NASA Makes Progress Toward Science Priorities Outlined in 2013-2022 Planetary Decadal Survey

TUE, 07 Aug 2018 11:00 EST

Despite significant cuts to NASA's Planetary Science Division budget early in this decade, the agency has made impressive progress in meeting goals outlined in the 2013-2022 planetary decadal survey by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, says a midterm assessment from the National Academies. The report notes that NASA met or exceeded the decadal survey's recommendations for funding research and analysis, and for technology programs. Read More

Academies Task Force on the 2020 Census Releases Letter Report on Proposed Information Collection

TUE, 07 Aug 2018 11:00 EST

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Task Force on the 2020 Census today issued a letter report and submitted it as a public comment to the U.S. Department of Commerce, which recently requested public comments on the 2020 Census. The task force, which was established by the Academies' Committee on National Statistics to examine challenges in conducting the next decennial census, concluded that the Commerce Department's recent decision to add a question on citizenship status to the 2020 census is inconsistent with the "proper performance of the functions" of the Census Bureau. The American Community Survey already meets the stated need for citizenship data, it noted, and adding the question without proper testing impairs the quality of the 2020 census as a whole. Furthermore, adding the citizenship question and using the method described in the secretary of commerce's memo and the Census Bureau's review would create a new population register. Such a register has unclear statistical purposes and could not under current law be used for nonstatistical purposes, such as law enforcement against individuals, and still comport with the bureau’s mission.While citizenship is an important public policy topic and worthy of high-quality data collection, adding this question to the 2020 census risks undermining the credibility of the Census Bureau and the decennial census, the trust of its respondents, and the independence of the Census Bureau's professional staff to develop, produce, and disseminate objective information while protecting confidentiality of respondents.

NAS President Comments on Nomination of OSTP Director

WED, 01 Aug 2018 11:00 EST

I am pleased that the White House is moving to fill the position of director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. This is a key step toward giving science a seat at the table so decisions that shape our country are informed by the best available evidence. In particular, our nation is facing mounting costs from weather-related disasters, including more severe hurricanes, floods, droughts, and forest fires. Having a distinguished atmospheric scientist advising the president is timely and a great choice. I look forward to working with Dr. Droegemeier.Marcia McNuttPresident, National Academy of SciencesOfficial White House Announcement

National Academies' Gulf Research Program Announces 2018 Science Policy Fellowships

WED, 01 Aug 2018 11:00 EST

The Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced the recipients of its 2018 Science Policy Fellowships. These competitive awards are among a suite of program activities aimed at supporting the development of future generations of scientists, engineers, and health professionals who are prepared to work at the intersections of offshore energy system safety, human health and well-being, and environmental stewardship in the Gulf of Mexico and other U.S. coastal regions. Read More

National Academy of Medicine Launches Action Collaborative to Counter Opioid Epidemic; Public-Private Partnership Will Coordinate Initiatives Across Sectors to Drive Collective Solutions

TUE, 31 July 2018 11:00 EST

In recognition of the need for a national coordinated and collective response to the epidemic of opioid addiction in the U.S., the National Academy of Medicine, in partnership with the Aspen Institute, launched a public-private partnership made up of more than 35 organizations representing federal, state, and local governments, health systems, associations and provider groups, health education and accrediting institutions, pharmacies, payers, industry, nonprofits, and academia. This partnership -- the NAM Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic -- is committed to sharing knowledge, aligning ongoing initiatives, and addressing complex challenges that require a shared response from public and private actors. The collaborative will establish shared priorities, identify unmet needs, and develop and disseminate evidence-based, multi-sector solutions to reduce rates of opioid misuse and improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities affected by addiction. Read More

Gulf Research Program Announces $10 Million Grant Opportunity for Enhancing Coastal Community Resilience in the Gulf of Mexico Region

WED, 25 July 2018 11:00 EST

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced a new grant opportunity focused on enhancing coastal community resilience and well-being in the Gulf of Mexico region. The GRP intends to award up to $10 million to projects bringing together researchers and practitioners to collaborate on efforts that increase understanding of how community attributes and systems affect resilience and provide actionable information that can be used to implement policies and practices to enhance resilience. This new funding opportunity builds on previous GRP funding intended to bridge the gap between the knowledge and practice of community resilience, including $10.8 million in grants awarded last year in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on the same topic. This opportunity aims to continue to advance information exchange and collaboration between researchers and those who seek to implement policies and practices to enhance the resilience of their communities. For more information about this opportunity, how to apply, and past GRP grants awarded on this topic, visit www.nas.edu/gulf/grants.

A Domestic Electron Ion Collider Would Unlock Scientific Mysteries of Atomic Nuclei, Maintain U.S. Leadership in Accelerator Science

TUE, 24 July 2018 13:00 EST

The science questions that could be answered by an electron ion collider (EIC) – a very large-scale particle accelerator – are significant to advancing our understanding of the atomic nuclei that make up all visible matter in the universe, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Beyond its impact on nuclear science, the advances made possible by an EIC could have far-reaching benefits to the nation's science- and technology-driven economy as well as to maintaining U.S. leadership in nuclear physics and in collider and accelerator technologies. Read More

New Report Identifies Five Breakthroughs to Address Urgent Challenges and Advance Food and Agricultural Sciences by 2030

WED, 18 July 2018 11:00 EST

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine identifies the most promising scientific breakthroughs that are possible to achieve in the next decade to increase the U.S. food and agriculture system's sustainability, competitiveness, and resilience. The urgent progress needed today, given challenges such as water scarcity, increased weather variability, floods, and droughts, requires a convergent research approach that harnesses advances in data science, materials science, information technology, behavioral sciences, economics, and many other fields. Read More

Academies' Presidents Comment on the EPA's Proposed Rule for Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science

WED, 18 July 2018 11:00 EST

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a proposed rule for strengthening transparency in regulatory science (April 30, 2018, 83 Federal Register 18768), which stipulates that EPA will ensure that the data and models underlying the pivotal science that informs significant regulatory actions are made publicly available, in a format that allows for outside analysis and validation. In a July 16 letter to EPA's acting administrator, the presidents of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Medicine said that while EPA's proposed provision is generally consistent with advice from the National Academies, overly stringent requirements for transparency may cause valid evidence to be discarded and thereby pose a threat to the credibility of regulatory science. In the letter, the presidents pointed to several National Academies reports to help inform EPA decisions about the proposed rule, and cautioned that the rule's "scope, complexities, and potential serious implications for regulatory science and action clearly warrant additional thorough, independent, objective, and context-specific evaluation and analysis."

Report Proposes Recommendations and New Framework to Speed Progress Toward Open Science

TUE, 17 July 2018 13:30 EST

While significant progress has been made in providing open access to scientific research, a range of challenges -- including the economics of scientific publication and cultural barriers in the research enterprise -- must be overcome to further advance the openness of science, says a new report from the National Academies. It recommends coordinated action from the academic community and other research stakeholders, and the use of an "open science by design" framework to foster openness throughout the research process. Read More