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.
House Science Committee Begins Conversation on NSF’s Future
On March 9, the Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee held an oversight hearing to discuss the National Science Foundation (NSF). Witnesses included NSF Director France Córdova and Allison Lerner, NSF’s Inspector General. Subcommittee Chair Barbara Comstock (R-VA) presided over the hearing, stating that its purpose is to hear an overview of NSF’s activities and priorities in light of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (P.L. 114-329), which was signed into law earlier this year and reauthorized a number of NSF functions, including STEM education programs (additional background on the AICA is available by…
Senate Committee Holds Hearing: “Saving Lives Through Medical Research”
While Congress has not yet completed its work on fiscal year (FY) 2017 appropriations, Congressional committees have begun holding hearing on agencies’ FY 2018 budgets. On March 8, the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) held a hearing, “Saving Lives Through Medical Research,” to discuss the budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Hearing witnesses included Thomas J. Grabowski, Jr., University of Washington School of Medicine; Timothy J. Eberlein, Washington University, St. Louis; Jennifer M. Sasser, University of Mississippi Medical Center; and Stacey Schultz-Cherry, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Lawmakers’ Priorities
Reviving the Appropriations Committee’s tradition of holding hearings to allow members of Congress to testify on their priorities within a subcommittee’s jurisdiction, on March 1, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) heard testimony from Members of Congress on their priorities for fiscal year (FY) 2018. Throughout the course of the hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) continually urged members to “continue to advocate for their priorities.” Otherwise, Cole cautioned, the Subcommittee would have to “live within the allocation” it is given by the budget committee….
Funding Opportunity Announcements
FDA: Advancing Conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS) (U18) (RFA-FD-17-007) NIH opportunities: NCI: Revision Applications to NCI-supported R01 Awards to Include Research on the NCI’s Provocative Questions (R01) (RFA-CA-17-019), (U01) (RFA-CA-17-020), (P01) (RFA-CA-17-021), (P50) (RFA-CA-17-022) NHLBI: Sleep Health and Circadian Biology in HIV-Related Comorbidities (R01) (RFA-HL-18-005) NIBIB: Enhancing Science, Technology, EnginEering, and Math Educational Diversity (ESTEEMED) Research Education Experiences (R25) (PAR-17-221) NIH/FDA: Center for Coordination of Analytics, Science, Enhancement , and Logistics (CASEL) in Tobacco Regulatory Science (U54) (RFA-OD-17-002) [FDA Center for Tobacco Products, NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse and Office of Disease Prevention] NIH/FDA:…
Events Calendar
Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Meeting, March 21-25, 2017, Kansas City, MO AERA Centennial Lecture: Charles Payne – The Limits of Schooling, the Power of Poverty, March 23, 2017, Detroit, MI COSSA 2017 Science Policy Conference & Social Science Advocacy Day, March 29-30, 2017, Washington, DC Society of Behavioral Medicine Annual Meeting, March 29-April 1, 2017, San Diego, CA Southern Sociological Society Annual Meeting, March 29-April 1, 2017, Greenville, SC Midwest Sociological Society Annual Meeting, March 30-April 2, 2017, Milwaukee, WI American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, April 5-9, 2017, Boston, MA Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference, April 6-9,…
COSSA Washington Update, Volume 36 Issue 5
Featured News COSSA Endorses March for Science COSSA in Action The Society for Personality and Social Psychology Answers “Why Social Science?” RSVP for COSSA’s Celebration of Social Science Congressional Reception: March 29 COSSA Calls for Congress to Complete FY 2017 Appropriations Process Archived Webinar Now Available: “Social Science in the Age of Trump: What We’d Like to See” Congressional News Bracing for a Tough Budget Cycle Federal Agency & Administration News NIA Issues RFIs for Alzheimer’s Disease Bypass Budget and on Enhancing Timely Sharing of Data NIFA Introduces New Behavioral Science Grants Program NIA Seeks Applicants for its 2017 Butler-Williams…
COSSA Endorses March for Science
COSSA has announced that it that it will be partnering with the March for Science, joining more than 25 scientific societies and professional associations who have officially endorsed the March. We are excited to participate in the event in solidarity with other scientists and science enthusiasts as we showcase the important contributions that science, especially the social and behavioral sciences, make to our country and global community. The Washington, DC March is scheduled for April 22 and more than 300 satellite marches are planned in cities around the world. Like science more generally, the March for Science is nonpartisan. It…
RSVP for COSSA’s Celebration of Social Science Congressional Reception: March 29
COSSA will be hosting a Celebration of Social Science reception on March 29 in conjunction with its 2017 Science Policy Conference. The reception will feature the presentation of the 2017 COSSA Distinguished Service Award to Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Gary Peters (D-MI). The event will take place in the Room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building, from 6:00-8:00 pm. Please RSVP by March 23. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
COSSA Calls for Congress to Complete FY 2017 Appropriations Process
In a letter to House and Senate appropriators on the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Subcommittees, COSSA called for speedy completion of the FY 2017 appropriations process. The letter also urges strong appropriations for the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, and Census Bureau. The letter is available on the COSSA website. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Archived Webinar Now Available: “Social Science in the Age of Trump: What We’d Like to See”
