Call for Applications: 2025 Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award
Are you a science graduate student looking to make a difference in science policy and funding? AIBS is now accepting applications for the 2025 Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award. This award recognizes graduate students in the biological sciences who are demonstrating an interest and aptitude for working at the intersection of science and policy.
Recipients of the AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award receive:
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A trip to Washington, DC, to participate in the AIBS Congressional Visits Day, an annual event where scientists meet with lawmakers to advocate for federal investment in the biological sciences, with a primary focus on the National Science Foundation. The event will be held over three days in the spring of 2025 (likely in April). Domestic travel and hotel expenses are paid for the winners.
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Policy and communications training, including information on the legislative process, trends in federal science funding, and how to engage with policymakers and the news media.
- Meetings with congressional policymakers to discuss the importance of federal investment in the biological sciences.
- A one-year online subscription to the journal BioScience.
The 2025 award is open to U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents enrolled in a graduate degree program in the biological sciences, science education, or a closely allied field. Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in and commitment to science policy and/or science education policy. Prior recipients are not eligible for the award.
Applications are due by 05:00 PM Eastern Time on January 15, 2025. Learn more.
Post-Election Ramifications for Science
A second Trump presidency could bring significant policy changes to the U.S. scientific enterprise. Key areas likely to be impacted include diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, visa policies for scientists and students, research security, and funding priorities.
President-elect Trump has vowed to revoke President Biden's Executive Order prioritizing DEI in STEM fields, with senior officials like Stephen Miller, who Trump announced as his deputy chief of staff for policy, set to scrutinize science agencies' DEI programs. Visa policies may tighten, particularly affecting Chinese nationals, as part of a broader effort to protect research security.
Trump may also try to reverse some of Biden's key spending initiatives, including energy technology subsidies from the Inflation Reduction Act and semiconductor industry subsidies from the CHIPS and Science Act. The CHIPS and Science Act also called for doubling the National Science Foundation's budget over 5 years. While the bill received bipartisan support in the Senate, House Republicans have expressed interest in repealing the law, or at least some of its provisions aimed at environmental justice, clean energy, and broadening participation in science.
It is unclear how science budgets might be affected. Although Trump proposed significant cuts to science agencies during his first administration, many agencies saw their budgets increase as Congress repeatedly rejected these proposals. Trump has indicated renewed interest in cutting government spending, and has tasked Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a so-called "Department of Government Efficiency" with a broad mandate to help "dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies."
This effort is likely to take the form of an external advisory committee rather than an official department, which would require congressional approval. "It will become, potentially, 'The Manhattan Project' of our time," stated Trump. The group will partner with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to "drive large scale structural reform," he said.
Trump has announced several picks for his Cabinet and Administration in recent days, including the nomination of former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, former Representative Lee Zeldin (R-NY) to lead his deregulatory charge at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (R) to be his Interior Secretary.
With both chambers of Congress under GOP control, Trump should be able to get his top political appointees confirmed without Democratic support. Republicans could also use an expedited process known as reconciliation to pass their legislative priorities through both chambers with simple majority votes.
The fate of fiscal year 2025 appropriations hangs in the balance. Congress passed a stopgap funding bill in September to keep the government operational at current funding levels through December 20. Prior to that, House Republicans advanced all 12 appropriations bills with significant cuts out of committee and along party lines, passing 5 of them on the floor. Senate appropriators have advanced 11 of their spending bills with broad bipartisan support, but have not voted on them yet. Major differences in funding levels between the House and Senate proposals, along with GOP House leadership's opposition to an omnibus bill, complicate reaching a full-year funding agreement by year-end. A second short-term funding extension is likely, with bipartisan support needed to pass any final deal.
Republican lawmakers have started to pick their next leaders in Congress. Senator John Thune (R-SD) has been elected Senate Majority Leader, taking over from Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA) has been nominated by House Republicans to retain his role as Speaker. Although Johnson currently has no challenger, he will still need to secure a majority in a live roll call vote in January. Democrats are expected to back Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for House Minority Leader.
