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What’s Ahead
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| President Biden tours the National Wind Technology Center with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, left, and National Renewable Energy Lab Director Martin Keller, right. (Image credit – NREL / Werner Slocum) |
Jockeying Continues Around Spending Bills as Key Deadlines Loom
A week remains before the House’s self-imposed deadline to vote on Congress’ bipartisan infrastructure package, which the Senate passed in August and includes around $500 billion in new spending. However, there is no sign that Democrats are close to completing the larger $3.5 trillion partisan package that they aim to pass using Congress’ reconciliation procedure, and many Democrats insist they will not vote for the bipartisan package without firm assurances about the partisan one. Tens of billions of dollars in R&D-related spending is spread between the bills. Last week, President Biden sought to drum up support for the spending, including during a visit to the National Renewable Energy Lab in Colorado, where he urged action to mitigate climate change and touted the benefits of expanding the clean energy sector. Yet, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who is among those pushing back on the reconciliation package’s scale and content, is reportedly still vying to delay consideration of it to 2022. Meanwhile, other deadlines are approaching as well. Fiscal year 2021 ends on Sept. 30 and Congress will have to pass a stopgap spending measure to stave off a government shutdown while annual appropriations are negotiated. In addition, the statutory limit on the national debt is within weeks of being reached, with potentially grave economic consequences if it is not raised. Although Democrats are seeking bipartisan agreement on the matter, Republicans are insisting that Democrats take sole responsibility by wrapping it into their reconciliation process, putting further pressure on that legislation.
New Research Security Measures Proposed for House NDAA
The House is set to debate its version of the National Defense Authorization Act on the floor this week. House members have submitted more than 800 amendments for consideration and the House Rules Committee plans to decide on Monday which ones will be eligible for votes. Several of the amendments propose measures to prevent rival governments from exploiting research funded by the Department of Defense or the federal government more broadly. One with bipartisan backing calls for the National Academies to assemble a committee that would weigh in on whether a “non-profit entity” dedicated to research security should be established. Another, Republican-backed amendment proposes a government-wide prohibition on research grantees participating in “malign foreign talent recruitment programs.” Those amendments are similar to provisions in the House-passed NSF for the Future Act, which would restrict National Science Foundation grantees from participating in such programs as well as direct the agency to establish a “risk assessment center” that would be managed by a non-governmental organization. The draft of the NDAA arriving on the floor already includes a provision prohibiting DOD funds from being used for research based in China or to support research conducted by an entity owned or deemed to be controlled by China. The Senate has not yet scheduled the floor debate for its counterpart version of the NDAA.
NOAA Head Rick Spinrad Appearing Before House Science Committee
The House Science Committee is holding a hearing on Thursday on “advancing Earth system science and stewardship” at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad appearing as the sole witness. Democrats on the committee have proposed providing NOAA with $4.3 billion over five years through the partisan spending package under development in the House, a portion of which would go toward enabling the agency to better tailor climate information to local stakeholders. Committee Democrats have also revisited the case for establishing a federal climate service to better coordinate such activities across agencies, while Republicans have expressed concerns such a construct would be duplicative. Spinrad, who took up his current role in June, previously worked to advance NOAA’s proposal in the Obama administration to establish a National Climate Service and told the journal Science in 2009 that such an organization would warrant a budget at least as large as that of NOAA’s National Weather Service.
International Space Station Also on Science Committee Agenda
A House Science Committee hearing on Tuesday will examine the prospects for extending the lifetime of the International Space Station (ISS) and the eventual transition to future platforms in low-Earth orbit. The ISS is currently authorized to operate through 2024 and various lawmakers have proposed extending that date to 2030. Among the witnesses are the ISS director, two astronauts, and the CEO of Nanoracks, a company that provides research hardware to the ISS. A portion of the station is designated as a national laboratory that can be used by researchers outside NASA. That activity is managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), which has faced scrutiny from House Science Committee leaders after a scathing independent review concluded last year that it had a dysfunctional governance structure. NASA has since implemented various recommendations from the review and last week CASIS announced a new acting CEO.
