What’s Ahead

Senate Appropriators to Hear Appeal for Artemis Funding

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine is appearing before Senate appropriators on Wednesday, with the agency’s Artemis program likely to dominate the conversation. NASA has requested a funding ramp-up of more than $3 billion in the coming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, in pursuit of its goal of returning astronauts to the Moon in 2024. House appropriators have proposed providing only a fraction of that amount, but their Senate counterparts have yet to release their own proposal and generally have been more favorably disposed to Artemis. Congress is currently preparing a stopgap measure that will keep most of the federal government operating at current funding levels until a final appropriations deal can be reached, which is likely months away. The hearing may illuminate if a delay in receiving a final appropriation could disrupt the Artemis program’s tight schedule. Bridenstine could also be pressed for details on the prospect he has recently mentioned of moving the site of a first crewed landing from the lunar south pole region to an easier-to-reach destination, such as one of the old Apollo landing sites. Bridenstine is discussing “early Artemis exploration plans” in a media teleconference on Monday afternoon.

House to Vote on Sprawling Energy Policy Bill

The House is scheduled to vote this week on the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act , a sweeping collection of bills that is a counterpart to the Senate’s American Energy Innovation Act . Both contain numerous R&D-focused provisions spanning wind, solar, geothermal, water, and nuclear energy, as well as grid security, energy storage, critical minerals, and advanced manufacturing. If a reconciled bill is enacted before the current Congress expires in January, it would represent the first comprehensive update to national energy policy since 2007. The Senate’s bill stalled in March due to a dispute over a provision phasing down the use of hydrofluorocarbons, a greenhouse gas. While bipartisan agreement has now been reached on that issue, even if the broader bill passed, significant differences with the House bill would still need to be ironed out. Moreover, there are heavy demands on the little legislative time remaining this year, and all the more so with the Senate’s upcoming battle over filling Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s seat on the Supreme Court.

DOE Report on Applications of AI to Science Set for Release

During a two day meeting late this week, the Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee will discuss and approve a report the Department of Energy requested last year on the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to science. The committee was asked to specifically consider challenges and opportunities presented by a dramatic increase in data from new and upgraded scientific facilities, and to recommend strategies for making the most of new computational capabilities. The committee may also discuss a reported delay in the completion of the Aurora exascale computer at Argonne National Lab, which has attracted the attention of Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA), a member of the House Science Committee. The delay is linked to production problems being experienced by Intel, the computer’s manufacturer, which may lead the company to shift some chip production overseas, cutting against the aspiration of keeping Aurora’s production entirely domestic. Other subjects on this week’s meeting agenda include the quantum information science center awards DOE recently announced and the prospects of applying graphic processing units to Earth system science .

Astronomy Panel Discussing Future of NOIRLab

The interagency Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee is meeting this week to discuss a number of issues bearing on the National Science Foundation’s recently formed National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab), which oversees four major ground-based observatories. The committee will discuss NOIRLab’s strategic vision as well as a report the lab released last month on strategies for mitigating the impact of satellite megaconstellations on optical astronomy. In addition, NSF will provide an update on the construction of NOIRLab’s Rubin Observatory, which the agency has previously stated will require a schedule “replan” due to the coronavirus pandemic. The committee will also hear updates on the recently completed decadal survey of plasma science and the forthcoming astronomy and astrophysics decadal survey, which is expected to be released in spring 2021.

Workshop to Examine State of Wildfire Smoke Science

Following weeks of devastating wildfires in the western U.S., the National Academies is holding a three day workshop beginning Wednesday to discuss the health effects of wildfire smoke and methods for forecasting air quality. The workshop will bring researchers in atmospheric chemistry and public health together with local decision makers, including the mayor of Ashland, Oregon, and the chair of California’s Air Resources Board. The first day will focus on the state of the science, including research on smoke transport in the atmosphere and communicating health impacts, while the second and third days of the workshop will focus on research needs and mechanisms to improve information exchange.

Earth System Predictability Initiative Unfolding

The National Academies is hosting a webinar on Tuesday to check in on the federal government’s initiative to better understand the practical limits of Earth system predictions and increase their usefulness for decision-makers. White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Kelvin Droegemeier, who is a meteorologist, will deliver an update on the work of a “fast track action committee” of federal agency representatives tasked with developing a national R&D strategy on the subject. The event will also include a panel discussion with American Meteorological Society President Mary Glackin, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research President Tony Busalacchi, American Geophysical Union President-Elect Susan Lozier, and Kevin Petty from The Weather Company.

