What’s Ahead

Rain estimates for Tropical Storm Imelda, which struck the Texas coast last week. The dark pink represents an estimated 24 inches of rain had fallen as of Sept. 20. Scientists regard the recurrent serious flooding along the Gulf Coast of Texas over the last five years as likely a consequence of climate change. (Image credit - NASA Goddard)

Science Committee Discussing Weather–Climate Links

The House Science Committee is holding a hearing Thursday titled, “Understanding, Forecasting, and Communicating Extreme Weather in a Changing Climate.” At previous hearings, committee members have asked climate experts about the prospects of linking climate change to shifting weather patterns and specific extreme weather events. The subject has also been a particular concern of Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK), who has left behind the committee’s disagreements from previous years over climate science to focus on the implications of climate change for agriculture. The political firestorm over hurricane forecasting that recently engulfed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is apt to be mentioned, but the committee’s Democratic leaders are investigating the incident and will likely reserve a fuller discussion for a later date. The witnesses at this week’s hearing will be: University of Georgia atmospheric sciences professor Marshall Shepherd, National Center for Atmospheric Research scientist James Done, Columbia University Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate Director Adam Sobel, National Weather Center Director Berrien Moore, and University of Washington environmental policy professor Ann Bostrom.

Senate to Reveal More Science Spending Proposals

The Senate Appropriations Committee is set to advance its fiscal year 2020 spending proposals for several science agencies this week. On Tuesday, subcommittees will consider the bill covering the U.S. Geological Survey and Environmental Protection Agency and another covering NASA, the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The full committee will then meet on Thursday to consider the bills along with the ones that fund the Legislative Branch and the Department of Homeland Security. With only a few days left in the fiscal year, the Senate is expected to pass a stopgap spending measure the House approved last week to fund the government through Nov. 21. The stopgap does not include extra funds for NASA’s accelerated lunar landing program, though an agency spokesperson indicated that current plans will not be disrupted if a final appropriation is approved by January.

Senate Weighing In on Office of Technology Assessment Redux

This week the Senate Appropriations Committee will offer its response to the House’s proposal to revive Congress’ long-defunded Office of Technology Assessment. If the committee includes funding for OTA in the Legislative Branch spending bill it is scheduled to advance on Thursday, there is a strong chance the office will be reconstituted in some form, though even if it does not the House could still push its proposal in negotiations to finalize the legislation. Within Congress, the effort to revive OTA has been primarily driven by Democrats, though last week Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) joined two key House proponents of the office in introducing the OTA Assessment Improvement and Enhancement Act. Addressing past criticisms about OTA’s responsiveness, the bill would, among other provisions, enable any member of Congress to request a technology assessment and direct the office to provide additional informal briefings and release preliminary findings. As Tillis is not an appropriator, his support for OTA should not necessarily be taken as an omen of the Senate’s plans. Another point that will be addressed in the Senate’s Legislative Branch spending bill is whether it supports the Government Accountability Office’s efforts to roughly double the size of its science and technology analysis team.

House Advancing Bills on STEM Diversity, Engineering Biology

Two House bills aiming to address the persistent underrepresentation of women and minorities in STEM fields are set for votes this week. On Wednesday, the full House is scheduled to vote on the bipartisan STEM Opportunities Act, a top priority of Science Committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). The same day, her committee will consider the Minority Serving Institution (MSI) STEM Achievement Act, which would direct the National Science Foundation to fund efforts that build MSIs’ capacity to compete for federal grants and access research infrastructure. Johnson introduced the bill with Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL). The committee will also vote on Johnson’s bipartisan Engineering Biology Research and Development Act, which would direct the White House to implement a national initiative focused on research at the intersection of biology, physics, chemistry, and information sciences and engineering.

Replicability/Reproducibility Forum Features Federal Science Leaders

The National Academies is holding a public symposium on replicability and reproducibility in research on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. The event is part of the organization’s efforts to follow up on a report on the subject it released earlier this year. Participants at a morning panel on the “actions and responsibilities” of leaders in science and federal science agencies include National Science Foundation Director France Córdova and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Kelvin Droegemeier. National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt will be part of a concluding panel addressing whether scientific practices have reached an “inflection point.” On Thursday and Friday, the National Academies is hosting a workshop specific to biomedicine that will address how the reproducibility of scientific results could be enhanced through more transparent reporting of the data, materials, and methods used to arrive at them.

