APA's Science Policy Insider News October 2004

[Subscribe to SPIN]  Getting the Candidates On Record for Science Over the past several months, there has been great interest within the scientific community in getting the Presidential candidates on record with regard to their views on science issues. Although both candidates have expressed their views about science on their campaign websites and more recently on the pages of Science (October 1 issue), stem cell research was the only issue that received much attention during the debates. On September 30, in a forum sponsored by the Washington Science Policy Alliance and held at AAAS headquarters, representatives of both campaigns were invited to share the views of their respective campaigns, followed by a Q&A session moderated by Mary Woolley, President of Research!America (one of the coalitions that figured prominently in the advocacy campaign to double the NIH budget). The full exchange, as well as links to the campaign positions, is available on the AAAS website. Read the full article NIMH Implements Reorganization On October 1st, the National Institute of Mental Health began implementing a new organization structure that Director Tom Insel says will seek to accelerate translational and interdisciplinary science, to more clearly identify brain-behavior pathophysiology - and to translate this knowledge into developing more effective interventions that target symptoms and functioning. The new reorganization was formally announced at the National Mental Health Advisory Council meeting on September 21st and has raised some concern about the future of basic behavioral science at the institute. As concerns continue about the representation of behavioral research and behavioral science staff, it will be increasingly important for SPIN readers to urge qualified colleagues to apply for open program positions. For more information on the latest open behavioral scientist position, click here and enter announcement number NIMH-04-0083. Read the full article from APA Science Directorate's Psychological Science Agenda New Recommendations for Youth Violence Prevention Research On Oct 13-15th, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), along with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other NIH institutes, held a State-of-the-Science Conference to review the current evidence base on preventing youth violence and related health-risking social behaviors. Scientists from across the fields of psychology, biology, criminology, sociology, economics and law, as well as members of the public, participated in the three-day conference that resulted in a draft report from the panel of outside scientists and experts, including several well-known psychologists, to guide future intervention programs and research agendas across the federal government. Read the full article [back to top] NSF Announces Second Round of Science of Learning Competition On October 15th, The National Science Foundation (NSF) released the solicitation for its second competition of the Science of Learning Centers (SLC), a program that supports interdisciplinary investigations of "psychological, social and pedagogical aspects of learning, the biological basis of learning, machine learning, learning technologies, and mathematical analyses and modeling of all of these." Awards include large-scale center awards of up to ten years, as well as smaller catalyst awards for projects NSF describes as "initial collaborative research and partnership-building activities." Initial year awards were made to two catalyst proposals (one on individual differences in learning and the other on the study of problem solving in science, technology, engineering and mathematics contexts) and three full centers. The Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center will focus on robust learning with learning experiments in real classrooms; the Learning in Informal and Formal Environments (LIFE) Center at the University of Washington will seek to guide the design of effective new learning technologies and environments; and the Center for Learning in Education, Science, and Technology (CELEST) will bring together multiple universities to "study real-time autonomous learning systems by integrating experimental and computational brain science, biologically inspired technology, and classroom innovation." For this next round of competition, catalyst proposals are due January 14, 2005; preliminary proposals for centers are due February 24, and invited full proposals will be due on June 29 of next year.  More information about the Science of Learning Centers Sign up for the SLC Public Announcements list by sending a blank e-mail here Science Policy Staff meet with Psychologists in Counterintelligence On October 19th, Science Policy staffers Geoff Mumford and Heather Kelly held an initial meeting with high-ranking psychologists within the Department of Defense (DoD) Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA) to discuss possible areas of collaboration. CIFA is designed to serve as a defense-wide coordinator of counterintelligence activities, resource allocation, budget planning, and policy implementation. The 2002 DoD directive establishing CIFA describes the mission more specifically as to develop and manage "programs and functions that support the protection of…DoD personnel, resources, critical information, research and development programs, technology, critical infrastructure, economic security, and U.S. interests against foreign influence and manipulation, as well as to detect and neutralize espionage against the Department." APA members are remarkably well-positioned within CIFA to bring operational and research expertise to bear on counterintelligence activities. Scott Shumate directs the Behavioral Sciences Directorate, and within the Directorate Kirk Kennedy serves as Chief of the National Center for the Study of Counterintelligence and Operational Psychology. Both are very interested in highlighting psychology's contributions to national security challenges and will continue to talk with Science PPO about collaborative opportunities such as advisory panels, fellowships, and training programs. NIH Asks for Your Opinion Science Policy staff are drafting APA comments on two important issues this month. The first is the Strategic Plan for the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). NCCAM was formed from NIH's Office of Alternative Medicine in 1999 and has thus arrived at the end of its first five-year strategic plan this year. NCCAM has focused on methodically researching the efficacy and effectiveness of such complementary and alternative practices as herbal supplements (e.g., St. John's Wort), chiropractic and osteopathic interventions, and the role of meditation and prayer in health and healing. While most of NCCAM's portfolio was clinically focused in the past, the Center is moving toward a more balanced approach with additional basic research. Read the full article Any questions? If you have any questions regarding SPIN or specific science policy issues, please feel free to contact any of APA’s Science PPO staff. Geoff Mumford, Ph.D., Director of Science Policy Pat Kobor, Senior Science Policy Analyst Heather O'Beirne Kelly, Ph.D., Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer Karen Studwell, J.D., Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer Sara Robinson, Legislative Assistant

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