APS Continues Dialogue on Diversity in Physics

The American Physical Society is hosting a webinar on Monday on removing barriers between Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other institutions as a way to help increase the representation of Black students in physics. The panel will feature physics faculty from HBCUs, who will highlight examples of successful partnership programs involving HBCUs, Minority Serving Institutions, and Predominantly Black Institutions, such as the Fisk–Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program . APS President-Elect Jim Gates will moderate the panel, and National Society of Black Physicists President Stephon Alexander will deliver opening remarks. The event is the second in a series of discussions on racial equity co-sponsored with NSBP, African American Women in Physics, the American Association of Physics Teachers, and AIP, the first of which was held in June.

In Case You Missed It

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) discusses wildfire management with President Trump on Sept. 14.

(Image credit – Shealah Craighead / The White House)

Wildfires Bring Climate Science to the Political Fore

President Trump’s attitudes toward climate science returned to public attention last week as wildfires ravaged the western U.S. and air quality deteriorated all along the Pacific coast. Visiting California on Sept. 14, Trump was pressed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and the state’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot about climate change’s role in feeding such events, prompting him to insist the climate would “start getting cooler.” Told by Crowfoot, “I wish science agreed with you,” Trump replied, “Well, I don’t think science knows, actually.” In a speech the same day at the Delaware Natural History Museum, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden blasted Trump’s leadership on climate-related disasters, saying, “If you give a climate arsonist four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if you have more of America ablaze? … We need a president who respects science, who understands that the damage from climate change is already here.”

NOAA Appointment Stokes Climate Science Integrity Concerns

The Trump administration’s appointment of fringe climatologist David Legates to a high-level position at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has met with widespread blowback. House Science Committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) released a statement indicating she was “extremely concerned” by the “quiet weekend appointment,” and calling on Legates to publicly affirm that he would uphold the agency’s scientific integrity policy. “At a time when our nation is suffering from compound climate hazards and extreme weather, including devastating wildfires and extreme heat in the West, derechos in the Midwest, and a record-setting hyperactive Atlantic hurricane season, Dr. Legates’ appointment is not only troubling but potentially dangerous,” she wrote. The American Geophysical Union went further in its own criticism, demanding that Legates’ appointment be rescinded, writing that the move “not only threatens our ability to combat the climate crisis and protect our planet for future generations, it undermines scientific integrity at NOAA.”

Trump and Health Appointees Batter CDC’s Scientific Integrity

President Trump said at a press briefing on Sept. 16 that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield had been “confused” when he told a congressional committee earlier that day a COVID-19 vaccine might not be widely distributed until summer or fall next year. Two days later, Trump announced that all Americans would have access to a vaccine by April. These developments have added to widespread concern that the federal government’s vaccine approval process will be manipulated to boost Trump’s reelection chances, which is already affecting public confidence . The episode also came just as the CDC was plunged into tumult over interference from political appointees at the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the agency. According to media reports , the department’s chief spokesperson Michael Caputo and science adviser Paul Alexander modified content in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports to quash negative pandemic narratives. Other internal correspondence details efforts to control communications with the public about the pandemic. Last week, the scandal came to a head after Caputo posted a video to Facebook accusing CDC “deep state scientists” of “sedition” against Trump and of wanting to prolong the pandemic to undercut his chances in the upcoming presidential election. He also told followers to prepare for violence surrounding the election and complained of the pandemic’s effects on his physical and mental health. After the episode made national headlines, Caputo apologized for his remarks and took two months of medical leave , while Alexander left the department altogether. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has called on HHS Secretary Alex Azar to resign over his management of the department. Even before these latest events, the CDC had been widely criticized — including by five of its former directors — for mustering a listless and politicized response to the pandemic. As of this week, COVID-19 has killed more than 200,000 Americans.

Major Science Media Outlets Turn Starkly Against Trump

Last week, Scientific American announced it is supporting Democratic candidate Joe Biden for president, marking the first time in its 175 year history that the magazine has issued an endorsement. The magazine’s editors condemned President Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and rollbacks of environmental protections while praising Biden’s proposals to control COVID-19 and invest trillions of dollars in clean energy R&D. “The evidence and the science show that Donald Trump has badly damaged the U.S. and its people — because he rejects evidence and science,” they wrote. A week earlier, Holden Thorp, editor-in-chief of the scientific journal and magazine Science, struck a similar note in an editorial denouncing Trump’s efforts to downplay the severity of the pandemic earlier this year while privately acknowledging its severity to journalist Bob Woodward. Thorp wrote that Trump “lied about science in a way that was imminently dangerous to human health and directly led to widespread deaths of Americans,” and suggested it might be the “most shameful moment in the history of U.S. science policy.” In an interview with Wired, Thorp discussed Science’s increasingly critical approach to covering Trump, saying, “I believe we’ve been overly deferential to the idea that we should stay out of it.”