DOE Highlighting New Energy Storage Goals
The Department of Energy is hosting a summit on Thursday to discuss its “Long-Duration Storage Shot” initiative aimed at reducing the cost of grid-scale energy storage by 90% over the next decade. The event will feature keynotes by National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and Google X Vice President Audrey Zibelman, who leads the “electric grid moonshot” that the company announced in April. Also speaking are Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) and Sen. Angus King (I-ME), who sponsored a recently enacted provision that sets policy for DOE’s energy storage programs. The summit will include panel discussions on opportunities for private industry to partner with DOE national labs on energy storage projects, as well as a “pre-summit” on markets and finance on Wednesday. The Long-Duration Storage Shot is the second in a series of “Energy Earthshots” the agency is launching to address technical and economic barriers associated with deploying different clean energy technologies. The department hosted a similar summit last month on its Hydrogen Shot initiative.
Meetings to Examine Spectrum Interference Concerns
The National Academies is holding the kickoff meeting this week for a congressionally mandated study on how a radio network proposed by the company Ligado could interfere with the Global Positioning System. The Federal Communications Commission authorized the network last year despite strong objections from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which represents federal spectrum users. Separately this week, NTIA is hosting a symposium to discuss challenges and opportunities facing federal spectrum management. That event will focus on spectrum requirements for satellites and next-generation telecommunication systems, technologies that use automated means of sharing radiofrequency bands among multiple users, and approaches to predicting interference between users. Among the participants is Nick Laneman, the director of the newly announced SpectrumX research center led by the University of Notre Dame, which will receive $25 million over five years from the National Science Foundation to develop spectrum-sharing methods.
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In Case You Missed It
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| A U.S. nuclear submarine returns to its home port in Georgia. The U.S. has agreed to share nuclear submarine technology with Australia as part of a new defense alliance. (Image credit – Bryan Tomforde / U.S. Navy) |
US Adds ‘AUKUS’ to Set of Strategic Technology Partnerships
The White House announced on Sept. 15 that the U.S. has formed a trilateral security partnership with the United Kingdom and Australia, referred to as AUKUS, to spur cooperation on defense-related technologies. President Biden said that the agreement will “bring together our sailors, our scientists, and our industries to maintain and expand our edge in military capabilities and critical technologies, such as cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and undersea domains.” As part of the arrangement, the U.S. will share nuclear-powered submarine technology with Australia, a move that has drawn criticism from non-proliferation advocates and angered France, which had been seeking to sell diesel-powered submarines to Australia. Responding to concerns over the proliferation of nuclear capabilities, an unnamed administration official pointed to Australia’s commitment to non-proliferation regimes while conceding the submarine technology is “extremely sensitive” and that its sharing is an “exception.”
The AUKUS agreement comes as the U.S. is preparing to hold several other multilateral meetings this month focused on technology policy. On Friday, the White House will host leaders from the “Quad” group, comprising the U.S., India, Japan, and Australia, for a summit that is expected to include an announcement of a joint effort to secure the semiconductor supply chain as well as discussions on vaccine sharing and climate change mitigation. In addition, next week in Pittsburgh, the Biden administration is holding the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council, which consists of 10 working groups that will address topics such as technology standards development, supply chain security, green technologies, data governance, and export controls.
Biden Prepares for Expanded Presidential Science Advisory Panel
President Biden issued an executive order on Sept. 13 that increases the maximum size of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology from 26 to 32 members. The order amends his executive order from Jan. 27 that established the overall structure of PCAST, which has been reconstituted by each president since 1990. Just prior to his inauguration, Biden appointed MIT Vice President for Research Maria Zuber and Caltech bioengineer Frances Arnold as council co-chairs, but he has not yet named other members. Biden’s science adviser Eric Lander co-chaired the body under President Obama, when it had a limit of 20 members. President Trump reestablished the panel in October 2019 with plans to select 16 members, though he ultimately only appointed 13. (Update: Biden appointed 27 new members to PCAST on Sept. 22.)
