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
International Education Reauthorization Bills Introduced in Both Chambers
On May 7, Representatives David Price (D-NC), Susan Davis (D-CA) and Andy Levin (D-NJ) introduced Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act (H.R. 2562) to reauthorize the Title VI International Education programs at the Department of Education. Both bills aim to support the existing international education programs at the Department. The bill is a companion to S. 342 introduced earlier this year by Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). More information can be found in Rep. Priceâs press release. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
AAAS Accepting Nominations for 2020 Awards & Prizes
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has opened the nominations process for several of its annual awards and prizes that recognize significant contributions to science and the publicâs understanding of science. The awards and prizes currently accepting nominations include: AAAS Award for Science Diplomacy, AAAS Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility, AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science, AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards, AAAS Mani L. Bhaumik Award for Public Engagement with Science, AAAS Mentor Awards, AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize, AAAS Philip Hauge Abelson Prize, AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, John P….
National Academies Release New Report on Adolescent Development
A new report on factors affecting the development of adolescents in the U.S. was released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM). The NASEM report, titled The Promise of Adolescence: Realizing Opportunity for All Youth, identifies the characteristics unique to adolescent brains as well as environmental challenges to the development of adolescent brains, especially economic, social, and racial inequities. The report also offers recommendations for the national education system, the health system, the child welfare system and the justice system to remedy the effects of inequalities on adolescent brain development. More information can be found on the…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 38 Issue 10
Featured News COSSA Holds Largest-Ever Social Science Advocacy Day COSSA in Action Mayâs Headlines to Feature Deep Dive on Academiesâ Decadal Survey of Social Science Applications for Intelligence Analysis COSSA Submits FY 2020 Testimony to Senate Appropriations Committee in Support of Social Science Funding for NSF, Census, NIJ, and BJS Congressional News House Committee Approves FY 2020 Spending for NIH, CDC, BLS, AHRQ, ED House Science Committee Holds Hearing on NSF Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request Federal Agency & Administration News National Science Board Accepting Nominations NSF Convergence Accelerator Seeks Next Topics White House Announces New Joint Committee on U.S….
COSSA Holds Largest-Ever Social Science Advocacy Day
COSSA held its largest-ever Social Science Advocacy Day on May 1. Over 70 social and behavioral science researchers, stakeholders, and advocates met with their Members of Congress and staff to advocate in support of funding for federal agencies and programs that support social and behavioral science research. Advocates from 20 states converged on Capitol Hill, completing 77 individual meetings. Materials used to help articulate the value of social science research are available on the COSSA website, including fact sheets on COSSAâs FY 2019 funding requests and new topical one-pagers. To participate in social science advocacy from home, visit COSSAâs Take Action page. The…
Mayâs Headlines to Feature Deep Dive on Academiesâ Decadal Survey of Social Science Applications for Intelligence Analysis
COSSA members are encouraged to sign up for the monthly Headlines webchat on May 16, in which COSSA staff will recap the most important social and behavioral science news from the past month and answer participants’ questions. The May chat will feature a deep dive discussion with guests from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to discuss their recent consensus study report, A Decadal Survey of the Social and Behavioral Sciences: A Research Agenda for Advancing Intelligence Analysis. Individuals employed by or affiliated with a COSSA member organization or university can register for the webchat here. Back to…
COSSA Submits FY 2020 Testimony to Senate Appropriations Committee in Support of Social Science Funding for NSF, Census, NIJ, and BJS
As it does each year, COSSA submitted outside witness testimony to the Congressional Appropriations subcommittees responsible for funding federal agencies important to the social sciences. COSSA submitted testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies calling for increased funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics, and the Census Bureau in fiscal year (FY) 2020. All of COSSA’s FY 2020 testimony is posted on the COSSA website. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
House Committee Approves FY 2020 Spending for NIH, CDC, BLS, AHRQ, ED
On May 8, the House Appropriations Committee approved its fiscal year (FY) 2020 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Bill; the Labor-HHS Subcommittee advanced the bill on April 30. This bill contains annual funding proposals for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Education (ED), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), among other federal departments and agencies. In a departure from what has become regular practice, the Labor-HHS bill was one of the first out the gate this year; the…
House Science Committee Holds Hearing on NSF Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request
On May 8, the Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to discuss the National Science Foundationâs (NSF) budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2020. Witnesses included NSF Director Dr. France CĂłrdova and National Science Board Chair Dr. Diane Souvaine. Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairwoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) presided over the hearing and used her opening statement to highlight the accomplishments of NSF and its important role as the only federal agency that supports basic research across all disciplines of science. She also drew attention to the fact that NSF serves…
National Science Board Accepting Nominations
Nominations are being sought for new members of the National Science Board (NSB), the policy-making body of the National Science Foundation (NSF) that also serves as an independent advisor to the President and Congress on federal science policy. The Board consists of 24 members who serve staggered six-year terms, with the NSF director serving as a 25th ex officio member. Nominations are considered by the NSB, which makes recommendations to the White House and new members of the Board are appointed by the President. For the incoming class of 2020-2026, the NSB is particularly interested in individuals with expertise in…
