What’s Ahead
Global Research Leaders Convene in Kyoto
With Congress on recess, it is expected to be a slower week for science policy in Washington, D.C. On the other side of the globe, though, leaders in research, government, and business have gathered in Japan this week for the annual Science and Technology in Society forum , currently taking place in Kyoto through Tuesday. The event aims to foster top-level conversations concerning a wide range of S&T-related issues bearing on the quality of life around the world. Among U.S. science agency officials in attendance are Department of Energy Under Secretary for Science Paul Dabbar and DOE Office of Science Director Chris Fall, who participated in Sunday sessions , and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Walter Copan, who is leading a Monday panel discussion on cybersecurity. NASA Chief Scientist Jim Green is participating in another panel on Monday on science and technology diplomacy and international collaboration. Rush Holt, the former CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, will chair a concluding plenary session on Tuesday on development and sustainability for the future of humankind. Summaries of previous forums are posted here .
Ohio and Indiana Universities Holding ‘National Lab Day’
Indiana University, Purdue University, and the University of Notre Dame are joining together to host the Indiana National Lab Day on Monday to highlight the state’s research capabilities and opportunities for federal research collaborations. Although the state does not host a national laboratory, ten labs run by the Department of Energy are participating in the event. Panel discussions will focus on four major national research priorities: quantum information science, artificial intelligence, hypersonics, and trusted microelectronics. White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Kelvin Droegemeier will speak at the end of the event in a session that is open to the public. Later in the week, the University of Toledo in Ohio is holding a similar event featuring the directors of ten DOE national labs and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), who chairs the House appropriations subcommittee for the department. Like Indiana, Ohio also does not host any DOE labs, and Kaptur has previously expressed interest in the labs doing more to benefit states that lack them. (Note: This item has been updated to include reference to the Ohio event.)
Delayed Ionospheric Research Satellite Set for Launch
NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) satellite is scheduled for an airborne launch Wednesday off the coast of Florida. ICON was originally scheduled to launch in 2017 but has been repeatedly delayed due to problems with the Pegasus rocket that will transport it into orbit. The satellite has an anticipated lifecycle cost of about $250 million and will observe the Earth’s upper atmosphere to improve understanding of how solar activity affects conditions on Earth, including its potentially disruptive effects on electronics. NASA plans to hold a briefing on the mission on Tuesday that will be aired on NASA TV.
In Case You Missed It
Task Force Urges Lawmakers to Shore Up Scientific Integrity
The New York University-based Brennan Center for Justice released a report on Oct. 3 recommending Congress codify a host of new requirements for how federal agencies handle research and data, how appointed officials interact with researchers, and what qualifications appointees to scientific positions must have. While noting previous presidential administrations have infringed on scientific integrity, the report asserts the matter has reached a “crisis point” within the Trump administration, “with almost weekly violations of previously respected safeguards.” Among the numerous examples it cites are last month’s scandal over Hurricane Dorian forecasts, the Environmental Protection Agency’s reconfiguration of its advisory boards’ membership, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ongoing relocation of two scientific and economic analysis offices, which has already led many of their employees to resign. The report is the second volume to be released by the Brennan Center’s National Task Force on the Rule of Law and Democracy, an eight-person group chaired by former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara and Christine Todd Whitman, a former Republican governor of New Jersey and EPA administrator under President George W. Bush.
Democrats Introduce Bill to Shield Science Advisory Panels
Reps. Sean Casten (D-IL), Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Mike Quigley (D-IL) introduced a bill on Sept. 27 that would restrict the ability of the president or any federal government official to terminate federal advisory committees. Titled the Preserve Science in Policymaking Act , it responds to the executive order that President Trump signed in June requiring most federal agencies to disband one-third of their committees that were not established through statute or presidential directive. The deadline for implementing the order was Sept. 30, but it is unclear if any agencies have followed through. The new bill would require either statutory authorization or the unanimous consent of the relevant federal agency’s chief data officer, chief evaluation officer, and chief information officer to terminate an advisory committee. Even if enacted, though, the bill would not restore any committees that had already been terminated.
Science Committee Chair Presses FCC for 5G Interference Studies
With electromagnetic spectrum regulators from around the world meeting at the end of the month to hash out rules for 5G telecommunications technologies, House Science Committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chair Ajit Pai on Sept. 30 arguing it is “imperative” that U.S. agencies resolve disagreements over acceptable interference levels before then. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have warned that FCC’s proposed emissions limits could lead to a severe degradation of weather forecasts as terrestrial 5G signals interfere with satellite measurements of water vapor. Johnson requests that FCC provide any internal or external analyses it used to conclude its proposed limit would have “no impact on weather data.” In conjunction with the letter, Johnson made public two technical studies produced by NASA and NOAA that dispute FCC’s proposed guidelines.
