A bilateral science and technology cooperation agreement that the U.S. and China have maintained since 1979 is set to expire on Aug. 27. While officials from China have expressed interest in an extension, the Biden administration has not commented publicly on the matter and has reportedly been debating it internally. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has generally welcomed continued scholarly exchanges between the countries, including during a visit to China in June and in a major speech last year on U.S. policy toward China, but the administration has also made technological competition with China into a key plank of its international policymaking. Some Republican lawmakers are actively arguing the agreement is no longer in the national interest, stating that China has leveraged cooperative civilian research for military purposes.

The U.S. and China originally entered the agreement as part of the countries’ opening of full diplomatic relations following decades of Cold War tension, and China eventually became the leading country of origin for students and researchers arriving in the U.S. from abroad. The two countries have extended and amended the agreement many times, most recently with a five-year extension signed during the Trump administration that added provisions concerning intellectual property rights. If the agreement expires, it would not preclude scientific exchange between the U.S. and China, but some observers have argued it would deepen the current chill hanging over scientific relations between the countries and that U.S. scientists now have much more to learn from colleagues in China than in prior eras.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s annual Electronics Resurgence Initiative Summit is starting Tuesday in Seattle. DARPA launched ERI in 2017 as a $1.5 billion, five-year effort to increase collaboration between the defense industrial base, the commercial electronics industry, and universities in the development of new microelectronics technologies that meet DOD requirements. With its first phase complete, DARPA expanded the program’s scope by launching “ERI 2.0,” which includes an emphasis on developing domestic capabilities for making 3D heterogeneously integrated microsystems. House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) will offer opening remarks at the summit. Other speakers include officials from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, who will participate in a panel on the CHIPS and Science Act. DOD is receiving $2 billion through the act outside DARPA to establish a series of regional technology hubs known as the Microelectronics Commons.

The White House released its annual R&D priorities memo last week, which will inform federal science agencies’ budget requests for fiscal year 2025. Compared to last year’s memo, the Biden administration is placing a stronger emphasis on developing “trustworthy” artificial intelligence. The new memo also includes new references to R&D connected to regional innovation, research security risk assessment, and benchmarking U.S. competitiveness in science and technology. It also encourages agencies to experiment with different mechanisms for funding research, urging them to try “new approaches such as streamlining processes to minimize administrative burdens, engaging new R&D performers, exploring new R&D methods, and forging new partnerships.” Largely unchanged from last year are priorities related to strengthening the STEM workforce, promoting equity and inclusivity in STEM, fighting climate change, and bolstering national security. Pandemic readiness, a major emphasis in last year’s memo, is now folded into broader priorities focused on improving health outcomes and national security.

Argonne National Laboratory announced last week that it has selected Sean Jones as its next deputy director for science and technology. Jones has been the head of the National Science Foundation’s Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate since 2020 and before that had been working at the agency for more than a decade. He holds a doctorate in materials science and, prior to NSF, was a researcher at Bell Labs and a professor of optical engineering at Norfolk State University. His new appointment begins Oct. 9. Jones will leave NSF on Oct. 6 and his role will be filled on an acting basis by Denise Caldwell, who currently directs NSF’s Physics Division.

The National Science Foundation opened a $100 million funding opportunity this month to support up to five new artificial intelligence research institutes, each receiving an average of $4 million per year over four or five years. The first awards, expected to be announced next year, will support up to two institutes applying AI to astronomy and will be partially funded by the Simons Foundation. NSF plans to announce additional awards in fiscal year 2025, one for an institute applying AI to materials science and at least two others for institutes focused on developing AI systems that are generalized enough to “learn and think as adeptly as humans do.” NSF currently funds 25 AI institutes across the country.

