New FAFSA, Climate Research, Collaborating with Policymakers
BU IN DC
Wheelock College of Education & Human Development Dean David Chard discussed research on learning disabilities with Congressional staff on March 23rd and 24th.
Arunima Krishna and Michelle Amazeen of the College of Communication presented their research on climate misinformation to staff with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development on March 22nd.
Senior Vice President for External Affairs Steve Burgay and Vice President of Marketing & Creative Services Amy Hook attended the Association of American Universities Public Affairs Network meeting from March 19th to March 21st.
BUZZ BITS..
- The U.S. Department of Education published the implementation timeline for the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form on Tuesday, revealing that the form will be available in December rather than the more typical October release. Students and schools are expected to use the streamlined application for financial aid for the 2024-2025 academic year, in accordance with the FAFSA Simplification Act signed into law at the end of 2020.
- On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm appeared before the Energy & Water Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee to discuss the Administration’s proposed budget for the U.S. Department of Energy. Granholm touted the Department’s pivotal role in addressing climate change, broadening participation in science, and revitalizing the infrastructure of the agency’s national labs.
- The House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing yesterday on the Biden Administration’s proposal to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt for certain borrowers. Members and witnesses debated the fairness of the debt cancellation proposal and the merits of other policy options to address college affordability.
GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
The President signed several bills into law last year that include significant new funding for energy, climate, microelectronics, and transportation research, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). The Federal Relations web site now includes a compendium written by Lewis-Burke Associates which details the role university-based researchers can play in the new and forthcoming funding calls available at the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The document includes both solicitations that have already been announced and others expected to come out later this year.
Review the grant opportunities
EVENTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
How can faculty share their research findings in a way that successfully influences policy? Join Federal Relations as we host Dr. Adam Seth Levine for an in-person workshop on how scholars can develop effective, collaborative relationships with policymakers. Dr. Levine will present new research on why these relationships require effort and intentionality to cultivate, and evidence-based practices for scholars seeking to forge new connections. Dr. Levine is co-founder and president of research4impact, an organization that connects experts from diverse fields in collaborations to better understand and solve complex social problems.