Latest Episode of BioScience Talks: Communicating Truth
In the latest episode of BioScience Talks, we're joined by Michael Patrick Lynch, who is the author of the new book On Truth and Politics: Why Democracy Demands It, available for presale from Princeton University Press. He is also the Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and the Provost Professor of Humanities at the University of Connecticut, and he is the author of other books like Know-It-All Society and The Internet of Us.
The discussion was focused on how scientists can effectively convey truth to a variety of audiences in our current political and technological context, as well as a number of other topics that will be of interest to all scientist-communicators.
NIH Finalizes Policy on Scientific Integrity
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a final scientific integrity policy. The policy aims "to promote a culture of scientific integrity by creating an empowering environment for innovation and protecting scientists and the process of science from inappropriate interference."
The policy applies to all NIH employees, political appointees, intramural fellows and doctoral trainees, and advisory committee members. Extramural researchers are generally not covered, but are subject to a separate policy.
The final policy:
- sets a standard of using scientific information that is subject to well-established scientific processes
- aims for NIH to select and retain candidates for scientific and technical positions based on the candidate's knowledge, credentials, experience, and integrity
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prohibits political interference in scientific activities or inappropriate restrictions on the availability of scientific products
- enables NIH researchers to review the scientific content of draft public communications prior to publication or release
- allows NIH scientists to communicate their views to the media and on social media in a personal capacity, subject to ethics rules
- includes protections for whistleblowers
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establishes the roles and responsibility for NIH Chief Scientist and NIH Scientific Integrity Official
- creates a NIH Scientific Integrity Council, to be made up of career employees to oversee implementation of the policy and to review and revise the policy as needed
- offers optional training for NIH employees on scientific integrity, although some staff may be required to complete role-specific training
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standardizes of the definition for scientific integrity, which is shared across federal agencies
The White House directed federal agencies to update their scientific integrity policies in 2021. NIH had previously revised its policy for promoting scientific integrity in extramural research in 2022.
Potential Changes to NSF's Merit Review
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is considering ways to improve the merit review process. The Commission on Merit Review is charged with assessing the efficacy of the current merit review policy and processes in achieving the agency's mission.
At a recent meeting, the Commission presented preliminary recommendations. The Commission recommended modifying the review protocols to ensure full consideration of both the intellectual merits and broader impacts criteria and training for reviewers and program officers on these criteria. The agency should also identify agency-wide effective policies and mechanisms to ensure safe and inclusive research environments. NSF should also communicate to public stakeholders the factors used to balance award portfolios.
The Commission is comprised of members of the National Science Board, as well as NSF staff. They have been working for nearly two years to develop preliminary guidance, which will be presented to the National Science Board and voted upon this winter. In the meantime, public feedback and questions are welcomed via meritreviewcommission@nsf.gov.
NSF has used the same criteria in its review process since 1993. It has been more than 12 years since the last comprehensive assessment of the agency's merit review process.
White House Issues Protections for Federal Employees
Federal civil workers have additional protections from political attacks under guidance issued by the Biden Administration. The regulation makes it more difficult for career civil service employees to be fired.
The new rule comes in contrast to an executive order issued by then-President Donald Trump to create a Schedule F class of federal workers who could be fired more easily. That executive order was revoked by President Biden early in his term.
The new rule could be overturned by a future president, but the regulatory process would likely take six months to a year to complete.
USDA Enhances Protection of Wildlife Habitat
Increased coordination of wildlife corridors across public and private lands is the goal of a new directive issued by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. The directive applies to the U.S. Forest Service and other U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies.
The memorandum recognizes the needs of many wildlife species to access "vast swaths of connected habitat for their population viability and abundance." The document also acknowledges that while federal lands are important habitat for wildlife, "most of the country's wildlife reside on private lands," hence the need for better coordination.
Terrestrial wildlife habitat connectivity and corridors are to be incorporated into relevant planning processes and assessments within USDA programs. The measure also aims to improve coordination between USDA and states, tribes, and other federal agencies, including by providing technical assistance. A new Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat Connectivity and Corridors Committee will also be created.
Report on Continental-Scale Biology
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a new report that outlines a vision for development of continental-scale biology. This field combines data across organizational, spatial, and temporal scales to answer big questions about biology. The report identifies research areas that could most benefit from a multi-scale approach and provides recommendations for the research community, funding providers, and decision-makers. Read the report.
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:
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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
Register here to receive the Zoom link.
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.
Register for the webinar.
From the Federal Register
The following items appeared in the Federal Register from October 21 to November 1, 2024.
Commerce
Health and Human Services
Interior
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Science Foundation