|
[Subscribe
to SPIN]
A New Tradition for APA Science
On December 2-4, APA's Science Directorate and the Board
of Scientific Affairs convened the first-ever Science Leadership
Conference (SciLC). The theme of the inaugural conference, which will now
be an annual event, was "The Public Face of Psychological
Science". The participant
roster spanned a wide range of
science leaders, including senior academicians; journal editors;
Board and Committee members; representatives from various APA Divisions;
psychologist members of the National Academy of Sciences and Institute of
Medicine; leadership from other psychology related societies such as
Cognitive Development Society; leadership from umbrella groups like COGDOP;
and senior federal agency staff from the Department of Defense, the
Department of Homeland Security, the National Science Foundation, and the
National Institutes of Health. The goal of the conference was to bring
together key leaders to develop a common agenda that will advance
psychological science and help secure its future.
On Friday morning, APA CEO Norman Anderson welcomed the
group of approximately 160 participants. Former APA President Phil
Zimbardo moderated the first plenary session on Psychology in the Media,
featuring talks by two well-respected print journalists covering the
science beat: Shankar Vedantam of the Washington Post and Jamie Talan of
Newsday. Vedantam wrote a story in January about Mahzarin Banaji's
research in the area of racial prejudice using the Implicit Association
Test. Both reporters discussed the challenges the media face when trying
to represent science accurately while making it consumable for a lay
audience, and shared tips with the audience on how psychologists can make
themselves more likely to get desirable media coverage. Following the
plenary, participants broke into smaller groups to develop action plans
and recommendations for APA on more specific media issues, such as
"Psychological science under attack" and "Psychologists as
media producers."
The highlight of Friday afternoon was a special broadcast
of National Public Radio's Science Friday
with host
Ira Flatow. Conference participants, as well as area high school students
and other groups, comprised the studio audience at the National Geographic
Society Building, where Science Friday was broadcast live from the SciLC!
After the broadcast, participants headed to the Ronald
Reagan International Trade Center Building for a cocktail reception.
Conference participants gave a warm welcome to scientist Sharon Brehm,
whose election to the 2007 APA Presidency had been announced only days
before. Next, participants enjoyed the sharp political satire of DC's
famous Capitol Steps cabaret group.
Saturday it was back to work for the conference
participants. Alan Leshner, president of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, kicked off the morning's plenary talk on
"Embracing Major Audiences". Leshner talked about psychology's
relationship to other sciences, as well as the importance and inevitably
of the trend toward multi- and inter-disciplinary research. Charles Blair-Broeker,
a nationally-recognized high school psychology teacher, switched gears and
provided a refreshing perspective on how we can best teach young people
about psychological science and inspire new generations of science
leaders. Breakout sessions focused on psychology's various audiences and
how to communicate most effectively with them. The afternoon plenary
concentrated on "Infrastructure for the Science of Psychology".
James Swanson discussed the National Children's Study and its significance as one of the most ambitious data-collection
projects to date and its enormous potential for critical new findings.
Bennett Bertenthal introduced participants to his Social Informatics
Database GRID, another cutting edge project allowing for mass
data-sharing. [back to top]
While the day was over for conference participants to
experience the DC nightlife, the work was only beginning for Science
Directorate staff. Senior staff members worked into the night dissecting
the notes taken during all breakout sessions to develop concrete
recommendations for APA action to be presented the
following morning.
On Sunday morning, Steve Breckler, APA's Executive
Director for Science, and Roberta Klatzky, Chair of the Board of
Scientific Affairs, presented an overview of the action items planned and
invited ideas for future SciLC themes. Gerry Koocher presented lucky
participants with prizes. Rhea Farberman, APA's Executive Director for
Public and Member Communications, provided media training. In addition to
providing guidelines for interacting with reporters in various media
settings, she showcased examples of psychologists who have appeared on
live television to represent, and in some cases defend, their research.
