What’s Ahead

This year’s Capitol Christmas Tree arrived on Nov. 19. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is aiming to complete work on Democrats’ top legislative priority, the Build Back Better Act, by the time lawmakers leave for the holiday. (Image credit – Architect of the Capitol)

Senate Revising Build Back Better Act

As the year winds down, the Senate is continuing to press ahead with the Build Back Better Act, Democrats’ nearly $2 trillion spending bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has said he hopes to complete work on it by Christmas, though some senators expect a final vote may end up being pushed to next year. Last week, Senate Democrats released text for portions of the bill alongside new estimates of their fiscal impacts from the Congressional Budget Office. The House passed its version of the bill, which includes more than $10 billion for R&D and related infrastructure, on an essentially party-line vote on Nov. 19. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee’s spending proposals for science agencies are identical to the House bill’s, allocating $3.5 billion for the National Science Foundation, $1.25 billion for the National Institute of Standards and Technology, $1.1 billion for NASA, and $859 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The House and Senate versions would also both create new tax credits for public university research infrastructure projects and semiconductor manufacturing facilities and would delay by four years a provision from the 2017 tax law overhaul that weakened the R&D tax credit. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has not yet released its portion of the bill, which covers Department of Energy science and technology programs. Committee Chair Joe Manchin (D-WV) has been one of the key holdouts on the legislation and continued to express concerns about its impacts and costs last week.

Annual Defense Policy Update Rounding Final Corner

The Senate is poised to pass the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 this week, sending it to President Biden for his signature. The House already passed the bill last week on a vote of 363 to 70 after House and Senate lawmakers finished harmonizing their respective versions at the end of the previous week. The finalized version is expected to clear the chamber with strong bipartisan support after lawmakers reached an agreement to pass it separately from a politically volatile measure that raises the statutory ceiling on the national debt. Provisions in the final bill include the creation of a “National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology” and another commission to recommend reforms to the Department of Defense’s planning and budgeting framework, which has been blamed for constraining DOD’s ability to manage technology projects flexibly. All research security proposals for the bill were dropped, though those provisions could be incorporated with related ones being considered for Congress’ pending R&D and national competitiveness legislation. A proposal to lay groundwork for a “Minority Institute for Defense Research” was watered down to a requirement that DOD develop a plan to “promote defense-related engineering, research, and development activities at minority institutions.”

Top Administration Officials Appearing at Annual AGU Meeting

The American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting begins on Monday in a hybrid format, with thousands of scientists either joining virtually or in person in New Orleans. The weeklong conference includes a number of science policy sessions and keynote lectures. President Biden’s science adviser Eric Lander will speak Tuesday on scientific and technological pathways for the U.S. to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Presidential Climate Envoy John Kerry will deliver a keynote address on Tuesday, and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm will speak on Thursday. Representatives from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy will also participate in sessions on the administration’s efforts to strengthen scientific integrity policies and advance environmental justice. Other sessions include legal advice workshops for scientists and federal agency town halls.

Trial of Harvard Chemist Latest Test of DOJ China Initiative

On Tuesday, the trial of Harvard chemist Charles Lieber is beginning in Massachusetts. Lieber was indicted by the Department of Justice in January 2020 for allegedly lying to federal investigators about his participation in a Chinese talent recruitment program and for failing to disclose his income from China to the IRS. The indictment claims that under a contract with the Wuhan University of Technology, Lieber was paid $50,000 per month, plus living expenses, as well as about $1.5 million to establish a lab in China. The case is among the highest-profile DOJ is pursuing through its China Initiative, and the second involving a university professor to proceed to trial. While the department has secured plea deals from several scientists, in September a federal judge acquitted the first professor to face trial, University of Tennessee, Knoxville nanotechnologist Anming Hu, after concluding the prosecutors’ case against him was unpersuasive. The department is facing increasing pressure to reform its approach from scientific organizations and even a former prosecutor for the initiative, who argue its focus on nondisclosure of funding has strayed from the overarching goal of countering economic espionage by the Chinese government. While DOJ has dropped several cases involving scientists in recent months, it is pressing ahead with several others. Unrelated to Lieber’s trial, the Cato Institute is holding an event on Thursday to discuss the China Initiative’s “origins and consequences,” and on Saturday Hu is speaking about his trial at a webinar organized by the Asian American Scholar Forum, which was established in response to the initiative.