Space Science Advisory Panels Convening

A trio of panels that advise the space research programs at NASA and the National Science Foundation are meeting this week. NASA’s Planetary Sciences Advisory Committee is convening Monday and Tuesday to hear updates on various solar system exploration program and the agency’s efforts to detect and track Near Earth Objects (NEOs) that could impact Earth. A near miss of a sizeable asteroid this summer that NASA only detected a day in advance has drawn new attention to the challenges of the task. The head of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate announced at the meeting, which is already underway, that the agency plans to move ahead with a space-based telescope for detecting NEOs. Later in the week, the National Academies Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board is holding its fall meeting, with a focus session on lessons learned by NASA from building flagship spacecraft and applying technologies developed for them to future missions. John Mather, senior project scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope, is among the speakers. At the end of the week, the interagency Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee is meeting at NSF’s headquarters. Among the agenda items are a discussion of “principles and best practices for large projects data access” and a conversation with White House budget officials.

Conference to Explore Research Evaluation Tools

George Washington University is hosting a two-day conference this week on methods for managing and evaluating research portfolios. Sessions will explore tools for measuring the broader impact of research investments and user facilities as well as frameworks for governing collections of open scientific data, among other topics. Senior information technology officials from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Department of Energy are among those presenting.

In Case You Missed It

A meeting of the National Science and Technology Council’s Research Security Subcommittee earlier this month. (Image credit – OSTP)

White House Research Security Initiatives Coming into Focus

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy announced last week it is conducting university visits across the country to discuss current efforts to secure federally funded research from exploitation by foreign governments. In an open letter to the U.S. research community, OSTP Director Kelvin Droegemeier outlined four lines of effort the administration is pursuing through an interagency committee: compiling examples of misconduct, “establishing and coordinating disclosure requirements for participation in the federally funded research enterprise,” developing “best practices” for research institutions, and creating methods for assessing risk. The letter identifies foreign talent recruitment programs as one area of particular concern, citing the potential for ethical breaches stemming from failure to disclose foreign funding sources, conflicting financial interests, and unapproved “shadow labs” that perform parallel work abroad. Other activities the letter cites as concerns are “diversion of intellectual property or other legal rights” and “breaches of contract and confidentiality in or surreptitious gaming of the peer-review process.”

New Indictment Targets Chinese Talent Recruitment Effort

The Department of Justice announced on Sept. 16 that it has arrested and charged Zhongsan Liu for conspiring to obtain research scholar visas under false pretenses. The department alleges that Liu, a U.S.-based employee of the China Association for International Exchange of Personnel, worked to obtain such visas for individuals whose actual intent was to “recruit top U.S. talent to benefit the government of China.” The charges link Liu’s employer to a separate Chinese government agency responsible for administering the Thousand Talents Program, a prominent talent recruitment program that has attracted intense FBI scrutiny. In a statement, the head of the DOJ National Security Division John Demers wrote, “We welcome foreign students and researchers, including from China, but we do not welcome visa fraud — especially on behalf of a government. We will continue to confront Chinese government attempts to subvert American law to advance its own interests in diverting U.S. research and know-how to China.”

Senate Appropriators Propose $3 Billion Boost for NIH

Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee released draft spending legislation last week that includes a $3 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health. With the House having proposed a $2 billion increase for NIH, the agency is in position to continue its 5-year streak of multi-billion dollar increases. The bill maintains a provision restricting NIH from changing reimbursement rates for indirect costs, which the Trump administration had proposed slashing, and rejects a separate proposal to cap at 90% the fraction of researchers’ salaries that can be paid with grant funds. Responding to a National Academies study on facilities recapitalization needs at NIH’s Bethesda campus, the bill includes a $100 million increase for buildings and facilities repair. The report accompanying the bill also states that Senate appropriators remain “deeply concerned about foreign threats to the research infrastructure in the United States,” alleging the Chinese government has worked to “recruit NIH-funded researchers to steal intellectual property, cheat the peer-review system, establish shadow laboratories in China, and help the Chinese government obtain confidential information about NIH research grants.”