APS, Stanford Professors Urge DOJ Course Change on China
The American Physical Society released a letter last week from APS President Jim Gates calling for major changes to the Department of Justice’s China Initiative, which seeks to counteract alleged efforts by the Chinese government to misappropriate U.S. R&D and exploit the U.S. research system. Addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Eric Lander, the letter acknowledges threats to U.S. R&D but criticizes DOJ for pursuing cases that relate only to nondisclosure of connections to Chinese institutions. Noting several of such cases have been dismissed or dropped, Gates writes, “We are witnessing reputations being tarnished and careers in ruins.” He also highlights broader effects on the U.S. research enterprise, stating that some university administrators are advising professors not to collaborate with colleagues in China for fear of attracting scrutiny from federal science agencies. Among other recommendations, Gates calls for the China Initiative to be renamed and made country-agnostic, noting the focus on China has raised concerns about ethnic profiling, and for it to be refocused away from disclosure issues. In addition, he calls for the federal government to investigate past cases for violations of due process and to compensate individuals whom DOJ failed to convict so they can restart their careers. (APS is an AIP Member Society.)
The release of Gates’ letter follows a Sept. 8 open letter to Garland that is signed by 177 Stanford University professors and calls for DOJ to dissolve the China Initiative and develop an “alternative response to the challenges posed” by China. On Tuesday this week, the Committee of 100, a Chinese American advocacy organization, is holding a webinar on the China Initiative that will include remarks from legal experts and Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Ted Lieu (D-CA), who have been key critics of the initiative in Congress.
NOAA Stands Up Space Weather Advisory Group
Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the inaugural 15 members of the Space Weather Advisory Group mandated by the PROSWIFT Act, which was enacted late last year. The group will advise federal agencies on space weather research, monitoring, and mitigation activities. Its membership is evenly split between academia, commercial providers, and end-users. Among the initial members are former NOAA Administrator Conrad Lautenbacher and former Federal Emergency Management Agency head Craig Fugate. NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad will pick the group’s chair within 30 days.
Interagency Report Lays Out Best Practices for STEM Diversity
The interagency National Science and Technology Council released the first report from its working group on inclusion last week, identifying best practices for fostering diversity and inclusion in the federal STEM workforce. The report notes that “while women and individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups comprise 43% and 38% of the total federal workforce, respectively; they only comprise 29% and 10% of the federal STEM workforce.” The report calls for developing a “pathways approach to STEM academic and career programs at each agency that allows for flexibility with multiple entry points and enables participants to build on academic achievement and research expertise at different levels and life stages.” It recommends agencies expand recruitment at minority-serving institutions, develop more flexible hiring authorities, and provide unconscious bias training to managers, among other steps.
NSB Releases Reports on Academic R&D, US STEM Workforce
The National Science Board recently released three topical reports as part of the 2022 edition of Science and Engineering Indicators, its biennial compendium of statistics and analyses. In a report on trends in academic R&D, the board highlights the prevalence of biomedical R&D funded by the National Institutes of Health and other agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services, noting they account for more spending on university research than all other federal agencies combined. A separate report on the science and engineering workforce includes a new focus on “the nearly 20 million individuals whose jobs require them to use significant levels of S&E expertise and technical knowledge but who do not hold a bachelor’s or higher degree.” The board also issued a two-page document advocating for the U.S. to improve its “lackluster” K–12 STEM education system, charting how the country lags behind its largest competitors in science and engineering and has persistent achievement gaps between racial groups. Additional thematic reports will be released in the coming months in advance of the full Indicators document.
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Events This Week Monday, September 20
Tuesday, September 21
Wednesday, September 22
Thursday, September 23
Friday, September 24
Monday, September 27th
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Opportunities NSF Seeking Head for STEM Education Directorate
The National Science Foundation is hiring a director for its Education and Human Resources Directorate, which oversees a roughly $1 billion portfolio of STEM education and research programs. Former directorate head Karen Marrongelle departed the position this summer to become NSF’s Chief Operating Officer. Applications are due Oct. 8.
