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What’s Ahead
DOE Funding Set for House Floor Vote
The House will debate and vote on a fiscal year 2019 spending package this week that includes funding for the Department of Energy, as shown in the chart above. Currently, it proposes a $340 million, or 5 percent, increase in funding for the DOE Office of Science, much of which would go to construction projects at several major research facilities. However, an amendment proposed by Reps. Bill Foster (D-IL), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Randy Hultgren (R-IL) would raise the office’s budget by an additional $50 million. House Science Committee Chair Lamar Smith (R-TX) has introduced another amendment intended to divert additional funds to facilities construction projects, aligning their budgets with the levels recommended in the committee’s “DOE Science and Innovation Act.” A third amendment, introduced by Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), would restore funding for Congress’ defunct Office of Technology Assessment.
Senate Judiciary Committee to Examine Chinese Efforts to ‘Infiltrate and Exploit’ US Universities
Amid growing concern in Congress that China and certain other nations are aggressively seeking to acquire U.S. intellectual property and technical expertise, the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on Wednesday titled “A Thousand Talents: China’s Campaign to Infiltrate and Exploit U.S. Academia.” Among the witnesses are representatives of the Director of National Intelligence, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, and State Department. The Chinese government has operated its Thousand Talents Program since 2008 as a means of enticing both foreign researchers and Chinese researchers working in other countries to relocate to China. The program is cited as a primary target of a provision in the House’s annual defense policy bill that would permit the Defense Department to terminate funding for researchers who have participated in foreign talent acquisition programs run by China and other selected nations. (06/05/2018 Update: The name of the hearing has been changed to “Student Visa Integrity: Protecting Educational Opportunity and National Security.”)
NIST, White House Leaders to Discuss Quantum Science and Artificial Intelligence Priorities
Officials from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology will discuss federal priorities in quantum science and artificial intelligence on Tuesday during a meeting of NIST’s primary advisory committee. Among the speakers is Jake Taylor, OSTP’s lead official for quantum information science (QIS), who described his perspective on the maturity of the field in a recent interview with FYI. He stressed that “there is a tremendous amount of fundamental science still to be done” before the potential technological applications will be fully understood. He also described the administration’s efforts to increase interagency coordination of QIS R&D through the National Science and Technology Council. Congress has also shown an interest in prioritizing QIS, with the House Science Committee planning to introduce legislation this month that would launch a National Quantum Initiative.
American Astronomical Society Ramping Up Decadal Planning at Denver Meeting
The American Astronomical Society’s meeting this week in Denver, Colorado, includes many policy-relevant events as it gears up for the Astro2020 decadal survey, which will set the U.S. astronomy and astrophysics community’s research priorities for the following 10 years. In addition to the usual town halls held by NASA and the National Science Foundation, two sessions are dedicated to planning for the section of the survey focused on the “State of the Profession.” The National Academies plans to place a greater emphasis on this subject than in past surveys.
Hearings on Future of International Space Station Continue
On Wednesday, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee is holding the second in a series of hearings on the Trump administration’s proposal to transfer U.S. operations of the International Space Station to commercial entities starting in 2025. The committee has invited stakeholders from outside of NASA to testify, including a representative of the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), which was established in 2011 to manage research conducted on the space station by private companies, universities, and government agencies other than NASA. At the previous hearing, NASA’s inspector general cast doubt on the notion that commercial entities would be willing to pick up the tab for space station operations, testifying that CASIS’ efforts have thus far had “limited success in stimulating non-NASA activity.”
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In Case You Missed It
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| The first cryomodule for the Linac Coherent Light Source-II (LCLS-II) was delivered from Fermilab to SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in January. Fiscal year 2019 is the final year in which LCLS-II will receive construction funding, but Congress is now poised to ramp up funding for a high-energy upgrade to the facility that is targeted for completion in fiscal year 2026. (Image credit - Andy Freeberg / SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) |
DOE Science Boosted in Senate Spending Bill
Budgets for the Department of Energy Office of Science and Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy would both rise 6 percent to $6.6 billion and $375 million, respectively, under fiscal year 2019 spending legislation that Senate appropriators approved on May 24. Meanwhile, funding for DOE’s other research-focused offices and the National Nuclear Security Administration would remain about flat. FYI’s analysis of the bill’s provisions pertaining to the Office of Science and its six research program offices is available here.
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who chairs the DOE appropriations subcommittee, used his opening statement during the panel’s consideration of the bill to argue that Congress has demonstrated “quite a consensus on science and research” over the last three years and that the administration should place a higher priority on science:
House Science Committee Unites Behind ARPA-E
At a May 23 meeting, the House Science Committee approved a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy and expand its mandate to include nuclear waste and other new fields of research. The Trump administration has twice proposed eliminating ARPA–E, while committee Democrats introduced a reauthorization bill last year that attracted support from some House Republicans but no Republicans on the committee. At the same meeting, the committee approved another bipartisan bill authorizing the Department of Energy Office of Science, including several major construction projects, as well as a third bipartisan bill to give DOE laboratory directors authority to approve public–private partnership agreements costing less than $1 million.