Inhofe Intensifies Battle Over Nuclear Agency’s Autonomy

At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last week, Committee Chair Jim Inhofe (R-OK) stoked the ongoing conflict within Congress and the Trump administration over how the budget of the semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration is formulated. Inhofe is seeking to increase the Defense Department-dominated Nuclear Weapons Council’s influence in the process, and at the hearing he accused unnamed “individuals from the Department of Energy,” which oversees NNSA, of developing proposals with House Democrats that would decrease that influence, such as making the secretaries of energy and defense the council’s co-chairs. Inhofe also presented letters objecting to the proposals from Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord , who currently chairs the council, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper . Any changes to present arrangements are most likely to be made through the annual National Defense Authorization Act or Congress’ appropriations legislation, which are not expected to be finalized until sometime after the November election.

NASA Auditor Flags Lunar Science Landers, SOFIA Shortcomings

NASA’s Office of Inspector General released an audit last week identifying risks in the agency’s burgeoning portfolio of planetary science missions. The report pointedly criticizes NASA’s Commercial Launch Provider Services (CLPS) program, a relatively new initiative that aims to convey science and technology payloads to the Moon using landers developed and operated by commercial suppliers. It finds the short timetable the program affords its commercial partners from awarding a task order to launch is “extremely aggressive and not likely to be met.” The office also notes NASA has selected contractors with “poor financial and technical resources and unsatisfactory performance history,” and not yet developed common interfaces between landers and instruments. NASA has maintained the CLPS program deliberately embraces higher risk as part of a philosophy of encouraging competitive innovation by taking more “shots on goal.” The report also observes the increasing lifecycle costs of NASA’s planetary science spacecraft could reduce the cadence of future missions. For instance, it notes the next middle-scale mission, the Dragonfly rotorcraft to Saturn’s moon Titan, has an expected $2 billion lifecycle cost, whereas previous missions in that class had costs closer to $1 billion. Last week, the office also released a separate audit of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), finding the airborne telescope has a “poor efficiency on a science-per-dollar basis” compared to other observatories and is likely to significantly undershoot its expected research publication output. NASA proposed cancelling SOFIA in 2014 and its most recent budget request , citing the observatory’s high operating costs relative to its scientific output.

Possible Signs of Life at Venus Put Focus on New Missions

The discovery announced last week that Venus’ atmosphere harbors the chemical phosphine has raised the possibility that life exists there, which may increase the chances of more science missions being sent to study the planet. On Earth, phosphine is only synthesized artificially or through biological processes in oxygen-deprived environments, and it is also believed to be produced deep in the atmospheres of the Solar System’s gas giants. At Venus, no known abiotic chemical process can account for its presence, though it is possible some unknown process may occur there. Reacting to the announcement, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted , “It’s time to prioritize Venus.” Any prospective mission would need to go through a formal selection process. Two concepts, DAVINCI+ and VERITAS, are currently under consideration for NASA’s next small-scale planetary science mission. Venus mission concepts will also figure into the deliberations of the next planetary science decadal survey , which is expected to be complete in 2022 and could recommend Venus for a flagship-scale mission . One component of a flagship mission that might now attract more focus is a balloon craft that would undertake extended studies in Venus’ upper atmosphere, high above the planet’s inhospitable surface.

Senate Democrats Propose R&D Surge in China Competition Plan

Last week, 11 Senate Democrats led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) previewed legislation that calls for spending more than $350 billion to shore up U.S. competitiveness against China, with an emphasis on increasing support for research and technology development initiatives. According to a section-by-section summary of the bill, called the America LEADS Act, it will recommend Congress allocate $300 billion for R&D over four years across federal agencies, increase support for STEM education and technology commercialization programs, and expand advanced manufacturing initiatives such as the Manufacturing USA network of institutes . The legislation also aggregates provisions from various pending bills, including the CHIPS for America Act , and endorses the idea of creating a technology directorate at the National Science Foundation, as proposed in Schumer’s Endless Frontier Act .