The Department of Energy’s Office of Science announced 65 institutions last week that it plans to provide with a total of $70 million through its Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) initiative. RENEW funds projects lasting three to five years that expand training opportunities for members of historically underrepresented groups. Of the selected institutions, 40 are minority-serving institutions and 39 are emerging research institutions with less than $50 million in annual federal funding. The grants build on $32 million awarded through RENEW last year, as well as the $37 million awarded earlier this month through the office’s Funding for Accelerated, Inclusive Research (FAIR) initiative, which focuses on building research capacity at institutions historically underrepresented in its portfolio. Separately last week, the National Science Foundation announced the recipients of $38 million in grants from the ExpandQISE program, which supports collaborations between existing quantum research centers and emerging research institutions that are not heavily engaged in the subject. Including these grants, NSF has supported 33 projects totaling $62 million through the program since it launched last year.

A special commission that Congress tasked with recommending reforms to the Department of Defense’s Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) management framework released a nearly 200-page interim report last week. The report identifies a number of actions that DOD can implement immediately and Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks indicated in a statement that it would do so. The report also outlines a series of “potential recommendations” on which the commission intends to gather additional feedback. Several of these revolve around making budgeting more flexible, such as in response to changes in the technology development landscape. For example, the commission is considering steps such as overhauling DOD’s budget structure to better align budgets with strategy and consolidating budget categories within DOD’s research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) accounts. It also suggests potentially reconfiguring the “colors of money” that currently establish strong distinctions between the budget accounts funding RDT&E, procurement, and operations and maintenance. The commission expects to deliver its final report in March 2024.

All times are Eastern Daylight Time, unless otherwise noted. Listings do not imply endorsement.

National Academies: “NASA Mission Critical Workforce, Infrastructure, and Technology,” meeting eight
(continues through Friday)

National Academies: “Paving the Way for Continental Scale Biology: Technology, Techniques, and Teamwork for Connecting Research Across Scales”
9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Carnegie Endowment: “Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology”
10:00 - 11:00 am

DARPA: Electronics Resurgence Initiative Summit
(continues through Thursday)

National Academies: “Elementary Particle Physics Progress and Promise,” meeting 11
10:00 am - 3:00 pm

National Academies: “Creating a Framework for Emerging Science, Technology, and Innovation in Health and Medicine,” report release webinar
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

National Academies: Pathways to Doctoral Degrees in Computing, meeting 17
12:00 - 2:00 pm

NSF: South Pole Station Master Plan Charrette Webinar - Station Overview
12:00 - 6:00 pm

National Academies: Space Weather Roundtable, meeting six
1:00 - 2:00 pm

FLC: “Meet the NIST Communication Technology Laboratory”
2:00 - 3:00 pm

NIST/NSF: Disaster Resilience Research Symposium
(continues Thursday)

CSIS: “The Department of Defense’s Newly Released Biodefense Posture Review”
10:30 - 11:30 am

NSF: South Pole Station Master Plan Charrette Webinar - Science Programs
12:00 - 6:00 pm

ANS: “Oppenheimer: Behind the Scenes with Los Alamos National Laboratory”
11:00 am - 12:30 pm

NDIA: Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference
(continues through Wednesday)

National Academies: “Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise,” meeting on workforce needs in the energy sector
10:00 - 10:30 am

National Academies: “Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise,” meeting on best practices for developing expertise in ocean acoustics
2:00 - 2:30 pm

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

The American Institute of Physics is hiring a chief research officer to implement and lead a new unit called AIP Research, which will focus on empowering positive change in the physical sciences enterprise through greater understanding of the discipline’s culture and history as well as relevant public policy. Candidates should have an advanced degree or equivalent experience in the physical sciences or engineering, history, social sciences, or public policy as well as 10 years of experience relevant to the role.

The Horizon Institute for Public Service is seeking candidates for its Horizon Fellowship, which includes a 10-week policy training program followed by a six month or one-year placement in a think tank or a congressional or executive branch office. Applications are due Sept. 15.

The American Mathematical Society is hiring an executive director, who will oversee a staff of 200 across four offices. Candidates must have a doctoral degree and substantial professional experience in mathematics or a closely related field. Applications are due Sept. 15.