NSF Convergence Accelerator Seeks Next Topics
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a request for information (RFI) on future topics for the NSF Convergence Accelerator. The Convergence Accelerator is a new capability within NSF to accelerate use-inspired, convergence research in areas of national importance via partnerships between academic and non-academic stakeholders and is currently focusing on the Big Ideas of Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier (FW-HTF) and Harnessing the Data Revolution (HDR). The main purpose of this RFI is to seek ideas for future NSF Convergence Accelerator tracks. NSF seeks suggestions for future tracks that build on the foundational research developed by the…
White House Announces New Joint Committee on U.S. Research Community
On May 6, the White House National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) announced the formation of a new Joint Committee led by the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) addressing the issues and burdens facing the U.S. research community. Specific issues the Joint Committee will address are administrative burdens on federally funded research, rigor and integrity in research, inclusive and equitable research settings, and protecting American research assets. The Joint Committee will also engage with the research community for input on policy making. The Joint Committeeâs membership will be comprised of OSTP Director Kelvin Droegemeier, National Institutes of Health…
Minerva Initiative Releases 2019 Funding Opportunity Announcement, Topics of Interest
The Minerva Research Initiative, the social science research program administered jointly by the Office of Basic Research and the Office of Policy at the U.S. Department of Defense, has released its 2019 funding opportunity announcement (FOA) and its 2019 topics of interest. The Minerva Research Initiative supports university-based, unclassified research in areas of strategic importance to U.S. national security policy. Research topics of interest for 2019 include: peer/near-peer statecraft, influence, and regional balance of power; power, deterrence, and escalation management; alliances and burden sharing; economic interdependence and security; economic viability, resilience, and sustainability of logistics infrastructure; multi-domain behavioral complexity and…
OBSSR Releases Revised Definition of âBehavioral and Social Sciences Researchâ
The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has completed its revision of NIHâs definition of âbehavioral and social sciences researchâ (BSSR) (see previous coverage) after crowdsourcing input from stakeholders. The new definition begins: âBehavioral and social sciences research at the National Institutes of Health involves the systematic study of behavioral1Â and social2Â phenomena relevant to health3. 1âBehavioral phenomenaâ refers to the observable actions of individuals or groups and to mental phenomena such as knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, motivations, perceptions, cognitions, and emotions. 2âSocial phenomenaâ refers to the interactions between and among individuals, and to…
NASEM Report Analyzes Factors for Reproducibility and Replicability in Scientific Research
In response to a Congressional directive to conduct a comprehensive study of issues related to reproducibility and replicability of scientific research, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has released a new report, Reproducibility and Replicability in Science. The consensus study report defines the terms âreproducibilityâ â or getting similar results using the same research methods â and âreplicabilityâ â getting similar results across multiple research methods â as they relate to research practices. The report sets forth several steps on how to improve the reproducibility and replicability of research, including identifying clear descriptions of how the reported result…
May 1 Is Social Science Advocacy Day!
Tomorrow, May 1, is Social Science Advocacy Day! COSSA will be supporting about 75 advocates who will head to Capitol Hill to discuss the importance of social science research and funding with policymakers. Watch COSSAâs Take Action page for an action alert to be released tomorrow that will allow you to join in from anywhere by writing to your Congressional representatives in support of social science. Join the action on Twitter by using #COSSA2019 and #whysocialscience. Back to this issueâs table of contents.
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 38 Issue 9
Featured News May 1 Is Social Science Advocacy Day! COSSA in Action COSSA Issues Statement Calling for Budget Deal Development Scholar Joseph Assan Answers âWhy Social Science?â Letters & Statements Congressional News Congress Returns; Subcommittees Begin Marking Up Spending Legislation Federal Agency & Administration News OBSSR Seeks Examples of Behavioral and Social Science Accomplishments NSF Seeks Nominations for Advisory Committees Nomination Opportunities Funding Opportunities Notices & Requests for Comment Recent Reports Community News & Reports National Academies Seeking Community Input on First Phase of Alzheimerâs Decadal Survey Nomination Opportunities Funding Opportunities Notices & Requests for Comment Fellowships & Professional Development…
OBSSR Seeks Examples of Behavioral and Social Science Accomplishments
The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking contributions from the stakeholder community of examples of noteworthy advances in health that would not have been possible without the behavioral and social sciences. The project will be hosted on a crowdsourcing platform that will allow anyone to contribute an idea or vote on the best submissions. OBSSR is seeking as broad a list as possibleâachievements do not need to have been funded by NIH or represent recent advances. More details are available in a blog post from OBSSR Director Bill Riley….
COSSA Issues Statement Calling for Budget Deal
On April 25, COSSA issued a statement calling on Congress to reach a deal that will prevent the budget cuts scheduled to take effect during fiscal years (FY) 2020 and 2021. The statement highlights the potential impact of these cuts on federal research agencies, particularly those that fund social science research or produce data used by social scientists: âAlmost every national priorityâhealth, defense, agriculture and conservation, hazards and natural disastersârelies on science and engineering; the social and behavioral sciences play an important role in helping to address the complex human-centered challenges our nation faces. If America is to continue its…