EPA Science Transparency Rule Delayed

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler testified before the House Science Committee at a contentious hearing on Sept. 19. In his opening statement, he announced the agency plans some time in 2020 to modify its proposed rule restricting itself from basing regulations on scientific studies whose underlying data are not publicly available. The modification, he said, would address concerns about the potential that public data could reveal personally identifiable and otherwise confidential information. The agency had previously stated it was aiming to finalize the rule this year. Pressed by Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Wheeler further said the modifications to the rule would be opened to a public comment period and that the agency would also await the conclusion of a comprehensive review of the rule by EPA’s Science Advisory Board. Wheeler also addressed a recent executive order to reduce the number of federal advisory committees, stating he does not believe it will have “any negative impact” on EPA’s ability to fulfill its mission.

NASA Lunar Program Frustrating Science Committee Leaders

At a hearing on NASA’s human exploration program last week, leaders of the House Science Committee continued to express their frustration over the dearth of details the agency has released about its plans to land astronauts on the Moon in 2024. Committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Space Subcommittee Chair Kendra Horn (D-OK) both offered litanies of unanswered questions in their opening statements that they said cast doubt on NASA’s ability to follow through on its ambitions. Doug Cooke, a former NASA official who worked in the exploration program for 38 years, was invited to testify about his view that NASA should reduce the complexity of its lunar mission architecture, including by deferring work on the Gateway outpost until after a crewed landing. The Gateway is envisioned as a staging point in lunar orbit for missions to the surface as well as a platform for scientific observations. Congress will have its say on NASA’s plans when it completes spending legislation for the next fiscal year some time in the coming months.

Events This Week

All times are Eastern Daylight Time and all congressional hearings are webcast, unless otherwise noted. Listings do not imply endorsement.

Monday, September 23

FDP: Federal Demonstration Partnership meeting (continues through Tuesday) Omni Shoreham Hotel (2500 Calvert St. NW, DC) DOE: Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee meeting (continues Tuesday) Holiday Inn Washington Capitol (550 C St. SW, DC) Webcast available NASA: Planetary Science Advisory Committee meeting (continues Tuesday) NASA headquarters (300 E St. SW, DC) Webcast available CSIS: “Implementing Innovation: The 21st Century National Security Innovation Partnership Conference” 10:00 am - 12:45 pm, CSIS headquarters (1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, DC) Webcast available USIP: Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) on U.S.-China Competition 12:00 - 1:30 pm, U.S. Institute of Peace (2301 Constitution Ave. NW, DC) NIST: National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Advisory Committee teleconference 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Tuesday, September 24

National Academies: “Reproducibility and Replicability in Science: Next Steps Symposium” 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, National Academy of Sciences building (2101 Constitution Ave. NW, DC) Webcast available EESI: Climate and National Security Forum 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, 2168 Rayburn House Office Building Webcast available Senate: Subcommittee markup of Interior-Environment appropriations bill 9:30 am, Appropriations Committee (124 Dirksen Office Building) Senate: Subcommittee markup of Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill 10:00 am, Appropriations Committee (192 Dirksen Office Building) Brookings: “How is the Army Modernizing?” 10:00 - 11:00 am, Brookings Institution (1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW, DC) AGU: “Surging Waters: Science Protecting Communities from Flooding” 12:15 - 1:30 pm, 200 Capitol Visitor Center House: “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work” 4:00 pm, Science Committee (2318 Rayburn Office Building) DOE: “Nuclear: The Clean Energy Titan” 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, HC-5 Capitol Building Lincoln Network: “Exploring the Intersection of Policy, Innovation, and Government” 6:30 - 9:30 pm PDT, Galvanize (San Francisco, CA)

Wednesday, September 25

National Academies: “Enhancing Scientific Reproducibility through Transparent Reporting – A Workshop” (continues Thursday) National Academy of Sciences building (2101 Constitution Ave. NW, DC) Webcast available National Academies: Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board Fall Meeting (continues through Friday) Beckman Center (Irvine, CA) Webcast available DOE: Defense Programs Advisory Committee meeting Closed to the public House: Full committee markup of MSI STEM Achievement Act and Engineering Biology R&D Act 10:00 am, Science Committee (2318 Rayburn Office Building) Senate: Business meeting to consider 21 bills 10:00 am, Energy and Natural Resources Committee (366 Dirksen Office Building) House: “Investments in Medical Research at Five NIH Institutes and Centers” 10:00 am, Appropriations Committee (2358-C Rayburn Office Building) Coalition for Life Sciences: “The BRAIN Initiative: Is This Grand Challenge Living Up to Expectations?” 12:00 - 1:00 pm, 2043 Rayburn House Office Building Task Force on American Innovation: “How Federal Investments in Science Created a Revolution: The Story of 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing” 12:00 - 1:30 pm, 2325 Rayburn House Office Building
House: “Status of the B61-12 Life Extension and W88 Alteration-370 Programs” 2:00 pm, Armed Services Committee (2118 Rayburn Office Building) Senate: “Reducing Emissions While Driving Economic Growth: Industry-led Initiatives” 2:30 pm, Environment and Public Works Committee (406 Dirksen Office Building) Fermilab: “Trailblazer of Physics: The Extraordinary Life of Leon Lederman” 5:30 - 8:00 pm CDT, Harold Washington Library (Chicago, IL)