Quantum, Energy Tech, and Forensics Bills Introduced

Members of the House Science Committee introduced bills last week addressing quantum information science, energy technology commercialization, and forensic science:

Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) introduced the Quantum User Expansion for Science and Technology (QUEST) Act , which would direct the Department of Energy to create a program to facilitate access to quantum computing resources for research purposes. It recommends funding of $30 million for fiscal year 2021, ramping up to $100 million by 2025.
Reps. Bill Foster (D-IL) and Lee Zeldin (R-NY) introduced the Quantum Network Infrastructure Act , which would direct DOE to establish an R&D program to accelerate the development of quantum network infrastructure. It recommends providing $100 million per year through 2025 for the program. Foster and Zeldin’s districts include or are near Fermilab, Argonne National Lab, and Brookhaven National Lab, which are hubs of DOE’s current efforts to develop a quantum internet.
Committee Chair Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced the Energizing Technology Transfer Act , which would direct DOE to establish several new programs to encourage the development and commercialization of clean energy technologies. It recommends providing $50 million annually to establish a Regional Clean Energy Innovation program that would support partnerships between academic institutions, industrial firms, local governments, and community groups to develop clean energy technologies in “geographically diverse regions.” It also includes provisions supporting programs and policies at the national labs that aim to promote talent recruitment and extramural partnerships.
Johnson and Lucas also introduced the Forensic Science Research and Standards Act , which would direct the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a federal research strategy for forensic science. It would also codify the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s forensic science programs, for which it recommends $6 million in funding per year through 2026. A companion bill was amended and approved last week by the Senate Commerce Committee.

Events This Week

Monday, September 21

National Academies: “Science, Technology, and Health Capabilities within the Department of State at an Inflection Point: Workshop Series” (continues Sept. 22 and 29) Federal Demonstration Partnership: September meeting (continues through Friday) National Academies: “Merits and Viability of Different Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Technology Options and the Waste Aspects of Advanced Nuclear Reactors” (continues through Wednesday) NSF: Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee meeting (continues Tuesday) Belfer Center: “Transitioning to a Low Carbon and Resilient Energy System of the Future: Key Challenges and Opportunities” 12:00 - 1:00 pm NASA: Heliophysics Advisory Committee meeting 1:00 - 5:00 pm APS: “Removing Barriers: Physics in HBCU, MSI, and PBI Communities” 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Tuesday, September 22

NSF: Software in the Era of Extreme Heterogeneity workshop (continues through Thursday) NASA: Innovative Advanced Concepts Symposium (continues through Thursday) ISS National Lab: International Space Station R&D Conference (continues through Thursday) National Academies: “Assessing the Feasibility of the Strategic Long Range Cannon,” kickoff meeting (continues through Thursday) NSF: Cyberinfrastructure Advisory Committee meeting (continues Wednesday) UKRI: “Science and Society Report, 20 Years On: Legacy and Lessons for a Post-COVID World” NITA: 2020 Spectrum Policy Symposium 8:30 am - 12:00 pm NASA: Discussion on collaboration with U.S. Space Force 9:30 am DOE/Carnegie Mellon University: Fireside chat with DOE Secretary Dan Brouillette and U.S. CTO Michael Kratsios on Industries of the Future 10:00 am, Livestream available on Twitter @SecBrouillette Senate: “Offshore Energy Technologies” 10:00 am, Energy and Natural Resources Committee (366 Dirksen Office Building) FCC: Technological Advisory Council meeting 10:00 am - 3:00 pm House: “Trump Administration Broken Promises on Renewable Energy” 12:00 pm, Energy and Natural Resources Committee National Academies: “Assessing and Communicating Climate Change Scenarios” 12:00 - 4:00 pm National Academies: “Earth System Predictability R&D: Continuing the Conversation” 1:00 - 3:00 pm National Academies: “Resilience and Innovation in Online Learning and STEM Progression” 1:00 - 4:00 pm Science History Institute: Chemical Industry Innovation Day 1:00 - 5:00 pm Senate: “U.S. Coast Guard Capabilities for Safeguarding National Interests and Promoting Economic Security in the Arctic” 2:30 pm, Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee (253 Russell Office Building) NOAA: Science Advisory Board meeting 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Wednesday, September 23

