Science Policy News from AIBS

New AIBS Science Policy Resource for Students

Numerous opportunities exist for early career scientists to build skills and explore careers in science policy. AIBS has compiled a thorough list of fellowships, internships, and training opportunities in science policy for biologists studying in the United States. These include opportunities at professional societies & NGOs, in Congress & federal agencies, as well as at the state-level. While most positions are for researchers who have already completed a graduate degree, some opportunities are available for current graduate and undergraduate students.

Visit https://io.aibs.org/scipol to learn more. Have additional resources to add to the list? Let us know.

House Science Leaders Call for More Action by NSF on Sexual Harassment

Bipartisan leaders of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives are calling for changes in the U.S. Antarctic Program. The federal government is currently soliciting a new prime contractor to run the program.

In a letter sent last week to the National Science Foundation (NSF), Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) highlighted their concerns with sexual harassment and assault at the three Antarctic research stations managed by the agency.

Investigations by the Committee over the past several years identified "serious deficiencies" in NSF's management of the program, after multiple staff came forward with allegations of sexual harassment and assault while working in Antarctica. As the sole federal agency responsible for oversight of the Antarctic research program, "NSF was severely inadequate in its engagement" and "deferred far too much of its responsibility" to the primary contractor and its subcontractors. The Committee's investigation flagged mismanagement by the current prime contractor, but also found that problems extend back through at least the two prior prime contractors.

"Over the course of our investigation, NSF did make changes and took concrete steps to improve the culture[,]... as well as the reporting and support structures for victims of harassment and assault," wrote Lucas and Lofgren. "However, more must be done."

Specifically, the Representatives are calling for changes to the solicitation for a new support contractor, which is responsible for management of the program. The draft solicitation for a new contractor, released in July 2024, includes several worker protections, such as a 24/7 helpline for Antarctic staff, bystander intervention training, and biweekly meetings between the prime contractor and NSF.

Among the additions Lucas and Lofgren are seeking are maintaining a list of contract employees who are banned from working at the stations, mandating a contract with a third-party investigative entity, and better oversight by NSF of any investigation. Without these changes, "the Committee is not convinced that the changes to the contract language go far enough to establish sexual assault and harassment prevention as a priority of NSF."

NSF has rolled out new efforts in recent years to address the concerns with the U.S. Antarctic Program, such as creating a Sexual Assault and Harassment Prevention and Response Office, deploying an "on ice" victim advocate, completing physical safety upgrades at the base, and enhancing screening procedures for employment, among other actions.

White House Releases First Quadrennial Science & Technology Review

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released its inaugural Quadrennial Science and Technology Review on September 30, 2024, developed in response to a directive from the CHIPS and Science Act.

In addition to requiring the OSTP to conduct a review of the U.S. science and technology enterprise every four years, the CHIPS and Science Act also mandates the development of "a comprehensive national science and technology strategy for the U.S. to meet national research and development objectives over the following four-year period." This inaugural review will guide the formulation of the forthcoming national strategy.

The review acknowledges that while the U.S. science and technology ecosystem remains "robust" and unmatched in its scope and impact, it faces growing challenges from China's increasing competition and deteriorating research infrastructure.

According to the report, the federal government spent $97 billion on research in FY 2023, with nearly half of that amount coming from the Department of Health and Human Services. It also notes that "budget caps created constraints for federally funded R&D appropriated in fiscal year (FY) 2024, affecting the full range of R&D-supporting agencies."

The report emphasizes the urgent need for federal investment in physical R&D infrastructure: "Much of our federally funded R&D infrastructure now faces multibillion-dollar deferred maintenance backlogs, and numerous facilities are nearing the end of or exceeding their designed lifespans...Our nation's continued leadership in S&T depends on the maintenance and modernization of existing infrastructure as well as investments in new facilities and systems that can support cutting-edge 21st century research."

Key areas recommended for future R&D focus include national security, climate change, public health, and artificial intelligence. The report highlights that "the most pressing strategic challenge to our national security comes from powers that combine authoritarian governance with a revisionist foreign policy," specifically identifying China's strategic ambition to reshape the international order and its expanding economic, military, and technological capabilities as a significant concern.

NSF Summarizes Data for Ph.D. Class of 2022

The National Science Foundation (NSF) released new data visualizations about recently completed Ph.D.s from U.S. institutions of higher education. The profile for the Directorate for Biological Research shows continued growth in biological advanced degrees over the past 20 years.

