A staple since COSSAâs 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.Â
OSTP Requests Feedback on Data Repositories and Data Sharing
The While House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a Request for Public Comment on January 17 on Draft Desirable Characteristics of Repositories for Managing and Sharing Data Resulting from Federally Funded Research. The request, published in the Federal Register, was issued on behalf of the multi-agency Subcommittee on Open Science of the National Science and Technology Councilâs Committee on Science. The proposed set of desirable characteristics are intended to improve the consistency of information that federal agencies provide to the scientific community about the long-term preservation of data resulting from federally funded research. The Subcommittee on Open…
2020 Census Count Begins in Rural Alaska
The U.S. Census Bureau starts counting the population of rural Alaska for the 2020 Census on January 21 in the remote Alaskan village of Toksook Bay. The decennial Census traditionally begins counting the populations in remote Alaskan villages much earlier than the official Census Day due to the hard-to-count nature of the region. The count of the rest of the U.S. population will officially start on Census Day, April 1. More information about the timeline of the 2020 Census can be found on the 2020 Census website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
SAGE Awards Inaugural Impact Writing Prize to Social and Behavioral Scientists
SAGE Publishing, a COSSA affiliate member, has announced the winners of its inaugural Impact in Action Writing Prize. Administered through its online platform Social Science Space, the award is given to researchers who effectively communicate through writing how social and behavioral science research leaves an impact in non-academic spaces. The recipients of the 2019 Impact in Action Writing Prize are: Cheryl Durwin & Dina Moore from Southern Connecticut State University Lynn Thigpen from the Wisdom Project Maria Kreuzer from the International University of Monaco Ian Male & William Farr from the United Kingdomâs National Health Service (NHS) Trust Submissions for…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 39 Issue 1
Featured News Sethuraman Panchanathan Nominated to Lead National Science Foundation COSSA in Action Early Bird Registration Open for 2020 Social Science Advocacy Day Still Time to Register for Januaryâs Headlines Webchat APAâs Office of International Affairs Answers âWhy Social Science?â Congressional News Congress Completes FY 2020 Appropriations Process; Read COSSAâs Analysis Native American Language Reauthorization Bill Signed into Law Senate Passes Bipartisan Resolution Supporting 2020 Census Federal Agency & Administration News White House Finalizes 2020 Data Strategy Action Plan National Institute of Mental Health Requests Information on Draft 2020 Strategic Plan NSF Releases Dear Colleague Letter on Social Science Perspectives…
Sethuraman Panchanathan Nominated to Lead National Science Foundation
The White House announced on December 19 that President Trump intends to nominate Sethuraman Panchanathan to a six-year term as Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). Current NSF Director France CĂłrdovaâs term ends in March. Panchanathan has been a member of the National Science Board since 2014 and leads âknowledge enterprise developmentâ at Arizona State University (ASU). Panchanathan holds his doctorate in electrical and computer engineering and was central in founding the School of Computing and Informatics and the Center for Cognitive Ubiquitous Computing at ASU. Following CĂłrdovaâs retirement in March, Panchanathanâs nomination will require approval by the Senate….
Early Bird Registration Open for 2020 Social Science Advocacy Day
Registration for Social Science Advocacy Day 2020 is now open. COSSAâs 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, COSSAâs annual Celebration of Social Science Rooftop Reception, and a full day of meetings on Capitol Hill. COSSA members are encouraged to take advantage of our Early Bird discount and register by February 1 for only $75! Graduate and undergraduate students are eligible to register at a reduced rate of $25. Advocacy Day is open exclusively to individuals employed by or affiliated with COSSA…
Still Time to Register for Januaryâs Headlines Webchat
COSSA members are encouraged to sign up for the monthly COSSA Headlines webchat on Thursday January 9, in which COSSA staff will break down the most important social and behavioral science news from the past month, including how social science fared in the final fiscal year (FY) 2020 spending agreement, Trump’s new nominee to lead the National Science Foundation, and the launch of a pilot single-application portal for accessing restricted federal statistics. Individuals employed by or affiliated with a COSSA member organization or university can register for the webchat here. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
Congress Completes FY 2020 Appropriations Process; Read COSSAâs Analysis
In a final, year-end show of bipartisanship, Congress passed all of its FY 2020 appropriations bills last month. While still nearly three months late (FY 2020 began on October 1), completion of all 12 appropriations bills before the end of the calendar year is a welcomed departure from recent years that had some agencies not receiving their final budgets until well into the new year. This officially closes the books on FY 2020 and allows lawmakers to hit the ground running on FY 2021 funding when the new session starts this week. The two funding packages (H.R. 1865 and H.R….
