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Particle Physicists to Present Strategy for Next Decade

The High Energy Physics Advisory Panel is meeting on Thursday and Friday to review and vote on the report from the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5), culminating a two-year process to develop a strategy for U.S. particle physics research over the next decade. The report will propose a budget-constrained research agenda for the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation that advances the scientific priorities identified by last summer’s “Snowmass” community study, which distilled contributions from thousands of scientists into a set of consensus recommendations. The P5 report will complement HEPAP’s recent “benchmarking” study and a forthcoming National Academies survey of elementary particle physics. The last P5 report was published in 2014.

Bill to Expand Foreign Funding Disclosures up for House Vote

The House plans to vote this week on legislation that would introduce stricter reporting standards for academics and institutions that receive foreign funding. The Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act would lower the current reporting threshold for institutions from $250,000 to $50,000 for gifts from most countries, with a $0 threshold for “countries of concern,” such as China and Iran. Individual academics working at institutions that receive more than $50 million annually in federal R&D funds would be required to report any gifts they receive from foreign entities and any contracts worth $5,000 or more, with the threshold decreasing to $0 for countries of concern. The bill was passed with amendments by the House Education and Workforce Committee on Nov. 8 by a vote of 27-11. Committee Democrats mostly voted against passing the bill or did not vote, except for three who voted in favor: Reps. Susan Wild (D-PA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), and Kathy Manning (D-NC). Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) has argued the bill would have a chilling effect on international research collaboration and has offered an alternative proposal for tightening disclosures.

Congress Searches for Compromise on Annual Defense Bill

The House and Senate are seeking to reach a compromise as early as this week on the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which updates policy across the Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration. Congress has passed the legislation for 62 consecutive years and it is also often used as a vehicle to enact priority policy measures for agencies outside the typical scope of the NDAA. This year, the legislation has been bogged down in part by provisions in the House’s version of the bill that would restrict DOD workforce diversity initiatives. The Senate’s version also includes some restrictions on diversity programs but they are less far-reaching and the bill passed the chamber with bipartisan support. There are also many disputes over lower-profile provisions that must be resolved, including a proposal by the House to greatly expand disclosure requirements for researchers funded by DOD. The White House has stated it “strongly opposes” the proposal.

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US Rolls out Climate Change Mitigation Initiatives at COP28

With COP28, the annual UN Climate Change Conference, underway in Dubai, the Biden administration has announced a variety of new monitoring and mitigation initiatives. On Monday, NASA unveiled the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center, an interagency hub for greenhouse gas datasets and analysis tools. Built in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Institute of Standards and Technology, it will host a curated catalog of satellite, airborne, and ground-based observations and provide estimates of emissions from human activities, natural sources, and large methane events. The center is a cornerstone of the national greenhouse gas monitoring system outlined in a report released by the administration last week. The report recommends a phased strategy for integrating various monitoring activities to ensure “comprehensive, granular, and timely data,” beginning with a variety of sector-specific demonstration projects and two urban-scale prototype monitoring systems covering the Washington, D.C., and Indianapolis, Indiana, regions.

Separately, the EPA issued a final rule last week that places new regulations on methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry, which it estimates will reduce methane emissions by nearly 80%. The administration also outlined an international strategy for fusion energy development, calling for new multilateral R&D partnerships, the development of global fusion supply chains, and coordination of fusion regulatory frameworks.

NASA Announces New Heliophysics Director

NASA announced last week that Joseph Westlake will be the new director of its Heliophysics Division starting Jan. 16. Westlake takes the helm from Deputy Director Peg Luce, who has been running the division since NASA promoted Nicky Fox to lead the Science Mission Directorate in February. Westlake comes to the role after 12 years at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, where he most recently worked on the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe mission and served as the principal investigator for the Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding that will be included on the Europa Clipper spacecraft. He holds a doctorate in physics from the University of Texas.

