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What’s Ahead
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| Image credit – Architect of the Capitol |
Congress on Recess Ahead of Summer Legislative Season
Lawmakers are away from Washington, D.C., this week for the Memorial Day recess. When they return, a high priority will be the ongoing conference to reconcile the House’s America COMPETES Act of 2022 with the Senate’s U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. While the conferees still need to reach bipartisan compromises on a host of contentious issues, it is expected any finalized package will enact some of the most significant science policy developments so far this century, including the direct appropriation of tens of billions of dollars for semiconductor production and R&D. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said earlier this month that she hopes work on the bill will finish by July 4 and congressional leaders have set a notional goal of finalizing the text by June 21, but it is entirely possible negotiations will continue into late summer or fall. Meanwhile, there have been discussions among senators about passing an energy-focused partisan funding package using Congress’ budget reconciliation process — or perhaps crafting a bipartisan bill. However, no concrete proposals have emerged.
Aside from such marquee initiatives, congressional committees are set to craft much of the year’s “must-pass” legislation in the coming month. Next week, the House Armed Services Committee is holding subcommittee meetings on its version of the National Defense Authorization Act, Congress’ annual defense policy update, which usually includes numerous science and technology policy provisions. The full committee aims to finish its work on the bill on June 22 or 23. The Senate Armed Services Committee is planning to hold its counterpart subcommittee meetings on June 13 and 14 and to move the bill through the full committee later that week. As to the legislation that will fund the federal government for fiscal year 2023, in April House appropriators were tentatively planning to move their proposals through committee by the end of June. Without floating a specific schedule, retiring Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has said he would like to complete the entire process by the end of the calendar year to give lawmakers a clean budgetary slate following the November election. However, early hopes that Democrats and Republicans would agree on overarching federal spending levels this spring were not realized, and any budget proposals that advance ahead of a deal will be subject to significant revision, as the fiscal year 2022 budget cycle amply demonstrated.
New Report to Propose Strategy for Low-Dose Radiation Research
The National Academies is releasing a study on Friday recommending ways for federal agencies to revitalize their research on the biological effects of low doses of ionizing radiation. The study chair, Oregon Health and Science University professor Joe Gray, and other members of the study panel will hold an online briefing to discuss their conclusions. The subject is contentious, in part because low-dose radiation research could have implications for radiation safety standards, which have long relied on a “linear no-threshold” model that presumes there is no lower bound of exposure at which health risks disappear. However, after decades of work, definitive answers to such questions have proven elusive, and the Department of Energy discontinued its low-dose research program in 2016. Congress has since directed DOE to resume work through multiple laws and funding appropriations, but the department has remained hesitant to commit to reestablishing a program, observing that its biology portfolio now prioritizes subjects such as bioenergy and environmental processes. At the same time, the House Science Committee has been especially insistent that DOE abide by congressional direction. The new Academies report could help forge consensus around a path forward and encourage appropriators to allocate more funding for these research efforts.
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In Case You Missed It
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| Image credit – Carlos Jones / ORNL |
Oak Ridge’s Frontier Computer Inaugurates Exascale Era
A group of scientists who benchmark supercomputer performance announced on Monday that they had clocked the new Frontier machine at Oak Ridge National Lab at a processing speed of 1.1 exaflops, which is more than a quintillion calculations per second. It is the first time a machine operating at exascale speeds has been on the scientists’ “Top500” list, which is widely recognized as a definitive ranking of the world’s fastest computers. However, two Chinese computers called Oceanlight and Tianhe-3 are believed to have already achieved the feat without subjecting their performance to independent validation. Frontier’s milestone marks the culmination of a more than $2 billion project launched by the Department of Energy in 2016 that is also building exascale machines at Argonne and Lawrence Livermore National Labs. Frontier has a theoretical peak performance of two exaflops, and Oak Ridge expects it to commence full science operations at the beginning of 2023. Once available for user access, the machine will serve a wide variety of applications in fields such as materials science, technology R&D, astrophysics, molecular biology, and climate and environmental systems science.