Event to Explore Ethical Risks of US-China Research Collaborations

The Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank, is holding a webinar on Wednesday to discuss ethical risks posed by research collaborations with entities in China that develop technologies with defense applications or that facilitate mass surveillance and human rights abuses. Among the panelists are contributors to recent reports published by the institution that offer frameworks for evaluating ethical and research security risks of US–China collaborations. The U.S. government has placed increasingly stringent limits on interactions with various Chinese entities deemed to be supporting the Chinese military or that are implicated in the repression of Uyghurs, most recently the AI company SenseTime and various quantum technology organizations. Separately this week, the Hudson Institute, another conservative think tank, is holding an event with Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) to discuss their National Critical Capabilities Defense Act, which would establish a process for blocking U.S. entities from investing in certain advanced industries in China.

Academies to Assess Methods of Anticipating Catastrophic Hazards

On Friday, the National Academies is convening a daylong workshop on “anticipating rare events of major significance.” The workshop is sponsored by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and will review current and prospective methods of predicting both anthropogenic and natural hazards, such as pandemics and the use of weapons of mass destruction. The chair of the workshop organizing committee is Christopher Barrett, the founding executive director of the Biocomplexity Institute at the University of Virginia. The Academies is holding a second public workshop on the topic on Dec. 21 and will also hold a separate classified workshop.

In Case You Missed It

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, center, tours a carbon capture pilot project at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Abbott Power Plant on Dec. 9. The university’s Prairie Research Institute developed the project with support from the Department of Energy. (Image credit – DOE)

DOE Prepares for Influx of Demonstration Project Funding

The Department of Energy issued a request for input last week on “technologies ready to be demonstrated that reduce carbon emissions and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.” The request responds to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which President Biden signed into law on Nov. 15 and will provide more than $62 billion to DOE over multiple years, including about $12.5 billion for carbon management R&D, infrastructure, and technology demonstrations. DOE is casting a broad net in considering its next moves, seeking perspectives from “industry, investors, developers, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, NGOs, and potentially affected communities (including environmental justice, Tribal, energy transition, and other communities).” The department states it is interested in “the entire life cycle of these technologies, including fossil fuel supply chain considerations, future system risks, and social/institutional context.” Through the infrastructure act, DOE is also receiving $9.5 billion for hydrogen production technology and it obtained more than 200 responses to a similar request for information issued for that area last summer. Altogether, funding from the act is set to transformatively expand DOE’s technology portfolio, and the department will have to rapidly scale up its ability to select and oversee large projects. Decarbonization advocates are also watching DOE’s moves to see to what degree they subsidize fossil fuel companies, which are well-positioned to compete for full-scale carbon-management and hydrogen-production projects.

Coordinating Basic and Applied Research a Focus at BESAC Meeting

At its meeting last week, the Department of Energy’s Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee heard from a trio of representatives from “science and energy technology teams” the department is setting up to deepen coordination between its basic research and applied energy technology programs. The presentations focused on hydrogen production, long-duration energy storage, and methods of removing technology directly from the atmosphere, which are the subjects of three “Energy Earthshot” initiatives the department announced this year. DOE expects to have announced a total of between six and eight such Earthshots by later next year. Their objective is to set capability and price goals that will focus R&D efforts around the Biden administration’s decarbonization agenda. At the meeting, it was also announced that MIT physicist Marc Kastner is stepping down as BESAC chair and will be succeeded by Harvard University chemist and Kavli Foundation President Cynthia Friend. Friend co-chaired a recent BESAC study that warned the U.S. is losing its clear global leadership position in the kinds of research and facilities supported by DOE’s Basic Energy Sciences program.

Study Proposes Billions for R&D on Ocean-Based Carbon Removal

The National Academies released a report last week that outlines the feasibility and costs of scaling up six types of ocean-based methods for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The study recommends the U.S. spend around $2.5 billion over 10 years to further explore their viability, of which $125 million would be for foundational research relevant to all methods of ocean-based carbon dioxide removal, such as development of monitoring systems and international governance frameworks. The remainder would be distributed across the six techniques, which range from seaweed cultivation and coastal restoration efforts to artificially altering ocean chemistry to enhance carbon dioxide uptake. The committee was chaired by University of Virginia oceanographer Scott Doney and sponsored by the ClimateWorks Foundation, a climate research philanthropy. Its report builds off a 2019 Academies report that largely examined four land-based techniques.

