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.
HHS Proposes New Rule to Prevent Discrimination Against Individuals with Disabilities
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed a new rule, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance, to prohibit discriminatory practices against individuals with disabilities. The new rule intends to expand upon Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It would clarify already existing protections and implement new conditions within this act, including: HHS is requesting public comment on the proposed rule that can be submitted here. Comments are requested by November 13.
NIH Requests Comments on Biomedical and Behavioral Research Real-World Data
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a request for comments on the collection, use, and sharing of biomedical and behavioral science research real-world data (RWD). RWD refers to observational data that is gathered from patients in real-world settings, including but not limited to patient surveys and electronic records. As the NIH develops guidelines for RWD, submitted comments are expected to aid the NIH in understanding public concerns of this type of data. The public is asked to comment on the following items: Comments are requested by December 14 and can be submitted here.
NIMH Launches New Podcast Series to Commemorate its 75th Anniversary
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in celebration of its 75th anniversary, announced the inauguration of their new podcast series, “Mental Health Matters”. This series aims to dive deep into the narrative journeys of key figures making strides in mental health research while also spotlighting the experiences of individuals navigating life with mental health challenges. Episode one is titled, “Understanding and Preventing Youth Suicide.” The episode features a compelling conversation between NIMH’s Director, Dr. Joshua A. Gordon, and Dr. Arielle Sheftall, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of…
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.
Register for AERA’s 20th Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research
On October 19, the American Educational Research Association (AERA), a COSSA governing member, will host its 20th Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research. The annual lecture aims to illuminate the important role of research in advancing understanding of equality and equity in education. The 2023 lecture is titled, “Otherwise Qualified: The Untold Story of Brown and Black Educators’ Professional Superiority” and will be delivered by Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick, professor and dean emerita of the Howard University School of Education, and dean in residence at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Register for the event (virtually or in-person) here.
House GOP Unveils Potential Stopgap as Congressional Appropriations Deadline Approaches
Congress is back in session and the fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations process is underway. On September 17, House Republicans unveiled a draft continuing resolution (CR) that is set to be voted on later this week. The CR would extend the appropriations deadline from September 30 to October 31, and, under the proposal, nondefense discretionary spending would see an 8.1 percent cut excluding the Department of Veterans Affairs and disaster relief accounts while defense would see an increase. It is unlikely that the Democrats will support the bill, and several Republicans, including Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Eli Crane (R-AZ), and Matt Rosendale…
OMB Issues Trust Regulation RFI within the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a request for information for the codification of the four fundamental responsibilities of the Codification of Statistical Policy Directive No. 1 (Trust Regulation) within the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA). The responsibilities are the production of relevant and timely data, ensuring that data is credible and accurate, remaining objective, and protecting confidentiality. In a recent webinar on the Trust Regulation hosted by the American Statistical Association, a COSSA Governing Member, U.S. Chief Statistician, Karin A. Orvis, highlighted the importance of codifying the responsibilities to improve transparency in the agency and improve public…
National Board of Education Sciences Meets for the First Time in Six Years
On September 11, the Institute of Education Sciences’ (IES) National Board of Education Sciences (NBES) met for the first time in six years. As previously reported, the Biden Administration appointed members to NBES in November 2022, allowing the board to resume it’s work with the institute to ensure their priorities are consistent with its mission. NBES is also responsible for strengthening procedures for technical and scientific peer review, presenting recommendations to improve education research, soliciting advice and information from the field, and ensuring IES is compliant with the Education Sciences Reform Act. The meeting was attended by Mark Schneider, director of IES, who…
NSB 2024 Honorary Awards Nominations are open
The National Science Board (NSB) is now welcoming nominations for its 2024 Honorary Awards. There are two awards for which nominations can be submitted: Deadline for nominations is September 29. Details on the two awards can be found on the NSB website.