The archived video of a February 9 webinar, “Social Science in the Age of Trump: What We’d Like to See,” hosted by SAGE Publishing is now available. The webinar featured COSSA Executive Director Wendy Naus in a conversation with Michael Todd, editor of Social Science Space, and touched on the current state of affairs related to the social and behavioral sciences, areas of concern under the Trump Administration, and how researchers and academics can get involved in advocating on behalf of the social sciences. The complete webinar is available to watch here. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
NIA Issues RFIs for Alzheimer’s Disease Bypass Budget and on Enhancing Timely Sharing of Data
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued two requests for information (RFI). The first is a time-sensitive RFI, Planning for NIA’s FY 2019 Alzheimer’s Disease Bypass Budget (NOT-AG-17-005). The Institute is seeking comments and input for the Institute’s use in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 NIH Alzheimer’s Disease Bypass Budget (ADBB), particularly in identifying and establishing research priorities for the FY 2019 ADBB. The ADBB is congressionally mandated via the FY 2015 Consolidated and Furthering Continuing Appropriations Act. NIH is further mandated to update the ADBB annually through FY 2025. In addition…
NIFA Introduces New Behavioral Science Grants Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced a new grant program, Behavioral and Experimental Economic Applications for Agri-Environmental Policy Design, within the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Foundational Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities program. The new program is jointly funded with the USDA’s Economic Research Service. For its first round, the new program plans to offer two grants, totaling $500,000 to help “pinpoint motivators that drive farmers to adopt conservation practices and identify the roadblocks that may get in the way.” Back to this issue’s table of contents.
NIA Seeks Applicants for its 2017 Butler-Williams Scholars Program
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is accepting applications for its 2017 Butler-Williams Scholars Program. The Institute is particularly interested in receiving applications from emerging researchers, “including those who may have had limited previous involvement in research on aging.” An activity within the NIA Office of Special Populations, the program emphasizes its interest in researchers involved and/or interested in health disparities research related to aging. Applications are due by March 24th, 2017. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
National Academies to Launch Study on the Future of Food and Agriculture Research; Nominations Sought for Executive Committee
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced a new study, Science Breakthroughs 2030: A Strategy for Food and Agriculture Research. The year-long study hopes to “identify ambitious scientific directions in food and agriculture made possible by incorporating knowledge and tools from across the science and engineering spectrum.” The study is sponsored by the Supporters of Agriculture Research (SoAR) Foundation, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), and the Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Nominations are currently being sought for the study’s executive committee, which will author the project’s final consensus report, after seeking…
DBASSE Seeks Deputy Executive Director
The Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (DBASSE) of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine is seeking a new Deputy Executive Director. More information on the position and application instructions are available here. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
National Academies Releases Report on Dual Language and English Learners
On February 28, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures, a report by the Committee on Fostering School Success for English Learners. The report assesses the current state of English language education in the United States and offers recommendations on how to improve learning outcomes for dual language learners (DLLs) and English learners (ELs). Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states have a responsibility to address disparities in the educational outcomes of DLLs/ELs. The report contains 14 recommendations designed to inform policy and offers a…
Academies Board on Environmental Change and Society Seeking New Members
The Board on Environmental Change and Society (BECS) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is accepting nominations for new members. BECS focuses on research on interactions between humans and their environment. While members represent disciplines across the social and natural sciences, the Board is particularly interested in candidates with expertise on human-environment interactions, adaptive management, transformative change, and methods for integration of social and natural sciences. More information and instructions on submitting nominations are available on the National Academies website. Nominations are due by March 21. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
LSA Releases Annual Report on Linguistics in Higher Education
The Linguistic Society of America (LSA), a COSSA Governing Member, has issued its fourth Annual Report on the State of Linguistics in Higher Education. The report shows a growing popularity of the linguistics major at four-year colleges and universities, as well as a number of other interesting highlights such as career trends, demographics, and specializations. Back to this issue’s table of contents.
Bracing for a Tough Budget Cycle
The fiscal year (FY) 2017 appropriations process has yet to conclude, but interest is already turning to FY 2018. The Trump Administration has begun releasing limited details on what the President’s FY 2018 budget request could contain when released later this spring. A so-called “skinny budget,” or top-line, department-level outline, is expected to be released next week with full details provided in May. The President has stated his intent to propose an additional $54 billion in defense spending. Such an increase coupled with promises of middle class tax cuts, corporate tax cuts, a $1 trillion infrastructure plan, and keeping Medicare…