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What’s Ahead
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| Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Mike Griffin speaks in April at the DOD Lab Day event at the Pentagon. (Image credit – U.S. Air Force / Keith Lewis) |
Griffin to Deliver Defense R&D Update at Hudson Institute
Mike Griffin, the under secretary of defense for research and engineering, will be appearing at the Hudson Institute on Tuesday for a general discussion of defense technology. During his time as the Department of Defense’s point person for science and technology, Griffin has worked to promote a culture of technological experimentation and to drive forward such cutting-edge areas as hypersonics. The event description does not indicate what specific issues he will address this week. However, at the annual Space and Missile Defense Symposium last week, he offered frank insights into his efforts to reshape the defense R&D apparatus, such as his decisions to place the $1.4 billion Strategic Capabilities Office under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and to oust its director. He also spoke about his ongoing efforts to convince Congress of the value of the new Space Development Agency, which recently experienced its own leadership shakeup. Other subjects that could come up at this week’s event include Griffin’s controversial decision to terminate the contract for the venerable JASON science advisory group and his views on the need to enhance the security of university-based research. In a recent letter to Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA), he wrote that DOD “will need Congress’ assistance in establishing the authorities needed to screen and vet all researchers participating in DOD grants, a first step in protecting taxpayer-funded research.”
Study on ‘Automated Workflows’ in Science Kicking Off
A new National Academies study committee addressing “opportunities for advanced and automated workflows in science” is holding its first meeting on Tuesday. The only portion of the meeting open to the public is a presentation by representatives from the study’s sponsor, Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic foundation founded by former Google CEO and executive chairman Eric Schmidt. The foundation seeks to find new ways to propel science and innovation, including through pathbreaking applications of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science. The new study is chaired by Daniel Atkins, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Michigan. He is an expert on cyber-enabled research collaborations and served as the first director of the National Science Foundation’s Office of Cyberinfrastructure.
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In Case You Missed It
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| An ion trap of a quantum computer. (Image credit – Joint Quantum Institute / S. Debnath and E. Edwards) |
NSF Issues Quantum Institute Planning Grants
As it gears up to fund the new quantum research institutes called for in the National Quantum Initiative Act, the National Science Foundation recently awarded “conceptualization grants” to more than a dozen research groups to support planning for institute proposals. Each group will receive up to $150,000 for one year to flesh out ideas for institutes focused on quantum networking, computing, simulation, and sensing. Through subsequent proposal rounds, NSF anticipates funding several “challenge institutes” at a level of up to $5 million per year for five years, though applicants do not need to receive a conceptualization grant to submit an institute proposal. The lead universities for the conceptualization grants currently indexed in NSF’s award database are: Boston University, University of Nevada Las Vegas, William Marsh Rice University, Colorado School of Mines, Johns Hopkins University, Washington University in St. Louis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Arizona State University, Brigham Young University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Brown University, University of Tennessee Knoxville, University at Buffalo, Stony Brook University, Georgia Tech, University of New Mexico, University of Florida, and the University of Washington.
Grassley Extends Probe to Conflict-of-Interest Policies
Continuing his ongoing inquiry into the exploitation of U.S.-funded research by foreign governments, Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) asked the Government Accountability Office on Aug. 6 to review conflict-of-interest policies at federal science agencies and grantee institutions. The request seeks information on how consistently such policies are implemented and whether they require “disclosure of all foreign affiliations.” He also asks GAO to survey opportunities for strengthening conflict-of-interest policies, such as by changing grant forms to “place more responsibility for financial disclosures on principal investigators.” Based on concerns about potential conflicts of interest and conflicts of “commitment,” agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation have recently moved to “clarify” their policies surrounding disclosure of support from outside groups and are developing new forms to aid such reporting. In explaining the moves, NIH officials have said they have uncovered “egregious” instances of scientists failing to report foreign financial support that entails substantial commitments of the scientists’ time.
