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 Seeking Candidates for Director of Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking candidates for the Director of the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) within the Directorate of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE). The BCS Director is responsible for providing leadership and direction to the Division and implementing overall strategic planning. The BCS Division provides funding for research that helps advance scientific knowledge about the brain, human cognition, language, social behavior, and culture. Applications must be submitted by September 29, 2017. The position requirements can be found on USAJobs. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
AHRQ Releases 2016 Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released the 2016 edition of its Congressionally-mandated National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report (QDR). This year marks the 14th annual release of the report, which compiles over 250 individual measurements to present a comprehensive overview of the equity and quality of our health care system. The report is available on the AHRQ website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
National Academies Launches Climate Communication Initiative, Seeks Nominations for Advisory Committee
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has announced the establishment of a new Climate Communication Initiative. The Academies is seeking nominations for members of the Initiative’s Advisory Committee which will guide the strategic direction for the initiative and plan its activities. The Academies are looking for individuals with expertise in “climate science, climate impacts and economics, potential response options, science communication, social media engagement, science education, and experience with other issues considered to be contentious in public discourse.” Nominations must be submitted by September 15, 2017. More information is available on the Initiative’s website. Back to this issue’s table…
National Academies Requests Input on Two Higher Education and Workforce Studies
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Board on Higher Education and Workforce is requesting input for its consensus studies on Revitalizing Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century and the Next Generation Researchers Initiative. The Committee on Revitalizing Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century Workforce is inviting comments and reactions on previously received input on competencies and core educational elements for Masters and PhD programs. The opportunity to provide input is open until September 22, 2017. The Committee on the Next Generation Researchers Initiative is requesting input on the barriers that members of the next generation of…
Decadal Survey of Social Science Applications to National Security Releases Workshop Dates and Topics
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences is sponsoring a decadal survey of social and behavioral sciences for applications to national security. The committee conducting the decadal survey will hold six workshops for the purposes of bringing together scholars, members of the intelligence community, members of the federal government, and other stakeholders to examine the state of research and future applications in particular areas. On October 11, 2017, the committee will host separate workshops on culture, language, and behavior; political and strategic reasoning; and network thinking. On January 24, 2018, the committee…
Academies to Host Third Science of Science Communication Colloquium
The National Academy of Sciences will host its third Arthur M. Sackler Colloquium on the Science of Science Communication on November 16 and 17. Evolving from past colloquia, this Colloquium will focus on the consensus study report, Communicating Science Effectively: A Research Agenda, as a framework for advancing both research and practice in science communication. The Colloquium will explore ways to build capacity for and foster the use of evidence-based strategies for engaging the public with science and ensuring its appropriate use. More information on the event, including an agenda, is available here. The event will also be available by webcast….
Funding Opportunity Announcements
NEA: Research: Art Works (2018NEAORA) Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Events Calendar
Economic History Association Annual Meeting, September 15-17, 2017, San Jose, CA American Statistical Association Symposium on Statistical Inference, October 11-13, 2017, Bethesda, MD National Research Summit on Care, Services and Supports for Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers, October 16-17, 2017, Bethesda, MD 14th Annual AERA Brown Lecture in Education Research With Alfredo J. Artiles, October 19, 2017, Washington, DC Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, October 19-22, 2017, Dallas, TX American Psychosomatic Society Mid-Year Meeting: Emotions in Social Relationships: Implications for Health and Disease, October 20-21, 2017, Berkeley, CA Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences Annual Meeting,…
White House Outlines FY 2019 R&D Budget Priorities, Emphasizes Role of Industry
On August 17, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Mick Mulvaney, with Michael Kratsios, Deputy Assistant Secretary to the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), issued a joint memorandum to federal agency and department heads on “FY 2019 Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities.” The R&D memo, along with an earlier memo released in July that outlines more general budget reforms, keeps with the practices of past administrations to lay out key White House priorities as agencies begin working on their budget submissions for the next fiscal year. Of course, the priorities within…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 36 Issue 16
Featured News Senate CJS Bill Approved by Committee; Congress Leaves for Recess Federal Agency & Administration News National Science Board Accepting Nominations Human Subjects Advisory Committee Seeking New Members NIJ Publishes Two Reports on School Safety Interagency Forum Releases 2017 America’s Children Report COSSA Member Spotlight COSSA Welcomes the African Studies Association CASBS Accepting Applications for 2018 Fellowship Events Calendar Editor’s Note: Update Returns September 5
Senate CJS Bill Approved by Committee; Congress Leaves for Recess
On July 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year (FY) 2018 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Bill; the bill was marked up in subcommittee on July 25. In addition, the House Appropriations Committee advanced its version of the CJS bill on July 13 (check out COSSA’s coverage of this and other FY 2018 appropriations bills). The CJS bill serves as the vehicle for annual appropriations for the National Science Foundation (NSF), Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), and many other federal departments and agencies….