NASA Backs Off Astrophysics Decadal Delay, Imposes Mission Cost Cap
On May 25, NASA Science Mission Directorate head Thomas Zurbuchen tweeted that NASA will no longer seek a delay for the start of Astro2020, the next astronomy and astrophysics decadal survey. Zurbuchen had previously argued that the National Academies should push back the decadal to accommodate delays in NASA’s queue of large astrophysics missions, namely the James Webb Space Telescope and Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope. He also said a delay would enable the study committee to engage in more “ambitious” thinking on future priorities. NASA announced May 31 it has narrowed its overall cost target for the 2020 decadal survey missions to $3 billion to $5 billion, in order to reflect “ the agency’s rebalancing of the astrophysics program within current and anticipated budget constraints.”
House Passes National Defense Authorization Act, Senate Advances Its Version
The House passed its version of the “National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019” on May 24 on a vote of 351 to 66. The bill contains provisions that reform Department of Defense space activities, transfer missile defense R&D authorities to the Missile Defense Agency, and permit the National Nuclear Security Administration to develop a low-yield nuclear warhead. It also includes a provision authorizing DOD to deny funding to researchers who have participated in talent recruitment programs operated by China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia. On the same day, the Senate Armed Services Committee completed work on its version of the NDAA. The bill text is not yet available, but, according to a summary provided by the committee, it contains provisions designed to accelerate work on strategic technologies and to bolster R&D in quantum information science and artificial intelligence.
China High-Tech Industries and Researchers Target of Impending Tariffs and Visa Restrictions
The Associated Press reported on May 29 that the Trump administration plans to shorten the duration of visas issued to Chinese citizens studying subjects such as robotics, aviation, and advanced manufacturing as retaliation for the Chinese government’s alleged theft of U.S. intellectual property. Separately, the White House announced the same day that it plans to proceed with plans to impose tariffs on Chinese products tied to the nation’s “Made in China 2025” strategic manufacturing plan and implement “specific investment restrictions and enhanced export controls for Chinese persons and entities related to the acquisition of industrially significant technology.” These new restrictions and the final list of products subject to tariffs are set to be announced later this month.
Enhanced Visa Vetting Proposal Elicits Rebuke From Scientific Societies
More than 50 scientific societies and education associations wrote to the State Department on May 24 criticizing the Trump administration’s proposal to require visa applicants to answer new questions about their social media usage, travel history, and other personal information. While acknowledging the need to screen foreign citizens for security threats, they argue that the expanded information collection would likely harm international scientific collaboration by slowing visa processing times for students and scholars and discouraging researchers from even attempting to travel to the U.S. Several AIP Member Societies are signatories of the letter.
National Academies Launches Survey of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Science
A National Academies study committee held a kickoff meeting on May 31 to begin work on a “ decadal assessment” of the status of the field of atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) science and chart future directions. The committee is co-chaired by MIT astrophysicist Nergis Mavalvala and JILA fellow Jun Ye. Its report will update a 2006 survey of AMO science released as part of the National Academies’ Physics 2010 Decadal Series.
National Academies Report Calls for More Student-Centered Approach to Graduate STEM Education
A National Academies report released a on May 29 calls for a more student-centered approach to graduate STEM education to meet the evolving needs of both students and the scientific enterprise. The report emphasizes the need for stronger faculty incentives for teaching and mentoring and recommends that federal and state funding agencies align grant award criteria to promote such changes. It also identifies core competencies that all graduate students should acquire and recommends institutions become more flexible to better address a growing and shifting landscape of STEM careers.
Defense Science Nominations Proceed to Full Senate
On May 23, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved the nominations of Charles Verdon to be deputy administrator for defense programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration and Lisa Porter to be deputy under secretary of defense for research and engineering. The nominations now await votes by the full Senate. A transcript from Porter’s and Verdon’s May 10 confirmation hearing is available here.
Science Committee Members Call for Update to Earthquake Mitigation Program
At a May 31 field hearing in California on earthquake hazard mitigation, members of the House Science Committee emphasized the importance of updating the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), an interagency program that coordinates earthquake monitoring, research, and risk mitigation efforts. A bipartisan reauthorization bill was introduced in the Senate last year, and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), who chaired the field hearing, indicated he plans to introduce a companion bill in the House shortly.
New NOAA Geostationary Satellite Has Faulty Instrument
On May 23, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the Advanced Baseline Imager, the primary imaging instrument on its newest geostationary weather satellite, is not properly cooling and that the agency is investigating potential remedies. The GOES-17 satellite, which NOAA launched in March, is scheduled to provide a constant stream of observations over the western U.S., but will have diminished capabilities in capturing infrared and near-infrared spectrum images if the instrument cannot be fixed.