University Groups Push Back on Proposed Security, Disclosure Plans
A collection of higher education institutions have registered their concern over proposed changes to security standards for non-federal institutions that handle Controlled Unclassified Information. The updates, comprising cyberdefense, personnel screening, and training measures, are designed to increase protection of “high value assets” from sophisticated adversaries. In a joint comment on the draft standards, the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) and several other university associations argue the document provides “very little guidance” on circumstances in which federal agencies should require the enhanced security measures and could lead universities to incur unreasonable compliance costs. The associations also state this lack of clarity could result in agencies unduly subjecting fundamental research to new controls. Separately, COGR submitted a comment late last month raising concerns about the National Science Foundation’s proposed updates to a policy requiring grantees to disclose all current and pending sources of support. While NSF has characterized the change as a clarification of longstanding policy, COGR asserts it represents a “significant departure from current accepted practice” because it encompasses contributions of in-kind support and activities performed by principal investigators outside the scope of their primary institutional appointment. Collecting data on such activities, COGR states, could represent a substantial administrative burden.
IPCC: Land Management Central to Climate Change Responses
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a special report last week examining options for mitigating the impacts of climate change on land systems and the role of land management in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The report estimates that while agriculture, forestry, and other land uses accounted for about 23% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions between 2007 and 2016, natural land processes are also a large sink for carbon dioxide, absorbing the equivalent of 30% of all emissions over that same period. Accordingly, the report finds that land management can play an important role in helping to reach the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global mean temperature increase to 1.5°C. Jim Skea, co-chair of the IPCC working group on climate change mitigation, emphasized that reaching this target will require removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, with the land system being a “critical” contributor. The IPCC is slated to release another special report in September on oceans and the cryosphere in the run up to the next major UN climate change conference in December.
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Events This Week Monday, August 12
No events today.
Tuesday, August 13
Wednesday, August 14
Thursday, August 15
Friday, August 16
Tuesday, August 20
Wednesday, August 21
Friday, August 23
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Opportunities AIP Seeking Nominations for Physics Leadership Award
The American Institute of Physics is accepting nominations for the Karl T. Compton Medal, an award which recognizes distinguished physicists for outstanding statesmanship in science. Examples include leadership in policy development in support of science, advancing the public understanding of science, inspirational teaching and mentoring, promoting peace and seeking solutions to world problems, and efforts to increase diversity in the physical sciences. Nominations are due Sept. 13.
APS Hiring Science Policy Intern
The American Physical Society is seeking a science policy intern to work for up to six months at its Office of Government Affairs in Washington, D.C. The intern will support the office’s staff on a variety of projects, such as federal science budget tracking, science infrastructure initiatives, and helium recycling legislation. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and graduate students are encouraged to apply.
New Jersey S&T Commission Seeking Director
The New Jersey Economic Development Agency is hiring an executive director for its Commission on Science, Innovation, and Technology. The director will be responsible for stimulating collaboration between universities and companies, overseeing innovation partnership grants, and engaging with venture capital fund managers, among other duties. Candidates should have an advanced degree in a science- or policy-related field and 15+ years of experience.
For additional opportunities, please visit www.aip.org/fyi/opportunities. Know of an opportunity for scientists to engage in science policy? Email us at fyi@aip.org.Know of an upcoming science policy event either inside or outside the Beltway? Email us at fyi@aip.org.
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Around the Web
News and views currently in circulation. Links do not imply endorsement.
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- USDA science agencies’ relocation may have violated law, inspector general report says (Washington Post)
- ‘Ruthless’: How it feels when the Trump administration guts your agency (Talking Points Memo)
- It’s not a terrible idea to move a few federal agencies to offices in the heartland (Bloomberg, perspective by Justin Fox)
- Why foreign STEM PhDs are unlikely to work for US technology startups (PNAS, paper by Michael Roach and John Skrentny)
- America clamps down on visas while China urges students to stay away (Nikkei Asian Review)
- Big chill with China takes its toll on flow of money, people, and ideas (NPR)
- Former LANL physicist, busted for Chinese connection, set for trial in 2020 (Exchange Monitor)
- Why we need to keep talking about equality in physics (Physics World, perspective by Jess Wade and Maryam Zaringhalam)
- Lancet Group adopts no all-male panel policy (Lancet, editorial)
- Career transitions from physics to data science (Nature, audio)
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