National Academies: “Wildland Fires: Towards Improved Understanding and Forecasting of Air Quality Impacts” (continues through Friday) USPTO: “Promoting Innovation in the Life Science Sector and Supporting Pro-Competitive Collaborations: The Role of Intellectual Property” (continues Thursday) Mission Innovation: Fifth Mission Innovation Ministerial Senate: “COVID-19: An Update on the Federal Response” 10:00 am, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (G50 Dirksen Office Building) C2ES: “Shifting Paradigm for Net-Zero Construction” 11:00 am - 12:30 pm House: “Data for Decision-making: Responsible Management of Data During COVID-19 and Beyond” 11:00 am, Science Committee National Academies: “Key Goals and Innovations Needed for a U.S. Fusion Pilot Plant,” meeting two 11:00 am - 6:00 pm New America: “What Science and Technology Owe the National Defense” 12:00 - 1:00 pm Atlantic Council: “Global Supply Chains Disrupted: Additive Manufacturing, Onshoring, and COVID-19” 12:00 pm National Academies: 6th Annual Intelligence Community Academic Research Symposium, day two 12:00 - 3:30 pm Commerce Department: American Workforce Policy Advisory Board meeting 1:30 - 2:30 pm Wilson Center: “Arctic Research Infrastructure and Capabilities in North America” 1:30 - 3:00 pm Senate: “Oversight of NASA’s Budget and Activities” 2:00 pm, Appropriations Committee (325 Russell Office Building) Senate: “Examining Threats to American Intellectual Property: Cyber-attacks and Counterfeits During the COVID-19 Pandemic” 2:30 pm, Judiciary Committee (226 Dirksen Office Building) Atlantic Council: “Grid Resilience in the Face of Extreme Weather Events” 3:30 - 4:30 pm

Thursday, September 24

DOE: Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee meeting (continues Friday) National Academies: “Assessment of the SBIR and STTR Programs at NIH,” meeting six (continues Friday) AAAS: “Science Journalism During a Pandemic and Beyond” 1:00 - 2:00 pm House: “Climate Change, Part IV: Moving Towards a Sustainable Future” 2:00 pm, Oversight and Government Reform Committee (2154 Rayburn Office Building)

Friday, September 25

Brookings: “Future of Defense Task Force’s Final Report” 10:00 - 11:00 am Belfer Center: “Arctic Permafrost Thaw: Science and Policy” 1:00 - 3:00 pm NSF: “Deep Dive Into Deep Tech Incubation” 12:00 - 1:30 pm JSPG: “Effective Scholarly Communication for Impacting the Policymaking Process” 2:00 - 3:30 pm

Saturday, September 26

S20 Summit: “Science for Navigating Critical Transitions”

Monday, September 28

USA S&E Festival: SciFest All Access (continues through Saturday) University of Nebraska: Space Law Week (continues through Friday) University of Chicago: “Partners in Innovation: How to Collaborate with Universities and National Labs” 1:00 - 2:00 pm National Academies/IIASA: Science Diplomacy webinar 1:00 - 2:30 pm Climate Science Legal Defense Fund: “How Scientists Can Be Involved in the Run Up to the 2020 Election” 2:00 - 3:00 pm

Opportunities

AIP Seeking Applicants for Science Policy Fellowships

The American Institute of Physics is seeking scientists to apply for the AIP State Department Fellowship by Oct. 15 and the AIP Congressional Fellowship by Dec. 15. These one-year fellowships offer a unique opportunity for scientists to contribute technical expertise at the federal level and gain experience with the policy process. Qualified individuals at any stage of their career are encouraged to apply. Applicants must have a Ph.D. in physics or a field closely related to the physical sciences and membership in at least one AIP Member Society, among other qualifications. Final interviews will take place in early 2021, and the fellowship term will begin in the fall of 2021.

Nuclear Threat Reduction Fellowship Accepting Applications

The newly launched Physicists Coalition for Nuclear Threat Reduction is accepting applications for its Next-Generation Fellowship, which aims to “strengthen participation of graduate students, postdocs and early-career physicists and engineers in advancing nuclear weapons threat reduction.” The one-year fellowship provides travel and professional development support, including two trips to Washington, D.C., and participation in a four day Princeton Summer School on Science and Global Security, among other activities. Applications will be reviewed beginning Oct. 15 and will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.

Nature Hiring News Intern

The journal Nature is seeking applications for a paid, full-time internship position. The intern will report on the activities of U.S. science agencies. Applicants with backgrounds in science and journalism are preferred. Applications are due Oct. 9.

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 .