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

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

E&E News: Team Biden weighed a climate emergency. Then the IRA passed
Politico: How a Republican president could hobble the climate law
White House: The economics of public investment crowding in private investment
White House: Outcomes of the US–Japan–Republic of Korea Trilateral Leaders’ Summit at Camp David
Fedscoop: Austin Bonner promoted to deputy chief technology officer for policy

Roll Call: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) eyes a short-term funding bill to head off a shutdown
E&E News: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) promises to build on climate law if Democrats win in 2024
E&E News: Former Schumer aide on the Inflation Reduction Act behind the scenes (interview with Gerry Petrella)
Inside Climate News: Behind the scenes in the Senate, this scientist never gave up on passing the IRA
Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA): Fusion caucus leaders introduce bipartisan bill to promote fusion energy development
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN): Fleischmann applauds the appointment of Stephen Streiffer as director of Oak Ridge National Lab
House Science Committee: Committee chair criticizes administration’s decision to outsource emission requirements to controversial international entity

Science: Social and institutional dimensions of science: The forgotten components of the science curriculum? (perspective by Sibel Erduran)
Scientific American: Oppenheimer reminds scientists to speak up for a better world (perspective by Dan Correa)
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: What ‘Oppenheimer’ can teach today’s scientists (perspective by Charles Ferguson)
Physics Today: Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project scientists are a rare example of weapons designers who have gone down in history (perspective by Ryan Dahn)
Scientific American: Here’s the story of the Lilli Hornig, the only female scientist named in the film Oppenheimer

Nature: Thousands of scientists are cutting back on Twitter, seeding angst and uncertainty
DOE: Notice of intent to investigate serious fall injury at Fermilab
Nature: I’m a climate scientist. Here’s how I’m handling climate grief (perspective by Kimberley Miner)

Nature: LK-99 isn’t a superconductor — how science sleuths solved the mystery
New York Times: Superconductor scientist faces investigation as a paper is retracted
NIH: Locally hosted AI technologies cannot be used in peer review
Scholarly Kitchen: Generative AI, ChatGPT, and Google Bard: Evaluating the impact and opportunities for scholarly publishing
Nature: How universities can support researchers against predatory journals (perspective by Chérifa Boukacem-Zeghmouri)
Chronicle of Higher Education: The corporate capture of academic publishing (perspective by Sarah Kember and Amy Brand)
IEEE: Letter on NIST’s draft plan for providing public access to results of federally funded research
NIH: Addressing rigor in scientific studies
Issues in Science and Technology: Innovation’s new catechism (perspective by Lisa Margonelli)
Nature: Want to speed up scientific progress? First understand how science policy works (perspective by Matt Clancy, et al.)

Science: Cyberattack shutters major NSF-funded telescopes for more than 2 weeks
AURA: Statement on Maui wildfires
Ars Technica: NASA’s buildings are even older than its graying workforce
Oak Ridge National Lab: Neutrons prove ‘Bond villain’ did not cause Arecibo telescope collapse
Lawrence Livermore National Lab: Road to the El Capitan exascale computer
DefenseScoop: Air Force Research Lab opens new ‘extreme computing’ facility amid international arms race for quantum tech
Nuclear Engineering International: Colorado State University and Marvel Fusion to build $150 million laser facility
American Nuclear Society: Natura selects Zachry Nuclear for design of Abilene Christian University’s molten salt research reactor
American Nuclear Society: Cracking the code to transition a ‘paper reactor’ to a practical reactor
American Nuclear Society: Making nuclear research reactors more secure

Wall Street Journal: Why Washington went to Wall Street to revive the US chips industry
Wall Street Journal: China torpedoes Intel’s bid to buy Israeli chip maker Tower Semiconductor
EE Times: Intel foundry grows ecosystem for DOD chips
New York Times: Start-ups and investors are taking extraordinary measures to obtain critical chips known as GPUs
DOE: DOE extends commitment to enhanced semiconductors through PowerAmerica institute renewal
Washington Post: Stanford coaches Hill staffers on the benefits of AI
CSIS: Is China a leader in quantum technologies?
Physics World: Why was so much spent on quantum computers before they even existed? (perspective by Robert Crease)