Rosenworcel Confirmed as FCC Chair

On Dec. 7, the Senate voted 68 to 31 to confirm Jessica Rosenworcel to the Federal Communications Commission for another five-year term. Rosenworcel has been a member of the commission since 2012, and in October President Biden selected her to serve as its chair. Rosenworcel will play a central role in managing disputes over spectrum use by 5G devices and other commercial applications, which could disrupt its use by applications such as weather satellites and the Global Positioning System. At her confirmation hearing, Rosenworcel said that FCC should coordinate more effectively with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which represents federal users of spectrum. The nomination of Biden’s pick to lead the NTIA, Alan Davidson, is up for a vote this Wednesday by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

Finalists for $1 Billion Industry Cluster Competition Named

On Dec. 13, the Commerce Department announced 60 finalists for its $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge, which aims to seed “regional industry clusters” across the U.S. Each finalist will receive around $500,000 to refine their proposals for the final competition, through which the department will issue between 20 and 30 awards of up to $100 million each. Many of the proposals focus on technological innovation and a number are led by universities, including Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Northeastern University, the State University of New York, the University of Alabama, the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the University of Maine, the University of Rhode Island, the University of Memphis, and Wichita State University.

Events This Week

All times are Eastern Standard Time, unless otherwise noted. Listings do not imply endorsement.

Monday, December 13

AGU: Fall meeting (continues through Friday)

National Academies: “Four Years of the Roundtable on Systemic Change in Undergraduate STEM Education: Prioritizing What’s Next for the Roundtable”
(continues Tuesday)

National Academies: “Post-Exascale Computing for the National Nuclear Security Administration,” meeting two
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Congressional Soils Caucus: “The Catastrophic Erosion of Soil and How to Stop It”
2:00 - 3:00 pm

NSF: National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force meeting
11:00 - 5:00 pm

Hudson Institute: “Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19”
12:00 - 1:00 pm

National Academies: “Lessons-Learned in the Implementation of NASA’s Earth Venture Class: Venture-Class Launch Vehicle Options”
12:00 - 1:00 pm

Tuesday, December 14

ITIF: “China vs. The WTO: Two Decades of Dissembling and Dysfunction”
9:00 - 10:30 am

Senate: Hearing on the nomination of Robert Califf as FDA commissioner
10:00 am, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Bureau of Industry and Security: Regulations and Procedures Technical Advisory Committee meeting
10:00 am

National Academies: “Tracking Radiation Doses from Medical Diagnostic Procedures”
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

National Academies: “Advising NSF on its Efforts to Achieve the Nation’s Vision for the Materials Genome Initiative,” meeting 17
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Center for American Progress: “Wall Street’s Carbon Bubble”
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

NASA: Technology, Innovation, and Engineering Advisory Committee meeting
11:00 am - 4:30 pm

CSIS: “U.S.-China Health Security Cooperation: Time is of the Essence”
12:00 - 1:00 pm

CSIS: “Building Apollo’s Arsenal: Acquiring COVID-19’s Lessons Learned for Government-Bioeconomy Partnership”
1:30 - 2:30 pm

House: “The Urgent Need to Accelerate Vaccinations Around the World”
2:00 pm, Oversight and Reform Committee

National Academies: Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board meeting
2:00 - 4:30 pm

ASPI: “Benchmarking Critical Technologies: Building an Evidence Base for an Informed Critical Technologies Strategy”
5:30 - 6:30 pm AEDT

Wednesday, December 15

National Academies: “Equity in PreK-12 STEM Education,” kickoff meeting
(continues Thursday)

Senate: Hearing to advance NTIA administrator nominee. Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act
10:00 am, Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Hoover Institution: “Eyes Wide Open: Ethical Risk in Research Collaboration with China”
10:00 - 11:00 am PST

WRI: “Building Back Better: A Conversation with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) about the Economic and Jobs Benefits of Climate-Smart Investments”
11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Hudson Institute: “Safeguarding America’s Critical Supply Chain Capabilities: A Discussion with Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Cornyn (R-TX)”
12:00 - 1:00 pm

NSF: “Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026: Supporting Arctic Research Collaborations for the Next Five Years”
12:15 - 1:15 pm