Dragonfly Delayed Due to Budget Uncertainty

NASA is delaying its Dragonfly mission by one year due to anticipated shortfalls in the agency’s fiscal year 2024 budget. The delay came as the mission received approval to move to its final design and fabrication stage, but NASA also postponed the final confirmation of the mission to mid-2024. This is not the first time the mission has been pushed back, with a previous delay in 2020 also ascribed to budget limitations. Dragonfly is now set to launch in July 2028 for Saturn’s moon Titan, where it will aerially explore the densely clouded moon. Dragonfly is part of the New Frontiers program, which is the most expensive class of planetary science mission that NASA opens to a competitive mission-selection process. NASA originally planned to solicit proposals for the program’s next mission by the end of this year, but in August the agency pushed back that move to at least 2026, again citing budgetary constraints. Speaking about the Dragonfly delay, Planetary Science Division Director Lori Glaze said the division’s highest immediate priority is ensuring that the flagship Europa Clipper mission meets its launch window next fall.

Quantum and Commercial Space Bills Advance in House

Last week, the House Science Committee passed the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act on a unanimous vote and the Commercial Space Act on a vote of 21-17. The committee adopted 19 amendments to the quantum bill on voice votes, including provisions directing federal agencies to consider how AI and machine learning could be used in quantum science, prioritizing quantum R&D in the healthcare space, and directing the National Science and Technology Council to compare federal initiatives and research strategies with those made by other nations. The Commercial Space Act aims to streamline the process for regulating commercial space activities, but differs significantly from the regulatory framework recently proposed by the White House. Committee Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) stated that Democrats have some concerns about the bill but pledged to work with Republicans as it proceeds. The committee adopted six amendments to the bill on voice votes, including provisions requiring a study on the viability of space-based solar power technology and directing NASA and the Department of Commerce to consider establishing an educational institute to support research on space resources.

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All times are Eastern Daylight Time, unless otherwise noted. Listings do not imply endorsement. Events beyond this week are listed on our website.

Monday, December 4

LPI: International Orbital Debris Conference
(continues through Thursday)

National Academies: “Equitable and Effective Teaching in Undergraduate STEM Education A Framework for Institutions, Educators, and Disciplines,” meeting five
(continues through Wednesday)

NOAA: U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory Committee meeting
(continues Tuesday)

National Academies: “On Leading a Lab: Strengthening Scientific Leadership in Responsible Research”
(continues Tuesday)

CSIS: “Incentivizing Innovation for National Security,” with Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC)
9:00 - 11:00 am

National Academies: “NASA Mission Critical Workforce, Infrastructure, and Technology,” meeting
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

National Academies: “Review of Progress Toward Implementing the Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space,” meeting three
11:00 am - 2:30 pm

USGS: National Geospatial Advisory Committee meeting
11:00 am - 5:00 pm

National Academies: “The Current Status and Future Direction of High Magnetic Field Science in the United States, Phase II,” meeting
1:00 - 2:00 pm

Tuesday, December 5

NNSA: Nuclear Security Advisory Committee meeting
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

CSIS: Project on Nuclear Issues Fall Conference
9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Senate: “Oversight of the FBI”
10:00 am, Judiciary Committee

House: “America’s Future: Leading a New Era of Energy Dominance, Security, and Environmental Stewardship”
10:00 am, Energy and Commerce Committee

House: “Oversight of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration”
10:30 am, Energy and Commerce Committee

National Academies: “Global Microelectronics Models for the Department of Defense in Semiconductor Public-Private Partnerships,” meeting
12:00 - 1:00 pm

Columbia University: “AI and the Oil and Gas Sector”
12:00 - 1:00 pm

Wednesday, December 6

NRC: Reactor Safeguards Advisory Committee meeting
(continues through Friday)

NASA: National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board meeting
(continues Thursday)

NSF: Computer and Information Science and Engineering Advisory Committee meeting
(continues Thursday)

