Research Security, OSTP Director, Dimensions
BU IN DC
Joyce Wong of the College of Engineering attended a meeting of the National Advisory Council for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, of which she is a member, on September 13th.
Jessica Stern of the Pardee School of Global Studies attended the White House United We Stand Summit on countering “hate-fueled violence” on September 15th.
Associate Provost for Graduate Affairs Daniel Kleinman and Simone Gill of Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences spoke on a panel during a meeting of the Association of Graduate Schools from September 18th through 20th.
Nathan Jones of Wheelock College of Education & Human Development spoke at a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine symposium on equity-oriented education research on September 20th.
SENATORS DISCUSS RESEARCH SECURITY MEASURES
On Thursday, the Senate Intelligence Committee held a hearing on protecting federally-funded science from malign foreign influence. Witnesses with experience working in government, industry, and academia spoke about the steps each sector is taking to prevent the misuse of federally-supported research and technologies by adversarial countries. Dr. Kevin Gamache, associate vice chancellor and chief research security officer for the Texas A&M University System, credited the federal government with prompting universities to implement policies and procedures that require faculty to disclose collaborations with peers overseas. When questioned about why universities have been slow to implement research security protocols, Dr. Gamache noted that the wide range of capabilities and resources at different institutions impacts progress. He further emphasized that it is important to properly calibrate the balance between security and open collaboration in order to maintain U.S. scientific leadership.
WHITE HOUSE SCIENCE OFFICE TAKES ACTION
- On Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Arati Prabhakar as the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) by a 56-40 vote. Prabhakar, who will also serve as President Joe Biden’s science adviser, previously led the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency during the Obama Administration. Biden nominated her in June.
- OSTP is soliciting public input on a federal evidence agenda for LGBTQI+ equity. OSTP is seeking feedback on the barriers to collecting data on sexual orientation and gender identity and how to protect privacy while also advancing civil rights among the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex community. Responses are due by October 3rd.
- OSTP is also seeking input on a draft national microelectronics research strategy, which will inform how research agencies prioritize investments. The agency is seeking feedback regarding microelectronics workforce development and the areas that are ready for rapid deployment to industry. The deadline to respond is October 17th.
EVENTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
The BU Office of Research will host a webinar covering the basics of Dimensions, an online publication database with a wide range of metrics and highly customizable search interface that allows for detailed investigations into a topic, author, or institution. Dimensions can assist researchers in identifying emerging trends and pinpointing underrepresented areas of research, deciding where to publish research findings, and comparing journals, funders, authors, and research institutions. The webinar will be held on October 6th at 1:00 pm.