STEM Diversity Bills Reintroduced in Senate
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced two bills last week that aim to boost the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM fields. One is a companion to the STEM Opportunities Act , which House Science Committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced in May and the House passed by voice vote last month. Though the House bill is cosponsored by Science Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK), the Senate version does not currently have a Republican cosponsor. Hirono’s second bill is the Women and Minorities in STEM Booster Act , which would direct the National Science Foundation to issue grants that support outreach and mentorship opportunities for students and the retention of faculty from underrepresented groups. The House version was reintroduced on the same day by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY).
Keep STEM Talent Act Introduced in House
On Oct. 4, House Science Committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL) introduced a companion bill to the Keep STEM Talent Act , which was introduced by five Democratic senators in June. The bill aims to make it easier for international students to remain in the U.S. after receiving advanced degrees in STEM fields by waiving green card caps in certain cases and by enabling new students to declare they intend to seek permanent residence in the U.S. upon graduation. Several scientific societies have endorsed the bill, including the American Physical Society and The Optical Society . (APS and OSA are AIP Member Societies).
NSF Issues First Grants From New Midscale Infrastructure Program
The National Science Foundation has announced the first ten grant awards from its new agency-wide midscale research infrastructure program, which funds projects costing between $6 million and $20 million as well as design studies for future projects. Three of the awards will support design studies for the Cosmic Microwave Background-S4 experiment , the Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope , and a room-sized Compact X-ray Free Electron Laser . The rest will support a variety of instrument acquisition and upgrade projects, such as the development of a 3 petawatt laser at the University of Michigan and a neutron spin echo spectrometer to be installed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The awards total $121 million, of which $90 million was from the midscale research infrastructure program. An NSF official told FYI the agency anticipates issuing awards through the program every other year and that it received $2.6 billion in project proposals through the first competition.
NSF Forms National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Lab
The National Science Foundation announced last week that it has consolidated the management of five ground-based telescope programs under a single organization called the National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory. The new organization will oversee the Gemini Observatory and the in-construction Large Synoptic Survey Telescope and will subsume the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which operates the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, and the Community Science and Data Center. The move was motivated by a desire to increase synergies among the facilities, with the new organizational structure resembling that of the European Southern Observatory, which manages a set of optical and infrared telescopes in Chile. The organization will be directed by astronomer Pat McCarthy, who was most recently vice president of the Giant Magellan Telescope project.
Ocean-Monitoring Satellite Concludes Mission
NASA announced on Oct. 4 that it has ended the Jason-2 Ocean Surface Topography Mission after 11 years in orbit. The satellite, which monitored global sea levels, had an original design life of three years and the decision to finally retire it stemmed from deterioration of the spacecraft’s power system, necessitating its transfer to a safe long-term orbit. Its measurements will be continued by a successor satellite, Jason-3, which launched in 2016. The Jason satellite series is a joint project of NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the French national space agency, and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites.
Events This Week
All times are Eastern Daylight Time and all congressional hearings are webcast, unless otherwise noted. Listings do not imply endorsement.
Monday, October 7
STS Forum: Science and Technology in Society Forum (continues Tuesday) Kyoto, Japan Indiana University: Indiana National Lab Day 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (Indianapolis, IN) CSIS: “A Vision for the Future of Missile Defense” 9:30 - 12:00 am, CSIS headquarters (1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, DC) Webcast available New America: “Community Colleges as Engines of Opportunity” 1:00 - 3:30 pm, New America headquarters (740 15th St. NW, DC) Webcast available
Tuesday, October 8
CSIS: “How Climate Change is Upending our View of Maritime Sustainability, Sovereignty, and Security” 8:45 am - 12:00 pm, CSIS headquarters (1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, DC) Webcast available House: “Silicon Prairie: Tech, Innovation, and a High-Skilled Workforce in the Heartland,” field hearing 10:00 am, Small Business Committee Kansas City Community College (Kansas City, KS) CSIS: “Oil and Gas Industry Engagement on Climate Change” 1:00 - 2:30 pm, CSIS headquarters (1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, DC) Webcast available AAAS: “Live Chat: Ask a Fellow Anything” 2:00 - 3:00 pm, Webinar
Wednesday, October 9
NNI: National Nanotechnology Day
Thursday, October 10
University of Toledo: National Lab Day (continues Friday) Toledo, OH
Friday, October 11
No events start today
Monday, October 14
Georgia Tech: Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy (continues through Wednesday) Atlanta, GA
Opportunities
Scientific Societies Sponsoring Congressional Science Fellows
Several scientific societies are now accepting applications for their 2020-2021 Congressional Science Fellowships programs, including the American Institute of Physics , American Meteorological Society , American Physical Society , The Optical Society , American Geophysical Union , and American Geosciences Institute , among others. Fellows will spend a year working in a congressional office in Washington, D.C., gaining experience in the policymaking process. Application deadlines vary by society.