In addition to collecting evaluation forms to identify
areas for improvement, the Science Directorate has received much positive
feedback about the conference. Commended for the "smooth organization
and creative programming," the meeting has been called
"wonderful and thought provoking", "inspired and
inspiring", among other things. As one participant put it, "The
Conference was superb and was one of the best APA functions that I have
been to in a long time." While we are delighted that so many
attendees were impressed with our first effort, we look forward to making
the second annual SciLC even better!
 View
photos from the 2005 Science Leadership Conference
View
the participant roster
View
the conference agenda
[back to top]
Science Leadership Conference Says "TGI
Friday"
National Public Radio's program, "Science
Friday", is acknowledged to be the one of the finest live discussions
of serious science issues broadcast anywhere, so it was a thrill for the
APA Science Directorate when the show agreed to broadcast live from the Science Leadership Conference. The arrangements took several
months to complete. A number of logistical issues had to be settled:
first, we had to find a 'broadcast ready' location near the Conference
hotel that could seat two to three hundred people, and we were fortunate
to book the Grosvenor Auditorium at the National Geographic Society for
the broadcast.
Second, APA Science Directorate and Public Policy staff
looked at the participant list for the conference and gave "Science
Friday" seven ideas for good show topics, around which the meeting
could offer key experts. The Science Friday producers chose "Gender
Differences in Cognition" and "Stress and Health." While we
provided some information about the topic and participants, the producers
had final say over the topics and participants in the broadcast, and did a
great deal of research on their own to brief Ira Flatow so he could ask
good questions.
A third logistical challenge was inviting local high
school psychology classes to attend the broadcast. Several almost came; a
couple agreed to attend and then had to cancel; but we were all delighted
to have Sheryl Freedman's Advanced Placement psychology students from Walt
Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland, attend the broadcast. The
students asked a lot of questions, particularly during the second hour of
the show. Georgetown Preparatory High School was also represented. The
Science Directorate staff enjoyed preparing "goody bags" for the
high school students, including things like pens, pads and water bottles
from the Science Leadership Conference and information about the Decade of
Behavior. [back to top]
To listen to the broadcast, go to www.sciencefriday.com
and click
the show broadcast on December 2, 2005. For those in the studio audience, it was
exciting to watch the
show happen 'live.' Ira Flatow teased psychologists in the audience about
usually making statements instead of asking questions. The show's
producers took calls from around the country and put them through to Mr.
Flatow when the audience questions slowed down.
We thank all the nice people at National Public Radio, the
National Science Foundation (whose support made it possible for Science
Friday to travel to DC from their usual base in New York), Science Friday,
and the National Geographic Society for the many efforts that made the
broadcast possible. [back to top]
Psychologists Look Forward
at Close of SciLC
On Saturday evening, December 4, senior staff of the
Science Directorate worked with the Chair of the Board of Scientific
Affairs, Roberta “Bobby” Klatzky, to digest two day's worth of Science
Leadership breakout group flipcharts. The flipcharts and edited notes
taken by dedicated breakout session computer scribes revealed several preliminary
action items which were compiled by Executive Director for Science
Steve Breckler and presented to conference attendees on Sunday morning.
Organized by breakout session theme, these action items were meant to
serve as first impressions (a more detailed assessment is underway), but a
few that may be of particular interest to SPIN readers include
recommendations that APA:
-
Prepare white papers or accessible guides to help
address public misconceptions about general research/science issues
for use in advocacy as a proactive step in advance of future attacks
on psychological research.
-
Provide gratis subscriptions of APA journals to
selected high profile media outlets to make the research more
accessible and initiate a formal public education campaign for
scientific psychology.
-
Produce a comprehensive APA guide to help
psychologists navigate Institutional Review Board issues akin to what
the APA Style Manual has become for the publishing world.
-
Increase the number of Science Policy staff!
[back to top]
New NIH Planning Office Generates Comment from
Behavioral, Social Science Coalition
In the Federal Register of September 22, 2005, NIH announced
a reorganization of its science policy and planning offices. The new
office, called the Office of Program Analysis and Strategic Initiatives (OPASI),
was established to serve as the infrastructure for a trans-NIH priority
setting and strategic planning effort. OPASI will identify and integrate
information to support the planning and implementation of trans-NIH
initiatives. NIH Director Elias Zerhouni's "Roadmap" initiative
was the prototype. OPASI is being established to identify and fund future
generations of "roadmap" initiatives whose purposes and benefits
cross institute and center boundaries. A common fund is being established
(1.1 percent of total NIH funds in Fiscal Year 2006, growing, under
certain budget conditions, to 5 percent of the total NIH budget) to fund
the initiatives that will emerge from an elaborate planning process.