CSIS: “Semiconductor Industry in the U.S. and Europe: Case for Chips Acts 2.0?”
10:00 - 11:00 am

National Academies: “Review of the SBIR and STTR Programs at the Department of Defense,” meeting
12:00 - 5:00 pm

EPA: White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council meeting
2:00 - 7:45 pm

House: “Back to the Future: Using Military Advancements of the Past to Guide DOD’s Technological Advancements in the Future”
2:00 pm, Armed Services Committee

House: “White House Policy on AI”
2:00 pm, Oversight Committee

National Academies: “The Current Status and Future Direction of High Magnetic Field Science in the United States, Phase II,” meeting
2:00 - 3:00 pm

CSIS: “A Conversation with Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) on U.S. Intellectual Property Leadership”
4:00 - 4:45 pm

Thursday, December 7

DOE: High Energy Physics Advisory Panel meeting
(continues Friday)

National Academies: “Data and Metrics for the DOD SBIR and STTR Programs: A Workshop”
(continues Friday)

National Academies: “International Talent Programs in the Changing Global Environment,” meeting eight
(continues Friday)

Semafor: “Finding Common Ground on AI: A Bicoastal Exchange”
12:00 - 2:30 pm

National Academies: “Capacity Building Through Investment in International Science and Technology Entrepreneurship”
1:00 - 2:00 pm

National Academies: “PreK-12 STEM Education Innovations,” meeting two
1:00 - 4:45 pm

Issues in S&T: “Can We Build a Quantum Workforce Fast Enough to Avoid a ‘Quantum Winter’?”
2:30 - 3:30 pm

CSET: Discussion on export controls with Under Secretary of Commerce Alan Estevez
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Friday, December 8

House: “Connecting Communities: Building Innovation Ecosystems Across America”
9:00 am, Financial Services Committee

Hoover Institution: “Industrial Policy Uncertainty in China”
9:00 am

National Academies: “Development of a Plan to Promote Defense Research at HBCUs, TCUs, and HSIs,” meeting
12:00 - 1:00 pm

National Academies: “Developing a Strategy to Evaluate the 5th National Climate Assessment Orientation with US Global Change Research Program”
2:00 - 3:00 pm

Monday, December 11

AGU: Fall meeting
(continues through Friday)

National Academies: “Lighting the Spark for Pathways to Greatness for Black People in Science, Engineering, and Medicine: A Workshop”
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

CSIS: “5G/6G Technology and the Future of Global Security,” with Sen. John Thune (R-SD)
12:00 - 1:00 pm

DOE: 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board meeting
12:00 - 1:30 pm

Know of an upcoming science policy event either inside or outside the Beltway? Email us at fyi@aip.org.

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Deadlines indicated in parentheses.

We’re Hiring!

FYI is accepting applications for our new science policy internship. This part-time internship will run in the spring of 2024 for 14 weeks and is open to current undergraduate and graduate students. FYI interns are provided a stipend and gain hands-on experience reporting on federal policy developments. Interns must reside in the Washington, D.C. area during the internship.

Job Openings

NASA: Associate director for flight programs, Earth Science Division (Dec. 6)
Science|Business: EU news reporter (Dec. 8)
NOAA: Climate Prediction Center deputy director (Dec. 11)
CRS: Research librarian for natural resources, energy, and Earth science (Dec. 28)
AAAS: Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship (Jan. 1)
NSF: Chemistry Division director (Jan. 3)
Optica: Congressional fellowship (Jan. 5)
SPS: Science policy internship (Jan. 15)
NSPN: National Science Policy Network executive director (ongoing)
UCS: Senior outreach coordinator for Global Security Program (ongoing)

Solicitations

OSTP: RFI on developing a federal environmental justice science, data, and research plan (Dec. 12)
NIST: RFI on the National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology (Dec. 22)
OSTP: RFI on the draft National Plan for Civil Earth Observations (Dec. 31)
NSF: RFI on NSF’s public access plan (Jan. 2)
DOE: Request for comments on proposed interpretive guidance on “foreign entity of concern” definition (Jan. 3)
USGCRP: Request for nominations for authors and scientific/technical Inputs for the First National Nature Assessment (Jan. 4
NSF: RFI on technologies to enable observations in remote-extreme environments (Jan. 8)
DOE: RFI regarding challenges and opportunities at the interface of wind turbines and radar technology (Jan. 12)

Know of an opportunity for scientists to engage in science policy? Email us at fyi@aip.org.