Thursday, September 26

GWU: Transforming Research Conference (continues Friday) George Washington University (1957 E St. NW, DC) NSF/NASA: “Town Hall on Next Step Space Weather Benchmarks” (continues Friday) Embassy Suites DC (900 10th St. NW, DC) NSF: Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee meeting (continues Friday) NSF headquarters (Alexandria, VA) Webcast available National Academies: “Applications of AI in Government and Industry” 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, National Academy of Sciences building (2101 Constitution Ave. NW, DC) ITIF: “How to Improve Support for Small Business Innovation, Research, and Technology” 9:30 - 11:00 am, 215 SVC Capitol Visitor Center House: “Understanding, Forecasting, and Communicating Extreme Weather in a Changing Climate” 10:00 am, Science Committee (2318 Rayburn Office Building) BPC: “Reducing Natural Disaster Costs: Building Better and Stronger” 10:00 - 11:30 am, Bipartisan Policy Center (1125 Eye St. NW, DC) Webcast available Senate: Full committee markup of four appropriations bills 10:30 am, Appropriations Committee (106 Dirksen Office Building) Carnegie Endowment: “The Future of Nuclear Arms Control” 12:15 - 1:30 pm, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW, DC) House: “U.S. Nonproliferation Policy and the FY 2020 Budget” 2:00 pm, Foreign Affairs Committee (2172 Rayburn Office Building) House: “Solving the Climate Crisis: Reducing Industrial Emissions Through U.S. Innovation” 2:00 pm, Climate Crisis Committee (210 House Visitor Center) American Astronautical Society: “Can Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Get Us to Deep Space Faster?” 3:00 pm, Webinar CA Council on S&T: Introduction to science fellows program 3:00 pm, Webinar Third Way/Xprize: “Carbontech on the Hill” 4:30 - 7:30 pm, 201 House Visitors Center National Academies: “Australian Solar Geoengineering Activities” 6:00 - 7:00 pm, Webinar AAAS: “Visualizing Science Policy 20x20 and Science Policy Resource Fair” 6:00 - 9:00 pm, AAAS headquarters (1200 New York Ave. NW, DC)

Friday, September 27

Hudson Institute: “Great Powers, Greenland, and Geostrategic Competition in the Arctic” 11:45 am - 1:30 pm, Hudson Institute headquarters (1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, DC) National Academies: “China’s Geoengineering Program” 1:00 - 2:00 pm, Webinar

Saturday, September 28

Committee of 100: “Science and Technology Caught Between the U.S. and China: The Challenges Facing Chinese American Researchers” Silicon Valley, CA

Monday, September 30

CSIS: “China’s AI Innovation Ecosystem” 1:00 - 2:30 pm, CSIS headquarters (1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, DC) USGS: National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council virtual meeting 1:00 - 5:00 pm

Opportunities

Science and Technology Policy Institute Seeking Director

The Institute for Defense Analyses is hiring a new director for its Science and Technology Policy Institute. STPI provides analytical support to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and other federal science agencies. Applications are due Oct. 15.

NSB Hiring Science Policy Analyst

The National Science Board is hiring a science policy analyst to support the board’s work in overseeing the National Science Foundation and providing advice on matters of national science and engineering policy. Candidates must have an advanced degree in a STEM field. Applications are due Oct. 3.

Federation of American Scientists Hiring Research Assistant

The Federation of American Scientists is hiring a research assistant in science, technology, and innovation policy. The position would support its new Congressional Science Policy Initiative and the Technology and Innovation Initiative, which is focused on the “intersection of immigration policy and emerging technologies talent needs.” Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

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.