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 Releases Responses to JASON Research Security Report
On March 2, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released the agency’s response to a December 2019 report providing recommendations and best practices for NSF and NSF’s awardee organizations to address research security concerns while maintaining openness and collaboration in research environments. The report, conducted by the independent scientific advisory group JASON, was commissioned by NSF in 2019 in the wake of concerns about foreign governments interfering with or stealing intellectual property and research findings from U.S. research institutions. The most notable NSF response is the announcement of the appointment of Dr. Rebecca Spyke Keiser to the newly-created position of Chief…
National Academies Commemorate “Endless Frontier” Anniversary
The National Academy of Sciences, the Kavli Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation held a symposium “The Endless Frontier: The Next 75 Years in Science” on February 26. They symposium discussed the future development of science in the US, in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Vannevar Bush’s landmark report Science: The Endless Frontier, which led to the creation of the National Science Foundation (which turned 70 this year). Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), as well as Director of the White House Office of Science of Technology Policy (OSTP) Kelvin K. Droegemeier, all reminded the…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 39 Issue 4
Featured News Administration Plans to Eliminate DOD Social Science Research Program COSSA in Action Administration Releases FY 2021 Budget Request; Read COSSA’s Analysis COSSA Urges Advocates to Oppose FY 2021 Budget Cuts to Social Science Federal Agency & Administration News OBSSR Seeks Input on 2022-2026 Strategic Plan NSF Celebrates 70 Years NIH Requesting Comments on Strategic Plan NSF Invites Proposal Submissions on 2026 Idea Machine Finalist Themes NIMHD to Celebrate 10th Anniversary with Scientific Symposium Nomination Opportunities Funding Opportunities Notices & Requests for Comment Fellowships & Professional Development Community News & Reports Funding Opportunities Recent Reports COSSA Member Spotlight COSSA…
COSSA Urges Advocates to Oppose FY 2021 Budget Cuts to Social Science
Last week, COSSA released an action alert urging social science advocates to reach out to their Congressional representatives to oppose the steep cuts proposed by the Administration in its FY 2021 budget request (see COSSA’s analysis). COSSA created a menu of letters that stakeholders can send to their Members of Congress to share their priorities for the coming year. COSSA’s TAKE ACTION page allows advocates to quickly send a letter to your Senators and Representative and tell them why they care about supporting the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the Institute of Education Sciences and International Education, or…
Administration Plans to Eliminate DOD Social Science Research Program
While the majority of the details of the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget request were made public the week of February 10 (read COSSA’s analysis), full details for some agencies and departments—including the Department of Defense (DoD)—were delayed until the following week. The DoD budget request reflects over $5 billion in cuts made as a result of the FY 2021 Defense-Wide Review. The FY 2021 Defense-Wide Review is a major DoD initiative led by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper “to improve alignment of time, money, and people to [National Defense Strategy] priorities,” including finding budget cuts at DoD. The…
Administration Releases FY 2021 Budget Request; Read COSSA’s Analysis
On February 10, the Trump Administration released its fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget request to Congress. In a significant departure from last year’s budget rollout, the FY 2021 budget is not delivered on the heels of a major government shutdown, like we saw in early 2019. Given that Congress passed its FY 2020 appropriations bills in December 2019—albeit nearly 3 months late—the President’s FY 2021 budget can be compared to FY 2020 enacted levels, providing a clearer look at the potential implications of the Administration’s proposals. However, the positive news largely ends there with respect to the Trump Administration’s budget…
OBSSR Seeks Input on 2022-2026 Strategic Plan
The NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) is seeking broad public input on important new directions for health-related behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR). Specifically, OBSSR requests input on research directions that will support the achievement of the scientific priorities in the OBSSR Strategic Plan 2022-2026 (see the current strategic plan) and that will advance or transform the broader health impact of BSSR. OBSSR is interested in focusing on research directions that are trans-disease and cross-cutting in nature and address critical gaps in the field. The role of OBSSR is to coordinate and promote BSSR research across…
NSF Celebrates 70 Years
On February 6-7, the National Science Foundation (NSF) hosted a symposium celebrating the 70th anniversary of the agency’s creation. The first day looked back at NSF’s history and featured discussions highlighting some the greatest scientific breakthroughs over the last seven decades as well as a discussion on the evolution of the agency itself featuring six previous NSF Directors alongside current Director France Córdova. The second day brought the discussion back to the present with a session about NSF’s 10 Big Ideas, a panel on “Industries of the Future” featuring representatives from Google, IBM, and others within the private sector, and…
NIH Requesting Comments on Strategic Plan
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a request for information (RFI) asking for stakeholder comments on the proposed framework for the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2021-2025 slated for a December 2020 release. Rather than focus on specific research opportunities or institute initiatives, NIH releases a strategic plan every five years to highlight the achievements of the agency and set broader priorities. The proposed framework for the new strategic plan highlights several cross-cutting themes for NIH including increasing diversity, reducing health disparities, optimizing data science, promoting collaborative science, and addressing public health challenges across the lifespan. These…
NSF Invites Proposal Submissions on 2026 Idea Machine Finalist Themes
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is requesting proposals for the NSF 2026 Idea Machine themes and activities for finalist applicants. The NSF 2026 Idea Machine is a prize competition for emerging science, engineering, or learning research challenge. Thirty-three finalists were selected from over 800 applicants. NSF is now seeking project proposals to enrich the activities the Idea Machine finalists will participate in, specifically in conference activities and in Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) projects testing the ideas and concepts coming from the finalists. EAGER project outlines are due March 1, 2020 and conference proposals are due March 15, 2020….