SpaceNews: Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashes into Moon after orbit maneuver
Scientific American: Can Russia’s Luna-25 Moon mission transcend Earthly politics?
Washington Post: As Russia and India attempt lunar landings, the Moon rush gets crowded
SpacePolicyOnline: State Department kicks off International Lunar Year discussions
DARPA: A framework for optimized, integrated lunar infrastructure
Washington Post: NASA spacecraft STEREO-A reunites with Earth after 17-year trip around the Sun
South China Morning Post: Latest China satellite Ludi Tance to survey one-third of Earth in high-orbit breakthrough
Space.com: NASA working to get private space stations up and running before ISS retires in 2030
New York Times: Intelligence agencies warn foreign spies are targeting US space companies
Astronomy.com: What will astronomy look like in 50 years? A panel of astronomers and planetary scientists give their predictions

NOAA: NOAA completes upgrade to weather and climate supercomputer system
NOAA: Changes to fees for access to NOAA environmental data, information, and related products and services
Brookings: Will courts allow technology to mitigate climate change? (audio)
CNN: Montana judge hands young plaintiffs significant victory in landmark climate trial
E&E News: Montana youth victory could spur momentum on other climate cases
Nature: ‘Truly historic’: How science helped kids win a landmark climate trial
Nature: Hawaii wildfires: Did scientists expect Maui to burn?
Federation of American Scientists: Six hot opportunity areas to beat the heat through federal policy
APS News: Is climate science physics? (perspective by Nadir Jeevanjee)

DOE: Significant impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act and bipartisan infrastructure law on the US energy economy and emissions reductions (report)
DOE: Energy jobs have increased in nearly every county in America
New York Times: How to make sure IRA money helps everyone (perspective by Farah Stockman)
MIT Technology Review: How a half-trillion dollars is transforming climate technology
Financial Times: Inside the $220 billion American clean-tech project boom
New York Times: The clean energy future is roiling both friends and foes
NASA: Boeing transports aircraft for conversion into NASA’s new Sustainable Flight Demonstrator
American Nuclear Society: Nuclear Regulatory Commission to issue final rule for new technology emergency preparedness
Edison Electric Institute: Board names former Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette as next president and chief executive officer

GAO: First biennial assessment of NNSA major projects (report)
Breaking Defense: Pentagon launches ‘Task Force Lima’ to study generative AI for defense
Breaking Defense: The Army wants to use AI BOMs to ‘catch up’ to China
Washington Post: Pentagon biodefense review points to Chinese, Russian threats
Bloomberg: Pentagon forms council to assess biothreats, coordinate response

GAO: HHS reserve funding for emergencies (report)
DefenseScoop: Biotech industry could face more CFIUS scrutiny
Issues in Science and Technology: ARPA-H should zero in on pandemic prevention (perspective by Jassi Pannu, et al.)
Issues in Science and Technology: ARPA-H could offer taxpayers a fairer shake (perspective by Travis Whitfill and Mariana Mazzucato)
Washington Post: Revealing the Smithsonian’s ‘racial brain collection’
Washington Post: This is how the Smithsonian will reckon with our dark inheritance (perspective by Lonnie Bunch III)
Physics World: Projectile fusion reactor could generate much-needed medical isotopes

Wall Street Journal: The US is turning away from its biggest scientific partner at a precarious time
American Nuclear Society: Focus on China for new US nuclear export controls
Washington Post: Americans are unwittingly funding China’s military expansion (perspective by Josh Rogin)
Issues in Science and Technology: Chinese academics are becoming a force for good governance (perspective by Joy Zhang, et al.)
Times Higher Education: Chinese university research audit finds little real-world impact
Politico: British firms quizzed on Chinese tech links as US-style clampdown looms
Times Higher Education: EU taste for big science excluding small nations, minister claims
Research Professional: Swiss funder launches schemes to boost research in EU countries
Science: India creates new research funding agency, but doubts linger
Nature: Australia’s Antarctic budget cuts a ‘terrible blow for science’
Science: Assault on democratic institutions and principles is an imminent threat to Israeli academia (perspective by Einat Albin, et al.)