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. New members of the Board are appointed by the President. For the incoming class of 2018-2024, the NSB is particularly interested in individuals with expertise in enterprise risk…
Human Subjects Advisory Committee Seeking New Members
The Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections (SACHRP), the advisory body to the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary and the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP), is soliciting nominations to fill four vacancies in 2017. SACHRP provides scientific expertise and recommendation on matters related to the protection of human subjects in scientific research. The Committee will likely play an important role as OHRP implements the revisions to the Common Rule (see COSSA’s coverage). Experts are sought from fields including “public health and medicine, behavioral and social sciences, health administration, and biomedical ethics.” Nominations must be received no later than…
NIJ Publishes Two Reports on School Safety
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research and evaluation agency of the Department of Justice, has published two reports as part of their Comprehensive School Safety Initiative. This research-focused initiative began in response to high-profile incidents of school violence and aims to identify causes of school violence, increase school safety, and implement policies for safer schools. The two reports released on July 28 are Summary of School Safety Statistics, which includes data collected by researchers as well as federal agencies, and States’ Roles in Keeping Schools Safe: Opportunities and Challenges for State School Safety Centers and Other Actors, which…
Interagency Forum Releases 2017 America’s Children Report
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, a working group of 23 Federal agencies, recently released its annual compendium of indicators, America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-being, 2017. The 2017 report is the 20th annual release in the series, which compiles federal data and statistics related to a wide range of factors important to children’s lives, including “family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, and health.” The 2017 report includes a special feature on peer victimization among U.S. third-graders. The complete report is available at childstats.gov. Back to this issue’s table…
COSSA Welcomes the African Studies Association
COSSA is pleased to welcome the African Studies Association as its newest affiliate member. The African Studies Association is “the flagship membership organization devoted to enhancing the exchange of information about Africa.” 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.
CASBS Accepting Applications for 2018 Fellowship
The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University, a COSSA member, is now accepting applications for its residential fellowships for the 2018-2019 academic year. The CASBS fellowship provides an excellent opportunity to pursue innovative ideas and expand horizons while engaging in a diverse, interdisciplinary community. A CASBS fellowship is considered a career milestone by most recipients, and almost all report that the year had a transformative effect on their work. Online applications will be accepted at the Center’s website through November 3, 2017 for the 2018–2019 fellowship year. For more information, guidelines, and application requirements, see…
Events Calendar
American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, August 12-15, 2017, Montreal, Canada Data, Delusion & the American Classroom – The Lunch @ DC, August 15, 2017, Washington, DC Research Transparency: Finding Effective Solutions – The Lunch @ DC with Brian Nosek, August 24, 2017, Washington, DC American Political Science Association Annual Meeting & Exhibition, August 31-September 3, 2017, San Francisco, CA Redirect: Changing People’s Behavior by Editing their Stories: The Lunch @ DC with Tim Wilson, August 31, 2017, Washington, DC Economic History Association Annual Meeting, September 15-17, 2017, San Jose, CA National Research Summit on Care, Services and Supports for Persons…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 36 Issue 15
Featured News Congress Moves FY 2018 Spending Bills Ahead of August Recess COSSA in Action The American Political Science Association Answers “Why Social Science?” Congressional News House Budget Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Resolution Federal Agency & Administration News OMB’s FY 2019 Budget Guidance Calls for Major Funding Reforms President Appoints David Muhlhausen to Lead National Institute of Justice Census Science Advisory Committee Seeking Nominations Publications & Community Events Former Census Director to Lead Statistics Group National Academies Releases Sixth Edition of Principles and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency National Academies Event Highlights Recent SBE Report; Rep. Lipinski…
Congress Moves FY 2018 Spending Bills Ahead of August Recess
The House and Senate have worked in recent weeks to advance as many of the fiscal year (FY) 2018 annual appropriations bills as possible before heading out of town for the typical month-long August recess. Details have been emerging on lawmakers’ funding plans for agencies and programs important to the COSSA community. The House Appropriations Committee approved two bills this month that provide the bulk of funding support for the social sciences. The Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations bill, which funds the National Science Foundation, Department of Justice, and Census Bureau, was approved on July 13. The…