Native American Language Reauthorization Bill Signed into Law
On December 20, the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Programs Reauthorization Act (S. 256) was signed into law. The legislation reauthorizes the Native American Languages Preservation and Maintenance grant program and the Esther Martinez Initiative grant program within the Department of Health and Human Services. Both programs support projects to preserve and revitalize Native languages in tribal communities. In addition to reauthorizing the two programs, the legislation increases the maximum possible duration of all Esther Martinez grants from three years to five years and decreases the required minimum number of enrollees in Native American language programs. The text of the…
Senate Passes Bipartisan Resolution Supporting 2020 Census
In December, the Senate passed a bipartisan concurrent resolution (S.Con.Res. 31) in support of the 2020 Census. The resolution, introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), expresses the sense of Congress that it is the duty of the people of the United States to ensure the 2020 Census is as accurate as possible, that the government should inform the public about its importance, and that U.S. residents should plan to respond. COSSA was one of several dozen organizations to endorse the resolution, which now awaits passage by the House to ensure Congress speaks with one voice….
White House Finalizes 2020 Data Strategy Action Plan
The White House has released its final 2020 Action Plan for the Federal Data Strategy (see COSSAâs previous coverage). The Federal Data Strategy, which is being coordinated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is a âten-year vision for how the Federal government will accelerate the use of data to support the foundations of democracy, deliver on mission, serve the public, and steward resources while protecting security, privacy and confidentiality.â The Strategy consists of 10 principles and 40 best practices to guide federal agencies on how to leverage the value of their data. The next phase in the Strategyâs implementation is its…
National Institute of Mental Health Requests Information on Draft 2020 Strategic Plan
In December 2019, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) within the National Institutes of Health released a Request for Information (RFI) soliciting public feedback on its draft Strategic Plan for Research. NIMH publishes a strategic plan for research every five years with updates to the Instituteâs stated research priorities. The deadline to submit feedback has been extended to January 15, 2020. The draft of the strategic plan and more information can be found on the NIH website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
NSF Releases Dear Colleague Letter on Social Science Perspectives on Graduate Education
On December 16, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released a Dear Colleague Letter, signed by the Assistant Directors for the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate (SBE) and the Education and Human Resources Directorate (EHR), to draw the attention of the social science community to funding opportunities in the two directorates related to research in graduate education. The letter (NSF 20-030) follows a workshop and report from the National Academies of Sciences on Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century and a workshop on Graduate Training in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Funding opportunities include research grants, traineeships, and capacity…
NIH Seeking Comments on Inclusion Across the Lifespan II Workshop
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking stakeholder input on a planned workshop on Inclusion Across the Lifespan, a policy intended to encourage inclusion of underrepresented participants in clinical studies. The Inclusion Across the Lifespan II Workshop is a follow-up to a 2017 workshop mandated by Congress in the 21st Century Cures Act. Comments will remain open until February 15, 2020. More information can be found in the NIH guide notice. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
ICPSR Launches Pilot Tool to Streamline Access to Restricted Federal Data
In December, ICPSR at the University of Michiganâs Institute for Social Research released a new tool to simplify the application process for accessing restricted microdata from principal statistical agencies. ResearchDataGov gives researchers access to a single portal and a standard application to access restricted data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, National Center for Health Statistics, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. More federal data sources are expected to be added as the pilot moves forward. The project is supported by funding from the Census…
NIH Updates Diversity Statement
On November 22, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a notice updating the agencyâs official statement on diversity in research settings. In a blog post by Deputy Director for Extramural Research at NIH Dr. Mike Lauer, the main reason for the updated statement was to expand the criteria for qualifying as an individual from a low socio-economic background. In the post, Lauer claims âthis revised definition should better capture many scientists with a disadvantaged background, and be relatively easy to assess, ensuring we continue enhancing the diversity of the biomedical research workforce.â The updated diversity statement and the previous…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 38 Issue 24
Featured News Congress Rushes to Finish FY 2020 as Schedule Fills COSSA in Action Decemberâs Headlines to Feature Deep Dive on Threats to Research Security Advocacy Day Registration to Open Later this Month Letters & Statements Congressional News Members of Congress Request Feedback on Cures 2.0 Legislation House Science Committee Holds Hearing on Improving Science and Technology Advice for Congress Federal Agency & Administration News OSTP Seeks Input on Research Environment Office of Evaluation Sciences Seeks 2020 Fellows NIH Updates Diversity Statement Funding Opportunities Notices & Requests for Comment Open Positions Fellowships & Professional Development Community News & Reports Nomination…
Congress Rushes to Finish FY 2020 as Schedule Fills
The federal government is currently operating under a continuing resolution (CR), keeping the government open until December 20 at fiscal year (FY) 2019 funding levels. With less than two weeks left before the current stopgap spending bill expires, appropriators are hoping to finalize all twelve appropriations bills and pass them as soon as possible. In addition to the normal pressures of wrapping up annual appropriations before the holidays, Congressional leaders must also complete their year-end goals related to impeachment. The House has announced plans to vote on articles of impeachment before the end of the year and the Senate must…
Decemberâs Headlines to Feature Deep Dive on Threats to Research Security
COSSA members are encouraged to sign up for the monthly COSSA Headlines webchat on Thursday December 12, in which COSSA staff will recap the most important social and behavioral science news from the past month and answer participantsâ questions. The December chat will feature a deep dive discussion on understanding the threats to U.S. research security with Toby Smith, Vice President for Policy at the Association of American Universities. Individuals employed by or affiliated with a COSSA member organization or university can register for the webchat here. Back to this issueâs table of contents.