Raynard Kington, MD, PhD, Deputy Director of NIH, shared
details of the planning process at the fall meeting of the Advisory
Council to the NIH Director. (See his powerpoint presentation here).
In a year-long cycle, NIH institutes, programmatic offices, and
stakeholders (such as scientific associations and patient groups) suggest
potential trans-NIH research initiatives. The initiatives are evaluated by
several bodies, including the NIH Council of Councils (representatives
from each of the NIH institute and center advisory councils) and a
steering committee of several NIH directors. The Advisory Committee to the
NIH Director recommends the final set of initiatives to the NIH Director.
It is anticipated that the initiatives will be funded on a 4-5 year cycle,
so after a start-up period, between 20 and 25 percent of the fund would
become available for new initiatives each year.
APA and fellow behavioral and social science organizations
have closely followed this process to examine whether there will be
sufficient consultation of, and input from, the behavioral sciences. Since
NIH growth is slowing dramatically, representation of these sciences in
the common pool of funds for trans-NIH initiatives is very important to
success within NIH. See
the letter to Dr. Kington from the Coalition for the Advancement of
Health Through Behavioral and Social Science Research (CAHT-BSSR), which
Science Policy staff co-chair. Among the letter's suggestions is that at
least one institute director on the Steering Committee be familiar with
and supportive of behavioral sciences, and that the Director of OBSSR be
included in the planning and vetting of proposals to ensure that
behavioral expertise is at the table. OPASI is still being established,
but APA intends to monitor the process carefully to ensure a level playing
field in the selection of and planning for trans-NIH initiatives. For more
information, please contact Pat Kobor in the Science Policy Office.
View
Dr. Kington's presentation
Read
the letter to Dr. Kington from CAHT-BSSR [back to top]
Congressional Champions Go On
Record for NIDA
As a follow-on to the Friends
of NIDA briefing on HIV research held in October, and as an adjunct to
the new NIDA Public Service
Announcement (PSA) targeting drug use and
HIV, the Friends of NIDA coalition worked with prominent members of
Congress, encouraging them to go on record about the value of NIDA’s HIV
research portfolio. Two Champions of substance abuse research stepped up
to the plate and did so for the Congressional Record. The Co-Chair of the
Congressional Caucus on Addiction, Treatment and Recovery, a long time
ally of the Friends and host of each of our three scientific
briefings on Capitol Hill this year, Congressman
Jim Ramstad applauded NIDA’s efforts on December 6.
Likewise, Congressman Danny Davis, Secretary of the
Congressional Black Caucus, discussed
the combined toll drug abuse and HIV are taking on the nations youth.
The Friends of NIDA will be distributing copies of these remarks, DVD’s
of the PSA, and NIDA’s recent HIV report
to all Members of the
House and Senate early next month.
Read
Congressman Jim Ramstad's remarks
Read
Congressman Danny Davis' remarks
Read
NIDA's research report on HIV/AIDs
More
information about NIDA's new PSA
[back to top]
Congressional Negotiations Continue on Defense Bills
Science Policy staff advocate each year for psychological
science support within the Department of Defense (DoD) authorization and
appropriations bills in Congress. As previously
reported in SPIN, the Fiscal Year 2006 defense bills have been
undergoing tough conference negotiations between the House and Senate and
intense pressure from the White House because of language in the Senate
version of each bill (added by Sen. John McCain) which would prohibit
cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of U.S. detainees and call for
uniform standards for interrogations. APA is on record with members of the
congressional appropriations subcommittees in support of Sen. McCain's
amendment. In October, the Senate passed the McCain legislation with a 90
to 9 vote. This week, the House voted 308 to 122 in support of McCain's
proposal, another majority vote strong enough to override a presidential
veto. Shortly thereafter, White House negotiators reached a compromise
with McCain, and the President announced his support of the measure.