Key congressional science committees, including those that oversee funding for science agencies, could see composition and leadership changes next year. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is expected to chair the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, where he has criticized the Biden Administration's focus on diversity initiatives. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will also get new leadership with current Chair Joe Manchin retiring and Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-WY) potentially stepping down to take on a party leadership role.
In the House, Ranking Member of the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee Matt Cartwright (D-PA) lost his seat in the election. The leadership of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee may remain the same in the next Congress, depending on whether current Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK) succeeds in his bid to become chair of the Financial Services Committee. Lucas, who has led the Science Committee since 2023, has focused on bipartisan issues like energy research and emerging technologies. If Lucas moves to Financial Services, potential replacements for the Science Committee chair include Representatives Bill Posey (R-FL), Brian Babin (R-TX), and Daniel Webster (R-FL). Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) is expected to retain her position.
Pew Report: Public Trust in Scientists Shows Modest Increase, But Lags Behind Pre-Pandemic Levels
A new Pew Research Center report shows that public trust in scientists is rising, with 76% of Americans expressing confidence in scientists' ability to act in the public's best interests, up from 73% in October 2023. However, trust remains well below the 87% level seen in April 2020, at the start of the pandemic.
The survey, conducted with 9,593 U.S. adults, also found that while 89% of respondents consider scientists intelligent, only 45% view them as good communicators, and opinions are divided on whether scientists should play a role in public policy debates.
The findings reveal significant partisan divides, with 88% of Democrats expressing confidence in scientists, compared to 66% of Republicans. Confidence among Republicans has significantly declined since 2020, falling from 85% to a low of 61% in October 2023. The survey also shows variations by race and education level, with higher trust in scientists among Asian adults (85%) and those with college degrees.
PCAST Letter to Biden: Expanding STEM Talent in the Federal Workforce
In a letter to President Biden, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) issued recommendations to enhance the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce in the federal government.
PCAST is a committee of advisors from outside the federal government charged with making science, technology, and innovation policy recommendations to the President. Aligned with the Biden Administration's science and technology priorities, their recommendations aim to address STEM personnel shortages and modernize hiring processes across agencies.
Key recommended actions include expanding pilot initiatives like AI talent recruitment, streamlining hiring through targeted skills-based and "pooled hiring" approaches, expanding existing programs such as the Pathways Program for expedited hiring, reducing barriers for experienced experts, and designating senior leaders at agencies to prioritize STEM recruitment. Establishing a repository for sharing best practices is also proposed to strengthen technical STEM capabilities across the government.
New Task Force Convenes to Inform Vision for U.S. Science and Technology
A newly formed task force of 71 science and technology (S&T) leaders aims to guide the incoming Administration and Congress with a "Vision for American Science and Technology" roadmap to ensure the U.S. continues to lead the world in S&T.
Chaired by Sudip Parikh, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the bipartisan and cross-sector group includes prominent figures like National Science Board Chair Darío Gil, National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt, former Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Kelvin Droegemeier, and former NSF Director Dr. France Córdova.
The draft roadmap will be delivered during the presidential transition, with the final version expected in February. The initiative seeks to maintain U.S. leadership in global innovation through expert collaboration.
House Leaders Investigate NSF's Research Security
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chair James Comer (R-KY) and House Science, Space, and Technology Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK) are probing the National Science Foundation's (NSF) efforts to protect U.S. research from foreign exploitation.
Following the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) findings that American universities and laboratories are vulnerable to illegal transfers of technology and intellectual property, the lawmakers sent a letter to NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan requesting documents on the agency's measures to address these risks.
Comer and Lucas emphasized the importance of safeguarding taxpayer-funded research from theft while maintaining scientific transparency and collaboration. They noted that in 2022, the NSF spent nearly $7 billion on research and education, funding over 11,000 competitive awards. However, reports from the NSF's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) highlight persistent threats, including foreign talent recruitment programs exploiting U.S.-funded research.
"The CHIPS and Science Act also authorized $81 billion over a span of five years to NSF, doubling the size of the agency," the lawmakers wrote. "Given this increase, it is important that the agency ensures that American taxpayer-funded research is protected against theft and exploitation by foreign interests." The lawmakers urged continued proactive oversight and collaboration between the NSF and research institutions to address evolving threats.