NIMHD to Celebrate 10th Anniversary with Scientific Symposium
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is hosting a scientific symposium titled Innovations to Promote Health Equity in honor of the institute’s 10th anniversary. The symposium will highlight new discoveries in minority health and health disparities research and will feature four panels focused on the following issue areas: Integrative Biological and Behavioral Sciences Community Health and Population Sciences Clinical and Health Services Research Multidisciplinary Intramural Research at NIMHD The symposium will take place at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland on March 3, 2020 and will be webcast live…
COSSA Welcomes Wiley
COSSA is pleased to welcome Wiley as its newest affiliate member. Wiley is a leading publisher of scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, books, and other digital content. Wiley has joined under COSSA’s new affiliate membership category, which invites users of social science findings and other stakeholders to join in COSSA’s advocacy on behalf of the social and behavioral science community. COSSA’s full membership list is available here. Information on how to join can be found on the COSSA website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Nominations Open for 2020 SAGE-CASBS Award
The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University and SAGE Publishing now are accepting nominations for the 2020 SAGE-CASBS Award. The Award recognizes accomplishments in the behavioral and social sciences that push the boundaries of our understanding of social issues. In addition to a cash prize, the SAGE-CASBS Award winner will deliver a public lecture to be held at CASBS on November 19, 2020. The deadline for nominations is March 16, 2020. More information about the Award can be found on the CASBS website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 39 Issue 3
Featured News COSSA Releases 2020 Rankings of College and University Social Science Investment COSSA in Action COSSA Responds to JCORE RFI Early Bird Pricing for Social Science Advocacy Day Extended through Feb. 14 Still Time to Register for February’s Headlines Webchat on the President’s Budget Request Cassandra R. Davis, UNC Public Policy Professor, Answers “Why Social Science?” Letters & Statements Congressional News House Republicans Introduce Bill to Reauthorize Science Agencies House Passes Bill on Suicide Prevention Research Federal Agency & Administration News NSF Hosting Symposium to Celebrate 70th Anniversary NCHS Releases First Estimate of Maternal Mortality in 13 Years NIMHD…
COSSA Releases 2020 Rankings of College and University Social Science Investment
On January 29, COSSA released its 2019 College and University Rankings for Federal Social and Behavioral R&D, which highlight the top university recipients of federal research dollars in the social and behavioral sciences. This year’s rankings feature a dashboard with an interactive map of recipients of social and behavioral science R&D funding so you can see how your university stacks up among more than 500 U.S. institutions. Based on the most recent available federal data, the COSSA rankings use an inclusive selection of fields representing the breadth of the social and behavioral sciences to calculate the total federal R&D funding…
COSSA Responds to JCORE RFI
In response to a request for information (RFI) from the Joint Committee on the Research Environment (JCORE) (see previous coverage), COSSA submitted a collection of resources produced by its member associations relevant to JCORE’s four primary areas of interest: (1) Research Rigor and Integrity; (2) Coordinating Administrative Requirements for Research; (3) Research Security; and (4) Safe and Inclusive Research Environments. As COSSA’s letter states, “Given [the social sciences’] focus on the human condition across multiple scales, it is not surprising that our sciences have a lot to say about the topics of interest to JCORE.” The document is intended to…
Early Bird Pricing for Social Science Advocacy Day Extended through Feb. 14
The deadline for early bird registration for COSSA’s 2020 Social Science Advocacy Day has been extended through Friday, February 14. COSSA members can take advantage of this opportunity to register for only $75. COSSA’s annual spring event will include a kickoff session featuring special guest speakers (to be announced in the coming weeks), a half-day of intensive context setting and advocacy preparation, COSSA’s annual Celebration of Social Science Rooftop Reception, and a full day of meetings on Capitol Hill. Advocacy Day is open exclusively to individuals employed by or affiliated with COSSA member organizations. Individuals from non-member organizations can learn…
Still Time to Register for February’s Headlines Webchat on the President’s Budget Request
COSSA members are encouraged to sign up for the monthly Headlines webchat on Thursday, February 13. The COSSA team will break down the most important social and behavioral science news from the past month and answer your questions. The February chat will feature a deep dive discussion on the Trump Administration’s budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2021, scheduled to be released on February 10. Individuals employed by or affiliated with a COSSA member organization or university can register for the webchat here. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
House Republicans Introduce Bill to Reauthorize Science Agencies
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced the Securing American Leadership in Science and Technology Act (H.R. 5685), a bill to reauthorize science agencies, on January 29. Science Committee Democrats are working on their own science agency reauthorization legislation, but details have not yet been released for the agencies most important to the social sciences. COSSA will report on the majority’s proposals when they are released. The Republicans’ legislation proposes doubling basic research funding over the next ten years at the Department of Energy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Oceanic…