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News and views currently in circulation. Links do not imply endorsement.

White House

White House: Biden to nominate Kris Sarri to be assistant secretary of state for oceans and international environmental and scientific affairs
The Messenger: NIST: The overworked, underfunded agency at the center of Biden’s sweeping AI plan
NSTC: Building computational literacy through STEM education: A guide for federal agencies and stakeholders (report)
White House: Marking the two-year anniversary of the report on the impact of climate change on migration

Congress

House Committee on the CCP: Committee requests investigation of all PRC LiDAR technology companies
House Committee on the CCP: Chair Mike Gallagher (R-WI) calls for investment restrictions amidst the CCP’s military amd tech build-up
E&E Daily: DOE watchdog wants more money from Congress
House Oversight Committee: Anthony Fauci to appear for transcribed interview and public hearing
Politico: Key Congress staffers in AI debate are funded by tech giants like Google and Microsoft

Science, Society, and the Economy

New York Times: Popular Science shuts online magazine in another sign of decline
NSF: State government agencies’ expenditures for R&D totaled $2.6 billion in FY22, an increase of 5% from FY21
Nature: How the ‘right to science’ can help us overcome the many crises we face today (editorial)

Education and Workforce

Scientific American: A brain drain from NASA’s JPL could pose problems for the space agency’s ambitious science plans
Nature: Huge survey finds $10,000 pay gap for disabled scientists
Physics World: The cost of excellence: Top scientists on the brutality of the academic system
Physics Today: Expand STEM education for older adults (perspective by Sandra von Doetinchem, et al.)
CSET: The global distribution of STEM graduates: Which countries lead the way?
New York Times: Can US-China student exchanges survive geopolitics?

Research Management

GAO: Small business research programs: Information regarding subaward use and data quality (report)
STM: Updated joint statement on research data
Science: Spain wants to change how it evaluates scientists and end the ‘dictatorship of papers’
Nature: Why is China’s high-quality research footprint becoming more introverted?
Research Professional: Research offices of the future (report)

Labs and Facilities

Physics Today: Targeted small-scale experiments look to find smoking guns — or at least to rule out possibilities
Scientific American: Astronomy is facing an end to the era of monster telescopes (perspective by Phil Plait)
Optics.org: Texas compact accelerator achieves ‘major energy milestone’
DOE OIG: Allegation regarding computing facilities maintenance and calibration at Oak Ridge National Lab
DOE: Lessons learned from assessments of safety system management at DOE nuclear facilities (report)
Physics World: Ireland set to join the CERN particle-physics lab

Computing and Communications

Nature: Seven scientists reveal what they have learnt about how ChatGPT should — and shouldn’t — be used (perspectives)
Financial Times: Google DeepMind researchers use AI tool to find 2mn new materials
New York Times: Who’s who behind the dawn of the modern AI movement
Wired: Sam Altman officially returns to OpenAI with a new board seat for Microsoft
Lawfare: The chaos at OpenAI is a death knell for AI self-regulation (perspective by Eugenia Lostri, et al.)
CSET: Examining US government grant activity in AI (report)
USPTO: USPTO announces Semiconductor Technology Pilot Program
Financial Times: How Huawei surprised the US with a cutting-edge chip made in China