STPI Hiring S&T Policy Fellows
The Science and Technology Policy Institute is seeking candidates for its two-year fellowship program. Fellows will gain experience in policy research and writing for 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 2018 and July 2020 are eligible to apply. Applications are due Jan. 11, 2020.
Science Coalition Holding Student Video Challenge
The Science Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group sponsored by U.S. research universities, is holding a “Fund it Forward” video challenge for students to share 60-90 second stories about the importance of science. Applicants must be a currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate student at one of the coalition’s member institutions to participate. Submissions are due Oct. 21.
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 .
Around the Web
News and views currently in circulation. Links do not imply endorsement.
White House
- Under Trump, the integrity of government research is in shambles (Washington Post, perspective by Preet Bharara and Christine Todd Whitman)
Congress
- Our new ‘science and tech spotlights’ (GAO)
- Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) on tech in Congress (Techdirt, audio)
- Dr. Greg Murphy (R-NC) joins House Science Committee (House Science Committee GOP)
Political Engagement
Science, Society, and the Economy
- How scientists finally got Americans to worry about the climate (Bloomberg, perspective by Faye Flam)
- Physics at Boeing runs the gamut from lightning strikes to neuromorphic processors, with a dash of metamaterials (Physics Today)
- Most Americans are wary of industry-funded research (Pew Research Center)
- An innovation challenge for the US (Aspen Cybersecurity Group)
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: 40 years of parody and predictions (Nature)
Education and Workforce
- Ongoing mentorship works for retaining minorities in STEM (Physics Today)
- Cal-Bridge: Creating pathways to the PhD for underrepresented students in physics and astronomy (Physics Today)
- ‘More women are being nominated’: Nobel academy head discusses diversity (Nature)
- Female scientists ‘forced out by hostile environment’ (Times Higher Education)
- Turmoil mounts at MIT Media Lab as scientist is ousted for sexual harassment (ScienceInsider)
- Student forum about MIT-Epstein relations held with Reif, senior admin present (The Tech)
- September faculty meeting calls for major changes in institute policy (MIT Faculty Newsletter)
- Teaching physics for tomorrow (Physics Today)
- Plans to relocate some 550 USDA employees fall vastly short of expectations (Federal News Network)
Research Management
- Research on research gains steam (Chemical & Engineering News)
- How AI could change science (University of Chicago)
- Paving a path for AI in physics research (Physics, interview with Brian Nord)
- Use of grand challenges in the federal government (STPI, report)
- Will Thomas on the history and sciences of R&D policy (Acquisition Talk, interview)
- A kinder research culture is possible (Nature, editorial)
- Two-thirds of researchers report ‘pressure to cite’ in Nature poll (Nature)
- Why scholarly societies are vitally important to the academic ecosystem (Scholarly Kitchen, perspective by Robert Harington)
- Preprints make inroads outside of physics (APS News)
- The research data sharing business landscape (Scholarly Kitchen)
- US researchers on front line of battle against Chinese theft (AP)
Labs and Facilities
- Ashley Finnian named director of National Reactor Innovation Center (Idaho National Lab)
- National security chip plant gets an upgrade (Sandia National Labs)
- Fermilab and University of Bern join forces for neutrino physics (Fermilab)
- Nearly a decade in the making, exoplanet-hunting instrument installed in Hawaii (University of Chicago)
- Chamber sold ‘prosperity insurance’ in its efforts to bring Radio Propagation Lab to town (Boulder Daily Camera)
- Radio station WWV celebrates a century of service (NIST)
Energy
- Rick Perry planning to step down as energy secretary by year end (Washington Post)
- Perry’s legacy? Expansion of agency he’d vowed to kill (E&E News)
- If Perry leaves DOE, his deputy seems likely to sustain his policies (Roll Call)
- Energy Secretary Advisory Board briefed on ‘staggering’ NNSA hiring goals (Exchange Monitor)
- The US military’s key role in advancing clean energy innovation: What I would have said to Bill Gates (BU Institute for Sustainable Energy, perspective by Dorothy Robyn)
- Nuclear fusion could be the clean energy the world needs — and private companies are working on machines to harness it (Bloomberg)