DOE Plans ‘At Least’ One Fusion Pilot Plant in Next 10 Years
At a meeting last week of the Department of Energy’s Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee, DOE officials offered details on the Biden administration’s push to accelerate the advent of commercial fusion power reactors. DOE Lead Fusion Coordinator Scott Hsu announced that starting in the next budget cycle the administration will seek resources necessary to “realize at least one fusion pilot plant on a decadal timescale,” with private companies leading plant development. Hsu noted this represents an acceleration of the strategy presented in a 2021 National Academies report on fusion energy, which recommended DOE and the private sector aim to produce net electricity from a single pilot plant sometime between 2035 and 2040. Hsu also said DOE intends to support the “highest priorities” of the long-range plan published last year by FESAC, mentioning as an example a Fusion Prototypic Neutron Source that would provide a capability for subjecting candidate reactor materials to realistic neutron fluxes. A centerpiece of DOE’s effort will be a newly created program that will reimburse fusion companies for achieving specific technical milestones. Congress provided an initial appropriation of up to $45 million for the program for the current fiscal year, though FES head Jim Van Dam reported at the meeting that DOE only plans to allocate $25 million due to limited budget availability.
Workforce Diversity Program Launches Within DOE Office of Science
The Department of Energy announced last week it plans to spend $40 million on the first round of grants from a new program called Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW), which aims to expand training opportunities for members of historically underrepresented groups. Eligible participants include undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty members at academic institutions “currently underrepresented in the U.S. science and technology ecosystem,” as well as students from “communities with environmental justice impacts.” The Office of Science has issued six separate funding opportunities under the initiative focused respectively on fusion, quantum computing, isotope science, environmental science, clean energy research, and high energy physics. Of the total budget, $22 million will come from the fiscal year 2022 budget and the remainder is contingent on future appropriations. The Biden administration first proposed RENEW as part of its fiscal year 2022 budget request and is seeking $60 million for the program in 2023.
US Ramps Up Science and Technology Diplomacy
The U.S. has announced a series of science and technology cooperation initiatives over the past month in coordination with the latest meeting of the US-EU Trade and Technology Council and a summit of the “Quad” countries, comprising the U.S., India, Japan, and Australia. With an eye on building ties among democratic countries as a counterweight to the growing influence of China, the partnerships have focused on issues such as export controls, emerging technology standards development, and supply chain security for critical technologies and materials, as well as climate and global health. For instance, the Quad countries committed to launch an investors network to raise capital for critical and emerging technologies, strengthen “horizon scanning cooperation” in areas such as biotechnology and quantum technology, and increase sharing of Earth observation data through a satellite data portal. And in a 48-page statement, the US-EU Trade and Technology Council outlined commitments to avoid “subsidy races” in the semiconductor sector, develop a joint roadmap for “trustworthy” artificial intelligence, and increase coordination on standards development for technologies ranging from additive manufacturing and materials recycling to megawatt charging systems. The U.S. has also recently broadened its bilateral science and technology partnerships, announcing new initiatives with Japan, India, and South Korea in conjunction with President Biden’s visit to the region.
Blinken Addresses Tensions in US–China Technology Ties
In a major speech last week on the Biden administration’s stance toward China, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken outlined initiatives underway to shore up U.S. competitiveness in “technologies of the future,” such as the semiconductor sector subsides pending in Congress and new security measures. He said these include “stronger export controls to make sure our critical innovations don’t end up in the wrong hands; greater protections for academic research, to create an open, secure, and supportive environment for science; better cyber defenses; stronger security for sensitive data; and sharper investment screening measures to defend companies and countries against Beijing’s efforts to gain access to sensitive technologies, data, or critical infrastructure; compromise our supply chains; or dominate key strategic sectors.” At the same time, he welcomed continued academic exchange between the U.S. and China, saying, “We’re lucky when the best global talent not only studies here but stays here — as more than 80% of Chinese students who pursue science and technology PhDs in the United States have done in recent years. … We can stay vigilant about our national security without closing our doors.”