BioScience Talks: Live from the SACNAS National Diversity in STEM Conference
The latest episode of BioScience Talks provides a report from the 2024 National Diversity in STEM, or NDiSTEM, conference hosted in Phoenix, Arizona, by SACNAS (the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science).
Several members of the AIBS team attended, with the aim of helping our member societies and organizations develop an understanding of the ways in which minority-serving societies like SACNAS foster inclusive communities for scientists from traditionally marginalized backgrounds.
Attending the conference was extremely rewarding, and AIBS staff returned with the strong sense that the future of science will be well served by continued efforts to connect and invest in the diverse communities and perspectives representing STEM worldwide.
Webinar Recording Available: Natural History Collections and NAGPRA
The Natural Science Collections Alliance, the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), and the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), held an information session earlier this month about repatriation and how it relates to natural history collections, including zoological, botanical, paleontological, and geological collections. National NAGPRA Program Manager Melanie O'Brien and Jan Bernstein and Chelsey Schrock from Bernstein and Associates NAGPRA Consultants discussed the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
The program delved into the scope of NAGPRA, recent updates to NAGPRA regulations, what collections institution may need to do before an upcoming deadline, how to approach repatriation, and examples of repatriation involving non-anthropological collections. The webinar recording and slides are now available. Please share with any interested individuals.
The program was well attended, with more than 300 participants joining live, emphasizing the need for additional engagement on repatriation issues. A second webinar on this topic is planned for spring 2025 that will discuss repatriation issues beyond NAGPRA. Stay tuned for more information.
Summary of BIOFAIR Data Network Listening Sessions: Webinar Recording Available
The Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN) held a series of domain-focused virtual listening sessions over the summer to engage an expansive set of stakeholders toward Building an Integrated, Open, Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (BIOFAIR) Data Network.
The sessions convened stakeholders from the federal agency, genetic and genomic data, One Health, ecological data, climate and environmental data, and biodiversity informatics communities to explore the initiation of a comprehensive biological and environmental data network through the creation of a collaborative and accessible partnership. Brief summaries from each of these sessions are available on the links above.
The final summary report focusing on the areas of unity across the six virtual Listening Sessions is available online. The steering committee held a webinar on Wednesday, November 13, 2024 to discuss this report and to gather additional feedback to inform preparations for the upcoming interdisciplinary workshop on February 13, 2025. The goals of the workshop are to develop recommendations and create a roadmap towards a FAIR, open, and integrated data network.
The recording and slides from the webinar are now available.
Short Takes
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Join the National Science Foundation (NSF) on Tuesday, November 19 at 3:00-4:00 PM ET for the Division of Biological Infrastructure's Virtual Office Hour where Program Directors will talk about the Biology Integration Institutes (BIIs). Content will include an overview of the BII Program, what it takes to craft a successful institute, as well as guidance on proposal development and submission. Register now.
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The Biological Sciences Directorate at NSF along with the Division of Mathematical Sciences will host a webinar on November 25 from 1:00-2:00 PM ET to share information about the updated funding opportunity on Emerging Mathematics in Biology (eMB) for the fiscal year 2025 competition. This year, all BIO divisions are participating in the program, which seeks to stimulate the development of innovative mathematical theories, techniques, and approaches to investigate challenging questions of great interest to biologists and public health policymakers. Register now.
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Applications are now open for the fully funded 2025 Spectral Ecology Summer School - a program that introduces graduate students and postdocs to ecological remote sensing, data from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), open and team science, and inclusive leadership. Applications close December 23, 2024. Learn more.
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Join the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) within NSF's Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) for a special webinar "From Postdoc to Principal Investigator" on November 20 from 3:00-4:00 PM ET. The program will highlight topics relevant to postdocs and new faculty as they plan their career transition to beginning principal investigators. Perspectives will include a keynote panel of current IOS CAREER awardees and briefings from IOS Program Directors on selected funding opportunities focused on the pre-tenure faculty stage and facilitating research at predominantly undergraduate institutions. Register now.
From the Federal Register
The following items appeared in the Federal Register from November 4 to 15, 2024.
Agriculture
Commerce
Environmental Protection Agency
Health and Human Services
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Interior
National Science Foundation