There have been some notable changes in the biological research workforce pipeline. As of 2022, 71 percent of biology doctorate recipients entered employment in business or industry. That is a significant change from even 10 years ago, when less than half of graduates entered those sectors. Most of the change is driven by far fewer graduates being hired by educational institutions.

Unlike most other scientific fields, a majority of biology Ph.D.s are earned by women. Similarly, biology has a higher percentage of doctorates earned by Hispanic or Latino and Black or African American candidates than most other fields.

A profile for each NSF directorate is posted online.

BIOFAIR Data Network Listening Sessions: Summary Report & Webinar

The Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN), in collaboration with the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), 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 now available. The steering committee will be holding a webinar on Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET to discuss this report and to gather additional feedback to inform preparations for the upcoming interdisciplinary workshop (February 2025) to develop recommendations and create a roadmap towards a FAIR, open, and integrated data network.

Webinar on Natural History Collections and Repatriation: When Does NAGPRA Apply?

Join the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the Natural Science Collections Alliance, and the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections, for an information session about repatriation and how it relates to natural history collections, including zoological, botanical, paleontological, and geological collections. Speakers, including National NAGPRA Program Manager Melanie O'Brien and others, will discuss the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The program will delve into the scope of NAGPRA, recent updates to NAGPRA regulations, what your institution may need to do before an upcoming deadline, how to approach repatriation, and examples of repatriation involving non-anthropological collections. There will be time for audience Q&A at the end.

Date: November 7, 2024

Time: 3:00-4:00 PM ET

This webinar will be recorded.

Intended audience:

Collections and curatorial staff across non-anthropological disciplines
Tribal, Native Hawaiian, and institutional representatives engaged in NAGPRA compliance and consultation
Researchers, students, and community members working with or interested in issues of repatriation

Comments Requested: Assessment of Biodiversity and Climate Change

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is requesting public input on draft chapters of the Biodiversity and Climate Change Assessment. USGS was tasked by Congress in 2022 to assess the links between climate change and biodiversity in the U.S. and neighboring nations, particularly Canada and Mexico.

The assessment process is led by the USGS, in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada and Mexico's National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO). The assessment aims to evaluate the current understanding of climate change-biodiversity linkages, identify knowledge gaps, and inform related policies. The final report is expected in early 2025 and will contribute to future assessments by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

As the first milestone, USGS seeks public comments on the draft chapters for the assessment. Comments must be submitted by December 16, 2024.

Report Considers the History and Future of Science

A new analysis from the Chair of the National Science Board, Darío Gil, looks back over the past 75 years of scientific discovery and looks ahead to future actions needed to "secure the United States' S&T [science and technology] leadership for the next 75 years and beyond."

Connected Horizons: New opportunities in a changed landscape provides a timely check-in on where our nation has come from and where we are headed in terms of innovation. Gil highlights improved coordination across the federal government as a necessary change.

BSA Climate Change Symposium

The Botanical Society of America will be hosting a Virtual Symposium on Climate Change, November 14-15, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. This free event is open to the public and includes 6 featured speakers, as well as 12 contributed papers. Each day of the symposium will focus on its own thematic topics, with a networking session to foster discussion and build new connections and collaborations. Click here to register.

Short Takes

The NSF Growing Research Access for Nationally Transformative Equity and Diversity (GRANTED) initiative focuses on addressing systemic barriers within the nation's research enterprise by improving research support and service capacity. The NSF GRANTED Team will be holding their fall informational webinar on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 3:00-4:00 PM ET, where they will provide an overview of current funding opportunities, share updates on programmatic activities, offer advice for preparing competitive, GRANTED-aligned proposals, and answer audience questions. You may join via this Zoom link: https://nsf.zoomgov.com/s/1602589132 (Meeting ID: 160 258 9132; Passcode: 701083). No registration is necessary.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are seeking suggestions for experts to participate in a new study to assist the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in building a framework for addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on agricultural land. The study will provide an initial framework to guide the efforts of USDA's Farm Production and Conservation programs that directly deal with conservation on the land to respond to the impacts of PFAS contamination. Suggestions will be accepted until October 25, 2024.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is holding a public webinar on Thursday, October 24, 2024 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET to discuss a new report on continental scale biology. This NSF-commissioned report sets out a vision for the development of continental-scale biology, identifying research areas that could most benefit from a multi-scale approach, and providing recommendations for the research community, funders, and decision makers that will help establish and advance the field. Register now.

From the Federal Register

The following items appeared in the Federal Register from October 7 to 18, 2024.

Commerce

Environmental Protection Agency

Health and Human Services

Interior

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Earth Science Advisory Committee