NRC: Medical Uses of Isotopes Advisory Committee meeting
2:00 - 4:00 pm

NASA: Aeronautics Advisory Council meeting
2:15 - 6:00 pm

American Enterprise Institute: “Expertise and Objectivity in Science and Politics”
2:30 - 3:30 pm

Senate: “The Impact of Consolidation and Monopoly Power on American Innovation”
2:30 pm, Judiciary Committee

Beyond Earth: “Recognizing Property and Ownership in Space”
3:00 - 5:00 pm

ASU CSPO: “Operationalizing Public Participation in Federal Science and Tech Policy: A ‘Whole of Society’ Approach”
3:00 - 5:30 pm

Thursday, December 16

Berkeley Lab: “Advancing Equity in Utility Regulation”
9:30 am PST

Carnegie Endowment: “Is There a Future for Nuclear Arms Control?”
10:00 - 11:15 am

Commerce Department: Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee meeting
10:00 am - 3:00 pm

National Academies: “Merits and Viability of Different Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Technology Options and the Waste Aspects of Advanced Nuclear Reactors,” meeting 13
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

SSURF: Presentation by Vanessa Chan, Director of DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions
11:00 am MST

House: “Protecting Smithsonian Facilities And Collections Against Climate Change”
12:00 pm, Administration Committee

POSTPONED -- OSTP: Listening session on orbital debris remediation
1:00 - 3:00 pm

Cato Institute: “The China Initiative: Origins and Consequences”
1:00 - 3:00 pm

Council on Competitiveness: 2021 National Competitiveness Forum
1:00 - 4:00 pm

CSIS: “Ocean Security Forum 2021”
1:00 - 5:00 pm

CSIS: “Assuring U.S. Global Competitiveness in Science, Technology and Commerce,” with Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI)
2:00 - 2:45 pm

National Academies: “Leading Practices for Improving Accessibility and Inclusion in Field and Laboratory Science: A Conversation Series”
2:00 - 3:00 pm

National Academies: “Advising NSF on its Efforts to Achieve the Nation’s Vision for the Materials Genome Initiative,” meeting 18
2:00 - 3:00 pm

NSF: “Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026,” report release
2:00 - 3:00 pm

NSPN: “The Case for Rural America: Investing in Education and Science”
2:00 - 3:15 pm CST

NIH: “From Peril to Promise: Equity and Integrity in Science and Technology,” lecture by Alondra Nelson
3:00 pm

CSET: “Deconstructing China’s Vision for the Future of Warfare”
4:00 - 5:00 pm

National Academies: “Review of FCC Order 20-48 Authorizing Operation of a Terrestrial Radio Network Near the GPS Frequency Bands”
5:00 - 8:00 pm

Friday, December 17

National Academies: “Workshop on Anticipating Rare Events of Major Significance”
10:30 am - 4:30 pm

National Defense University Foundation: “The Quantum Frontier: Changing the National Security Landscape”
11:00 am

Washington Post: Interview with NIH Director Francis Collins
2:15 pm

Issues in Science and Technoloogy: “Does Engineering Education Need a Revolution?”
3:00 - 4:00 pm

Saturday, December 18

Asian American Scholar Forum: “The China Initiative and Professor Anming Hu’s Case”
11:00 am

Monday, December 20

Environmental Law Institute: “Coastal Impacts of Climate Change: The Surfside Condominium Collapse and Future Risks”
12:00 - 1:30 pm

Opportunities

USGCRP Seeking Comments on Draft Plan

The U.S. Global Change Research Program is accepting input on a draft of its strategic plan for the next decade. USGCRP is particularly seeking responses that address “ideas on emerging, large-scale scientific questions related to global change and/or response, especially those where interagency collaboration will be critical; specific information on how science is or is not being used to inform societal response to climate change, and why; and knowledge gaps and obstacles to implementing scientific tools or knowledge.” Submissions are due Jan. 11, 2022.

STPI Hiring S&T Policy Fellows

The Science and Technology Policy Institute is seeking candidates for its two-year fellowship program. Fellows work as research assistants on projects that provide independent analysis to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and other federal science agencies. Individuals who have received a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field between May 2020 and July 2022 are eligible to apply. Applications are due Jan. 18, 2022.

NASA Hiring Earth Science Division Deputy Director

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is accepting applications for the deputy director of its Earth Science Division, which oversees a $2.3 billion portfolio of investments in satellites, research, and technology development. Applications are due Jan. 3, 2022.

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.