- UK announces £220m to design a ‘commercially viable’ fusion power plant (Physics World)
- US Supreme Court scheduled to consider SC plutonium appeal (Aiken Standard)
Quantum Science and Technology
- Beyond quantum supremacy: The hunt for useful quantum computers (Nature)
- Why I called it ‘quantum supremacy’ (Quanta, perspective by John Preskill)
- From quantum supremacy to classical fallacy (Shtetl-Optimized)
- Quantum gold rush: The private funding pouring into quantum start-ups (Nature)
- New Boulder facility to help pave the way for quantum computers (CU Boulder Today)
- Are agencies like DOE funding quantum technology wisely? (Fedscoop)
Space
- Former NASA chief technologist to lead JPL planetary exploration program (SpaceNews)
- NASA signals openness to change with new Solar System exploration hire (Ars Technica)
- NASA issues call for proposals for human lunar landers (SpaceNews)
- Intelligent ways to search for extraterrestrials (New Yorker)
- Falling space reactors: Assessing the risk (Federation of American Scientists, report)
- Software fix planned to restore DSCOVR (SpaceNews)
- How long will the Hubble Space Telescope last? (Astronomy.com)
- Virgin Galactic to fly Italian Air Force research mission (SpaceNews)
Weather, Climate, and Environment
- Weather community grieves NOAA scientist Bill Lapenta’s death (Washington Post)
- The Category-1-to-5 Saffir-Simpson scale for rating hurricanes is inadequate (Scientific American, perspective by Jeff Masters)
- US contributes millions to historic Arctic climate mission (E&E News)
- Former Obama science adviser says somber intergovernmental panel report may understate the urgency (Harvard Gazette, interview with John Holdren)
- It’s time to move beyond the toy models that guide climate policy (Forbes, perspective by Roger Pielke, Jr.)
- Scientists on Arctic expedition choose ice floe that’ll be home for a year (New York Times)
- New York City wants to put a climate change ‘laboratory’ on governors island (New York Times)
- No mention of climate change in US National Drought Resilience Partnership (Center for Climate and Security)
- Trump administration drops two advisory boards on environment (The Scientist)
- USDA relocation has delayed key studies and millions in funding, employees say (Washington Post)
Defense
- Interview with Chief of Naval Research David Hahn (Defense Media Network)
- Space Development Agency lays out five-year plan in $11 billion proposed budget (SpaceNews)
- DARPA wants a robotic satellite mechanic launched by 2022 (C4ISRNet)
- ‘Big, fat, juicy targets’ — the problem with existing early-warning satellites. And a solution (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, perspective by Jaganath Sankaran)
- Democrats should not give new nukes to a president they want to impeach (Defense One, perspective by Tom Collina)
- China showcases advanced weapons in anniversary parade (Wall Street Journal)
- Technological reparations in the aftermath of World War II (Physics Today, book review)
Biomedical
- NIH investigates foreign influence at US grantee institutions (NIH Record)
- US researchers and reviewers face increased scrutiny over foreign links (BMJ)
- US government to biotech: You’re facing threats — but we can help (Texas Medical Center)
- Three percent of NIH grants involved a direct financial conflict of interest, watchdog report finds (ScienceInsider)
- Major radiology organizations publish statement on ethics of AI in radiology (American College of Radiology)
- India pushes for alternatives to animals in biomedical research (Nature)
International Affairs
- Science bridges international borders (Chemical & Engineering News)
- Aide to Prime Minister Johnson: After Brexit science is top priority (BBC News)
- Boris Johnson jokes about UK being ‘on the verge’ of nuclear fusion (New Scientist)
- Nuclear fusion lab praised by Boris Johnson in Tory conference speech is funded mostly by EU (Independent)
- Split decisions: How Brexit has taken a toll on five researchers (ScienceInsider)
- Huawei buys access to UK innovation with Oxford stake (Financial Times)
- French research budget disappoints (Nature)
- Incoming EU research chief promises action to bridge Europe’s science gap (Science|Business)
- Europe seeks broader support and impact for science projects (Science)
- Insights into European research funder policies and practices (SPARC Europe, report)
- China: How science made a superpower (Nature, perspective by Shellen Wu)
- The Chinese Academy of Sciences at 70 (Nature, editorial)