Security Analytics are intended to ensure the responsible use of taxpayer funding, enabling NSF to continue building an open research ecosystem that preserves U.S. innovation leadership,” said Rebecca Keiser, NSF’s Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy. The…
Trans-Atlantic Platform Seeks Social Science Proposals to Address Democracy, Governance and Trust Challenges
On June 22, The Trans-Atlantic Platform for Social Sciences and Humanities (T-AP) announced a new call for proposals focusing on Democracy, Governance and Trust (DGT). The call seeks to examine the crucial roles of democracy, governance, and trust in addressing contemporary societal challenges and disruptions. Established as a collaborative initiative between humanities and social science research funders from across the Atlantic, T-AP is dedicated to fostering transnational dialogue and relationships among funders, research organizations, and researchers. The Platform is now offering researchers an opportunity to contribute to this mission with their insights on DGT. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and National…
RSVP: The Census Project’s Virtual Briefing on the Latest ACS Report
The Census Project will be hosting a virtual briefing on Monday, July 24 to discuss its newest report: “America’s Essential Economic and Social Data at Risk: A Vision to Preserve and Enhance the American Community Survey”. Dr. Linda Jacobsen, Senior Fellow at the Population Reference Bureau, will summarize findings from the report and present new sections that spotlight how the ACS informs policies and programs serving veterans and the nation’s health care industry. The briefing will also feature former Census Bureau Director Dr. John Thompson. Dr. Thompson will highlight how the ACS fits into broader data collection modernization and dissemination initiatives…
REQUEST FOR INPUT: Shaping NSF’s TIP Directorate
Dear Social Science Community, The National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking public input into the development of a roadmap for the newly created Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP). The roadmap will guide the TIP Directorate’s activities and directions for the next three years, and COSSA needs your input to help ensure that insights from social and behavioral science research are included—if not prioritized—in efforts to shape the future of U.S. technology development and deployment. COSSA will be submitting comments to NSF on behalf of the research community before the deadline. We want to hear from you. Comments and…
Debt Ceiling Deal Caps Funding for Two Years, House Seeks Additional Cuts
As previously reported, the White House and House Republican leadership agreed to a budget deal late last month that would keep the U.S. from defaulting on its debt, at least until after the 2024 elections. The agreement, passed by Congress as the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (H.R. 3746), suspends the federal debt ceiling until January 2025. However, as Republicans have been demanding, the suspension comes with stiff caps on discretionary spending for the next two years. In effect, the caps are likely to result in flat funding for federal research agencies in fiscal year (FY) 2024, with perhaps a few exceptions for…
CNSF/CEF to Host Virtual Briefing on Investing in the Development of STEM Talent
The Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) and the Committee for Education Funding (CEF) are co-hosting a virtual briefing titled “The National Imperative to Develop STEM Talent: Why the Investment in Education Matters.” The briefing will feature an expert panel focused on how the Department of Education and the National Science Foundation can support the STEM pipeline. Panelists include Dr. André M. Green, Chair of the Department of Leadership and Teacher Education at the University of South Alabama, and Mr. Billy Mawhiney, Executive Director of the South Dakota Afterschool Network. The virtual briefing will take place on June 21 at 1:00 pm ET. Participants can…
AAAS: 2024 Philip Hauge Abelson Prize
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is inviting nominations for the 2024 Philip Hauge Abelson Prize, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the U.S. scientific community through research, policy, and/or civil service. The recipient will receive a monetary prize of $5,000, a commemorative plaque, complimentary registration to the AAAS Annual Meeting, a complimentary one-year AAAS membership, and reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses to attend the AAAS Annual Meeting to receive the prize. The Prize will be presented at the 2023 AAAS Annual Meeting. The Abelson Prize has been given to Anthony Fauci, Margaret Hamburg, and Sekazi Mtingwa, among others….
PAA and APC In-Person Briefing: Challenges and Opportunities of an Aging Baby Boom Generation
On July 20, the Population Association of America (PAA) and the Association of Population Center (APC), will host a Birthday Bash and in-person discussion for the final cohort of the Baby Boom generation, who turn 65 this year. The event will hold an enlightening talk over cake and ice cream addressing this significant demographic shift, and its resulting nationwide implications in policy and health debates. The panel of distinguished experts will include Dr. Emily Agree of Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Linda Jacobsen from the Population Reference Bureau, Dr. Lisa Berkman of Harvard University, and Dr. I-Fen Lin from Bowling Green…
Elizabeth Anderson and Alondra Nelson Win 2023 Sage-CASBS Award
Sage and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University announced Elizabeth Anderson and Alondra Nelson as the winners of the 2023 Sage-CASBS Award. Sage and CASBS are both COSSA members. The Award recognizes accomplishments in the behavioral and social sciences that push the boundaries of our understanding of social issues and highlights the role of the social and behavioral sciences in enhancing public discourse and good governance. Elizabeth Anderson is a renowned philosopher specializing in moral, social, and political philosophy; feminist theory; social epistemology; and the philosophy of economics and social sciences. Anderson currently serves as…
Debt Limit Deal Struck, Spending Caps Likely for FY 2024-25
Over the Memorial Day weekend, the White House and House Republican leadership agreed to a budget deal that would keep the U.S. from defaulting on its debt, at least until after the 2024 elections. The agreement would suspend the U.S. debt limit until January 2025. However, as Republicans have been demanding, the suspension would come with limits—as well as some cuts—to discretionary spending over the next two years. Should it make it through the House and Senate, the deal would set caps on discretionary spending at levels roughly 5 percent or $40 billion below current levels. However, by reclaiming unobligated…
NIH Launches New UNITE E Initiatives
The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) UNITE “E” Committee has been working to develop a strategy to advance racial equity and create a more inclusive biomedical research environment (see previous coverage on NIH’s UNITE activity). On May 17, the Committee announced the launch of new initiatives, including innovative funding programs and policy changes. New funding opportunities are as follows: The UNITE E Committee has also launched a prize competition to recognize effective strategies for enhancing DEIA in research environments: the NIH Institutional Excellence in DEIA in Biomedical and Behavioral Research Prize Competition. The prize competition aims to recognize transformative cultures,…
PCAST Discusses AI Implications
On May 18 and 19, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) held a public meeting focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) development. The meeting was centered on understanding how the development of AI technology would affect both the scientific enterprise and society. Dr. Fei-Fei Li, the Co-Director of the Stanford Institute of Human-Centered AI, emphasized the importance of using AI as a tool to benefit productivity and not as a replacement for human work. During the sessions, speakers highlighted the value of AI for innovation while emphasizing the need for ethical guidelines and development transparency. Prior to…
NSF Releases Dear Colleague Letter Opportunity for High School Students
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a Dear Colleague Letter focused on High School Student Research Assistantships in the Social, Behavioral and Economic (SBE) Sciences. The opportunity invites SBE scientists, with existing NSF awards, to apply for additional funding to provide high school students with research experience in the field. NSF awardees may apply to support two students and are encouraged to support underrepresented groups and locations that may have less access to SBE research opportunities. A list of eligible NSF programs can be found here.