NASA Launches Satellites to Measure Earth’s Gravity
On May 22, NASA successfully launched its Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-on (GRACE-FO) mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. GRACE-FO is a pair of satellites that will make highly precise measurements of the distance between them in order to map changes in the Earth’s gravitational field. These measurements allow scientists to track shifts on the Earth’s surface, such as the ice sheet movements and groundwater depletion. The mission, which has an estimated $430 million lifecycle cost, is a collaboration between NASA and the German Research Center for Geosciences. It replaces the previous GRACE mission, which operated for 15 years before terminating last November.
NASA Selects Heliophysics Mission for 2024 Launch
Last week, NASA announced it has selected the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) as its next Heliophysics mission and the fifth in the Solar Terrestrial Probes program that aims to investigate Sun-Earth interactions. The probe, which will be led by Princeton University and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, has a $492 million cost cap and is being planned for a 2024 launch. Positioned at the L1 or Lagrange point of gravitational equilibrium between the Earth and Sun, IMAP will measure cosmic rays and other particles incoming to our Solar System to help researchers better understand the heliosphere, our Sun’s magnetic field.
DOE Leaders Visit Alaska for National Lab Day
Leaders from the Department of Energy and many of its national laboratories visited the University of Alaska Fairbanks May 30-31 for “Alaska National Lab Day.” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and DOE Under Secretary for Science Paul Dabbar spoke at the event, which highlighted existing and potential partnerships between Alaskan scientists and the national labs on advancing energy innovation. Last week, Murkowski and Energy Secretary Rick Perry co-wrote an editorial on making Alaska home to the “next big idea” in energy.
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| (Image credit - Office of Sen. Lisa Murkowski) |
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Events This Week
Monday, June 4 AAS: Annual Meeting (continues through Thursday)
Sheraton Downtown Hotel (Denver, CO)
(06/05/2018 Update: The name of the hearing has been changed to “Student Visa Integrity: Protecting Educational Opportunity and National Security.”)
NOAA/NIST: Industry Day
9:00 am - 3:00 pm MDT, NIST campus (Boulder, CO)
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Opportunities NOAA Seeking Input on Satellite Observing System Architecture Study
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is accepting public comment on its recently completed study of potential architectures for its next-generation weather satellite systems that will succeed the Joint Polar Satellite System and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite System-R Series. NOAA is requesting specific feedback on the range of alternatives and opportunities it considered in its analysis and suggestions on how to engage industry and the academic and research communities on the outcomes of the study. NOAA will hold a public listening session on June 21 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Submissions are due July 2.
National Academies Seeking Nominations for NSF Earth Sciences Decadal
The National Academies is accepting nominations for individuals to serve on a committee panel conducting an upcoming decadal study titled “Catalyzing Opportunities for Research in the Earth Sciences.” The panel will develop recommendations for the National Science Foundation’s Earth Sciences Division on its investments in Earth science research, infrastructure, and training over the next decade. Nominations are due by June 20.
Science Policy & Governance Journal Seeking Communications Director
The Journal of Science Policy and Governance is accepting applications for a part-time director of communications and outreach. Position responsibilities include managing the publication’s website and social media channels, coordinating news announcements and press releases, and assisting with outreach to the media, among other duties. Graduate students and recent graduates with an interest in science and technology policy who can commit for a one-year term are encouraged to apply.
Know of an upcoming science policy opportunity? Email us at fyi@aip.org.Know of an upcoming science policy event? Email us at fyi@aip.org.
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Around the Web
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- National Science Foundation: Revised policies on developing costs and schedules could improve estimates for large facilities (GAO, report)
- Foundations play a supporting role in basic science (Physics Today)
- Simultaneous pursuit of discovery and invention in the US Department of Energy (Research Policy, paper by Anna Goldstein and Venkatesh Narayanamurti)
- Increasing the ROI from the federal labs (IP Watchdog, perspective by Joseph Allen)
- Scientists get more bang for their buck if given more freedom (Nature Index)
- The price of open science (Scientific American, perspective by Ronald Drimmel)
- Scientists should be solving problems, not struggling to access journals (The Guardian, perspective by Benjamin Kaube)
- Science needs clarity on Europe’s data-protection law (Nature, editorial)
- Science prizes add intrigue to the race for the nobel (Wall Street Journal)
- Too often, scientists skirt ethical boundaries in the race for high honors (Undark)
- Prestige drives epistemic inequality in the diffusion of scientific ideas (arXiv, paper by Allison Morgan, et al.)
- Before reproducibility must come preproducibility (Nature, perspective by Philip Stark)
- Michael Moloney settles into the top AIP job (Physics Today, interview)
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