Lawmakers Debate Science
BU IN DC
Vice President and Associate Provost for Research Gloria Waters discussed BU’s life sciences research with officials at the National Institutes of Health on October 17.
Ann McKee, Robert Stern, and Chris Nowinski of the School of Medicine participated in a forum on sports injuries hosted by Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce and Judiciary Committees on October 13.
Nancy Ammerman of the College of Arts & Sciences addressed the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion annual meeting between October 13 and 15.
Josh Semeter of the College of Engineering took part in a meeting of the National Science Foundation Advisory Committee on Geosciences, of which he is a member, on October 18 and 19.
LAWMAKERS DEBATE SCIENCE
On Wednesday, Senators heard a wide range of views on the role of federally-funded science during a subcommittee hearing entitled “Broken Beakers: Federal Support for Research.” Witnesses alternately urged lawmakers to make data from federally-funded research public, to value research only if it is supported by industry, or to continue the federal role in life-saving medical advances. Several Democratic Senators praised America’s model for supporting research, but Subcommittee Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY) relayed his concerns about “bad science and wasted taxpayer dollars.” Paul has introduced a bill to alter peer review practices at federal agencies.
BUZZ BITS…
- At the request of Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), the Government Accountability Office will investigate whether the Trump Administration is protecting scientific integrity at federal agencies. Nelson is the senior Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
- Two courts halted implementation of the Trump Administration’s most recent executive order instituting a ban on travel to the United States by certain visitors from eight countries this week. One court cited the impact on the University of Hawaii as among the reasons for its decision.
- Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) were joined by 24 other Democratic colleagues in urging the National Institutes of Health to restore funding for gun violence research.
EVENTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
On October 25th, join BU Research for a panel discussion on establishing your online presence as a scholar and researcher; this can increase the visibility of your research and publications, help you find potential collaborators, and allow you to engage more fully in professional dialogues. Learn from colleagues from across BU about the professional and ethical uses of academic social networks, the role of social media in research communication, the advantages of sharing your work openly, and strategies on preserving your data rights and privacy in the open online world.