Energy Innovation Fellowship Application Open
The Day One Project is accepting applications for four Energy Innovation Impact Fellows who will be placed in the Department of Energy. Fellows will begin with a three-month residency period at the Day One Project that will include “researching and developing policy ideas to support DOE’s clean energy policy agenda [and] engaging with policy veterans and mentors to learn best practices to be effective in the fellowship” Fellows will then enter a 12-month assignment at DOE. Applicants should have 5 to 10 years of experience in energy science or policy. Applications are due Sept. 28.
Experts Sought for Carbon Utilization Study
The National Academies is seeking around 15 members to serve on a committee that will examine “infrastructure and research and development needs for carbon utilization, focused on a future where carbon wastes are fundamental participants in a circular carbon economy.” Nominations are due Sept. 25.
National Space Council Seeks Members for Advisory Group
NASA is accepting nominations for the National Space Council Users’ Advisory Group. The purpose of the panel is to “ensure that the interests of industry and other non-Federal entities are adequately represented in the deliberations of the National Space Council,” which the Trump administration reconstituted in 2017. The Biden administration has not indicated how many of the group’s current members it will retain. Nominations are due Sept. 27.
DOE Seeking Input on Quantum System Access
The Department of Energy is seeking public input on approaches to providing researchers with access to quantum systems, such as quantum computers. Among the specific questions posed by DOE is “what role, if any, should federal agencies play in mediating, facilitating, or coordinating access to non-federal quantum systems?” Submissions are due Sept. 30.
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.
White House
Congress
Science, Society, and the Economy
Education and Workforce
Research Management
- The story of Optica: OSA adopts a new name and brand (Optics and Photonics News)
- At the cost of higher publication fees, AAS researchers will have free access to all the content in the society’s journals (Physics Today)
- Publishers facilitate name changes on past papers (Physics Today)
- Women less likely to win major research awards (Nature)
- Case study in review integrity: The seminar trip (NIH)
- Swedish research misconduct agency swamped with cases in first year (Nature)
- Reproducibility: Expect less of the scientific paper (Nature, perspective by Olavo Amaral and Kleber Neves)
- Preprint advocates must also fight for research integrity (Nature, perspective by Gwri Gopalakrishna)
- Australian Research Council abandons preprints ban (Times Higher Education)
- Russian scientist owes US tax on lab income, 4th circuit told (Law 360)
- President Biden: Don’t misuse Bayh-Dole march-in rights (STAT, perspective by Joseph Allen)
- The rise of scientific research in corporate America (NBER, paper by Ashish Arora, et al.)
- New research busts popular myths about innovation (Wall Street Journal, perspective by Christopher Mims)
- The unintended consequences of the pandemic on non-pandemic research activities (Research Policy, paper by James Walker, et al.)
Labs and Facilities
Computing and Communications
Space
Weather, Climate, and Environment
Energy
Defense
- Australia, UK, and US to ‘engage’ with IAEA over nuclear submarines (Reuters)
- The US Navy’s nuclear proliferation problem (Breaking Defense, perspective by Alan Kuperman)
- Twenty years after 9/11, terrorists could still go nuclear (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, perspective by Matthew Bunn)
- The CTBT at 25 and beyond (Arms Control Association, perspective by Francesca Giovannini)
- China may be a rising nuclear power, but its bigger agenda is building up its science and technology prowess (The Hill, perspective by Rose Gottemoeller)
- DOD launches National Security Innovation Capital program with $15 million congressional appropriation (Defense Innovation Unit)
- Interview with Chief of Naval Research Lorin Selby (Defense & Aerospace Report, video)
- Air Force begins construction of simulation and wargaming facility for space and lasers (Defense News)
- Biological deterrence for the shadow war (War on the Rocks, perspective by Joseph Buccina, et al.)
- Beyond biological defense: Maintaining the US biotechnology advantage (War on the Rocks, perspective by Rob Carlson, et al.)
Biomedical
International Affairs
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