US Sketches Out Plans for AI Research Cyberinfrastructure
The White House released a report last week with preliminary recommendations for creating a shared cyberinfrastructure for research on artificial intelligence, referred to as a National AI Research Resource. The report states the resource’s overarching objective is to “strengthen and democratize the U.S. AI innovation ecosystem in a way that protects privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.” It also outlines potential governance models, ranging from an interagency coordination office to a university-administered approach, while deferring implementation details to a follow-on roadmap. The report was mandated by the National AI Initiative Act of 2020 and written by a 12-member taskforce of experts from the public and private sector. The White House is currently soliciting comments on the report and is hosting a public listening session on June 23.
EPA Research Office Gains First Confirmed Head Since 2012
The Senate confirmed Chris Frey to lead the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development by a vote of 51 to 43 on May 25. Frey has been serving in the office as deputy assistant administrator for science policy since the beginning of the Biden administration and will be the office’s first Senate-confirmed head since the departure of Yale University chemist Paul Anastas near the end of President Obama’s first term. The Senate repeatedly declined to vote on Obama’s nominee to replace Anastas, and President Trump did not name a nominee at all. Prior to joining EPA, Frey was a professor at North Carolina State University, where he specialized in human exposure to air pollution and environmental assessments of technologies. The Senate was also set last week to use its unanimous consent procedure to confirm Jainey Bavishi as deputy head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) blocked the move in protest of a NOAA rule intended to protect endangered right whales that places restrictions on the lobster industry.
Planetary Decadal Chairs Field Queries From Science Committee
The co-chairs of the new National Academies decadal survey for planetary science, Robin Canup and Philip Christensen, appeared before the House Science Committee last week to discuss the survey’s recommendations. Committee members generally spoke positively of NASA’s activities in planetary science, though leaders from both parties questioned whether its efforts to detect and mitigate threats from near-Earth objects (NEOs) have enough support. NASA is proposing to push back its NEO Surveyor space telescope due to budgetary pressure, and when Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) asked whether Congress should instead maintain its funding, Christensen replied that the mission “should happen quickly.” Lucas and Space Subcommittee Ranking Member Brian Babin (R-TX) also addressed potential obstacles confronting the Mars Sample Return mission, a partnership between NASA and the European Space Agency that now has a higher annual budget than any other project in NASA’s science portfolio. Babin asked about the risks inherent to international partnerships, while Lucas probed the survey’s recommendation that NASA seek additional funding for the mission if it runs too far over budget. Christensen and Canup explained the recommendation stems from concerns the mission could imbalance NASA’s planetary science budget and that stretching its schedule would increase its overall cost. Babin expressed further wariness over the survey’s recommendation to increase the cost caps NASA imposes on the missions it competitively selects through its Discovery and New Frontiers programs. Canup replied that the recommendation reflects the desire to apply the caps to launch and operating costs in addition to development costs, and to align the caps with the expected lifecycle costs of some of the programs’ most recently selected missions.
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Events This Week
All times are Eastern Daylight Time, unless otherwise noted. Listings do not imply endorsement.
Monday, May 30
Memorial Day holiday
Tuesday, May 31
Wednesday, June 1
Thursday, June 2
Friday, June 3
Saturday, June 4
Monday, June 6
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Opportunities American Meteorological Society Hiring Policy Associate
The American Meteorological Society is hiring a policy associate who will contribute to ongoing studies on topics such as climate change, equity and inclusion, and the societal benefits of science. The associate will also have the opportunity to lead new initiatives. Applicants should have at least a bachelor’s degree and strong writing and analytical skills.
Think Tanks Hiring for Energy Innovation Roles
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation is hiring a director for its Center for Clean Energy Innovation. Applicants should have a graduate degree in public policy, energy technology, or a related field and at least seven years of relevant experience. Separately, Third Way is hiring a deputy director to manage its national policy and advocacy work on clean energy R&D and industrial decarbonization. Applicants should have a degree in science or policy and at least five years experience working in energy policy.
STPI Hiring Aerospace Research Analyst
The Science and Technology Policy Institute is seeking applicants for a research analyst position focused on aerospace policy. The institute works with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and federal science agencies to develop and evaluate national policies and initiatives. Applicants must have a background in aerospace engineering, space sciences, or space law. Applications are due June 30.
Know of an upcoming science policy event either inside or outside the Beltway? Email us at fyi@aip.org.
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