Space

Physics Today: NASA’s worldwide antenna array is bursting at the seams as new missions head into space
SpaceNews: Hubble glitch renews talk about private servicing mission
SpaceNews: NASA updating policy for rideshare missions
SpacePolicyOnline: GAO: 2025 unlikely for first Artemis lunar landing, maybe 2027
NASA: NASA conducts annual Moon to Mars Architecture Concept Review
Physics Today: Despite a lack of public enthusiasm, NASA’s Artemis program will endure because human spaceflight has strong congressional support and signals great-power status (perspective by Nichael Neufeld)
Reuters: NASA to train Indian astronaut for ISS voyage in deepening space ties
SpaceNews: Industry group opposes White House mission authorization proposal
Space.com: China’s Chang’e 5 moon samples, beyond NASA’s reach for years, are finally available to US scientists
Science: Researchers seek protection for pristine areas on Moon’s far side and polar regions

Weather, Climate, and Environment

Wall Street Journal: Clash over climate tipping points and fossil fuels’ future at COP28
Bloomberg: COP28: Landmark climate damage fund deal marks first win
E&E News: Republicans bash Biden methane rule, COP28 funding promise
New York Times: Documents show plan for leader of COP28 climate talks to promote fossil fuels
Financial Times: ‘It looks like we’ve lost control’ of our ice sheets
GAO: S&T spotlight on ocean warming (report)
Science: Climate crisis sparks effort to coax oceans to suck up carbon dioxide
Nature: How effective are climate protests at swaying policy - and what could make a difference? (perspective by Dana Fisher, et al.)
Wall Street Journal: What is the future for carbon capture technology?

Energy

DOE: Proposed interpretive guidance on ‘foreign entity of concern’ released for public comment
DOE OIG: Semiannual report to Congress
E&E Daily: Bipartisan nuclear legislation falls out of defense bill
American Nuclear Society: Still in need of HALEU, DOE issues RFP for post-enrichment services
Nature: A new kind of solar cell is coming: Is it the future of green energy?
New York Times: Hydrogen buried deep underground could be a vast source of clean energy
Inside Climate News: Battery prices are falling again, and that’s a good thing
NPR: Companies say they’re closing in on nuclear fusion as an energy source

Defense

NNSA: 2024 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan delivered to Congress
NNSA: NNSA demonstrates transparency during arms control and nonproliferation experts’ visit to Nevada
Arms Control Association: Managing an arsenal without nuclear testing (interview with Jill Hruby)
GAO: High-risk radioactive material: Opportunities exist to improve the security of sources no longer in use (report)
Breaking Defense: New Navy office to dismantle nuclear carriers has ‘a century’ of work ahead: Admiral
Defense News: Pentagon approves first Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve projects
SpaceNews: Defense Innovation Unit solicits new round of proposals for space network project
Defense News: US, Australia eye joint hypersonics experiments in 2024
SpaceNews: US, UK, Australia sign agreement to jointly operate deep space radar network
State Department: AUKUS: A commitment to the future (remarks by Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins)

Biomedical

Science: Proposed changes to rules for policing fraud in US-funded biomedical research draw a mixed response
Science: NIH puts hold on $30 million trial of potential stroke drug
GAO: National biosurveillance integration center has taken steps to address challenges, but could better assess results (report)
Research Professional: UK Biobank releases world’s ‘largest set of sequencing data’

International Affairs

Nature: The US and China are splintering global science in two (editorial)
Breaking Defense: Raimondo calls for beefing up tech export controls to counter China
New York Times: US debates how much to sever electric car industry’s ties to China
Nature: China and California are leading the way on climate cooperation. Others should follow (perspective by Fan Dai)
Nature: ‘My collaborations would see me jailed’: Australian researchers fear proposed new laws
Science|Business: Canadian universities, agencies gear up for Horizon Europe membership
Science|Business: Canada association raises questions over who controls Horizon Europe
Science|Business: Spanish presidency proposes cuts to Horizon Europe
Science|Business: Over €75B of post-COVID recovery funds will go to European Research Area objectives
Science: Shock election win by the far right worries academics in the Netherlands