American Psychological Association Highlights New Research Efforts on Social Media’s Impact on Adolescents
On September 7, Research!America hosted a discussion with the American Psychological Association (APA). During the discussion, APA’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Mitch Prinstein, shared APA’s new research focus on the effects of social media use on adolescents. The findings highlight the need for further investment into social science research that informs safer policy and ensures healthier online environments for our nation’s youth. A few critical concerns from the research study include: In his concluding remarks, Dr. Prinstein underscored the importance of platform transparency and advocated for social media literacy initiatives to help pave the way for a safer digital future.APA is actively looking into…
COSSA Marks One Year of CHIPS and Science Act
August 9 marked the one year anniversary of enactment of the CHIPS and Science Act (P.L. 117-167), sweeping legislation aimed at reinvestment in and advancement of the U.S. scientific enterprise. Countless activities have ensued since passage of the landmark bill, such as the creation of the new Technology, Innovation and Partnership (TIP) Directorate at the National Science Foundation, efforts to address research security, research integrity and broadening participation in science, and new federal investments in key technology areas, such as artificial intelligence. Another critical feature of the law was the inclusion of ambitious funding targets for federal science agencies. However, as with all…
Fall FY 2024 Appropriations Outlook
As Congress reconvenes this week, attention will return to FY 2024 appropriations bills; however, the path to completing this year’s spending bills remains unclear. House Republicans hope to advance two additional appropriations bills in the coming weeks, specifically focusing on Homeland Security (H.R. 4367) and Defense (H.R. 4365), which would bring the total number of House-passed bills to three (the House passed the Military Construction/Veterans Affairs appropriations bill in July before recessing for the summer). Meanwhile, in anticipation of a likely standoff with the House on appropriations, the Senate is reportedly preparing a stop-gap measure (also known as a continuing resolution) to preempt…
White House Releases FY 2025 Budget Priorities for R&D
On August 17, the White House released a memorandum outlining the Administration’s priorities for research and development (R&D) for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget cycle. This memorandum, which is traditionally released annually by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), aims to set cross-cutting priorities for all federal research agencies to consider as they develop their budget submissions. The FY 2025 memorandum lists seven such priorities for agencies to consider: While the priorities listed are similar to those in the White House R&D memorandum for FY 2024, there is notably more…
NSF Announces the Establishment of a New Research Security and Integrity Information Sharing Analysis Organization
The National Science Foundation (NSF), via the Office of the Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy (OCRSSP), announced the establishment of an independent Research Security and Integrity Information Sharing Analysis Organization (RSI-ISAO). This initiative aims to bolster the U.S. research community, which encompasses institutions of higher education, non-profit research institutions, and small to medium-sized for-profit organizations. Its objective is to address foreign government interference, champion security-informed decision-making, and bridge the research community with U.S. government agencies. The NSF is inviting proposals that detail an actionable strategy for the RSI-ISAO. Anyone interested in submitting a proposal is encouraged to present…
NCSES Launches Website for the National Secure Data Service Demonstration Project
The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) statistical agency, the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), has launched a website for the National Secure Data Service Demonstration Project (NSDS-D). NSDS-D is one of the required projects authorized under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (see previous COSSA coverage). The project is intended to inform the ongoing work to improve the governments’ data infrastructure system, including new ways of collecting and linking data. More details can be found on their website.
Office of Evaluation Sciences is Hiring for Multiple Positions
The Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES) is expanding their team! The OES is the recently established evaluations team within the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Expect to see multiple openings on USAJOBS and on the official OES website. The positions will be supporting federal agency evaluation priorities and the GSA’s evaluation priorities. Any potential applicants should prepare a USAJOBS profile and continue to monitor the OES opportunities page and the OES LinkedIn profile page for announcements.
NIH Requests Comments for Updating Mission Statement
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking comments from the public on updating their mission statement. The mission statement currently reads, “To seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.” The NIH is proposing to change this statement to read, “To seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and to apply that knowledge to optimize health and prevent or reduce illness for all people.” All interested parties are invited to comment on the proposed change by…
Dr. Alexis Piquero Departs BJS, Dr. Kevin M. Scott to Serve as New Director
Dr. Alexis R. Piquero, Director for the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) within the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has stepped down from his position and returned to academia effective August 17. Piquero was sworn in August 2022 (see previous COSSA coverage). During his time at BJS, Piquero focused on disseminating justice statistics to the public in an easy-to-read and timely manner. Piquero developed Just the Stats, a report series for the public. Dr. Piquero has been a vocal champion for the agency and the use of social and behavioral science research to policymaking. COSSA thanks him for his service. …
Save the Date: 2023 NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival
The annual National Institutes of Health (NIH) Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival will take place virtually on December 5, 2023 and will be hosted by the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) and the NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Coordinating Committee. The festival will highlight recently funded behavioral and social sciences research supported by the NIH; bring together behavioral and social scientists within NIH communities to network and share ideas; and explore ways to advance behavioral and social sciences research. Agenda and registration information is coming soon and will be available on the NIH website.