Negotiations on the defense appropriations bill, which
provides funds to DoD, continue within an informal conference of
bipartisan subcommittee leadership. The defense authorization bill, which
sets programmatic and funding guidelines for the Department, is being
worked out in a small conference of Armed Services Committee leaders from
both chambers. With the controversy over the McCain amendment resolved,
it's likely that the appropriations bill will be signed into law soon.
However, the authorization bill does not carry the same "must
pass" status, and it's future is less certain.
[back to top]
Science Education and Investment in Innovation Getting Federal Attention
'Tis the season…to be talking about science education,
infrastructure and innovation around Washington. On December 9, Senators
Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) and John Ensign (R-NV) briefed congressional staff
and the science community on plans to introduce the National Innovation
Act of 2005, in response to recommendations of the Council on
Competitiveness in its National Innovation Initiative Report. In brief,
the legislation focuses on three major goals: 1) research investment; 2)
increasing science and technology talent; and 3) developing an innovation
infrastructure. The bill would establish a Presidential Council on
Innovation, encourage federal agencies to devote 3% of their research and
development (R&D) budgets to "high-risk frontier research,"
authorize a huge increase in research funding for the National Science
Foundation (NSF), and substantially expand training programs at NSF and
the Department of Defense.
Also last week, House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood
Boehlert (R-NY) responded to a request of the National Science Board (NSB,
the independent board with oversight over NSF) to testify before an NSB
panel on the creation of a commission to study science education in the
U.S. Chairman Boehlert, long a champion of NSF and research more broadly,
noted his recent sponsorship with Representatives Frank Wolf (R-VA, Chairman of the
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice and Commerce)
and Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) of an Innovation Summit, and his support for the
recently-released National Academy report, "Rising Above the Gathering
Storm". This report makes
several recommendations, including increasing the number of K-12 science
and mathematics teachers, increasing the federal investment in basic
research by 10% per year over the next seven years, increasing the number
of U.S. citizens earning science and engineering degrees, and improving
visa processing. In his testimony before the NSB, Boehlert reiterated his
support for increasing research funding and improving science education,
but stressed that any science education commission must focus strongly on
the role of NSF and provide "clear and very specific guidance about
what activities NSF should be undertaking." Science Policy staff will
monitor both of these initiatives to ensure that psychological science
maintains a strong presence.
Read
the National Academy report, "Rising Above the Gathering
Storm"
[back to top]
NIH Budget Cuts Expected as FY
2006 L-HHS Appropriations Moves Forward On Tuesday,
December 13, the House narrowly passed a revised conference agreement that
funds the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education
(H.R. 3010). While the Senate was expected to pass the bill by Friday, as
the week went on, it became less likely that the Senate would successfully
approve the conference agreement. On Friday, with all Senate Democrats,
Independents and a number of Republicans planning to vote against the
final FY 2006 spending legislation, Senator Arlen Specter said they would
plan to attach the conference report to the FY2006 Defense Appropriations
bill. After the House defeated the first conference agreement in November,
congressional negotiators shifted funds in the bill to provide additional
funding for rural health programs and health professions to satisfy the
twenty two House Republicans who voted against the initial version.
However, the revised legislation still cuts or freezes many health and
education programs and provides the lowest increase to the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), less than one percent, in more than thirty
years. That increase may also prove to be fleeting. While the current
spending bill reflects a 0.9 percent increase for NIH, bringing its budget
to $28.617 billion, Congress is also expected to approve an
across-the-board cut to all non-defense spending as part of the Defense
Appropriations before leaving town until next year. That cut of
approximately one percent would essentially wipe out any increases to the
NIH in FY 2006, and would reduce all other health and education programs.
For those seeking some positive news, House and Senate conferees did agree
to remove language from the original House bill that would have rescinded
funding from two NIH-funded and peer-reviewed psychological research
grants.
Read
the full
conference report
[back to top]
Baruch Fischhoff Treats Pandemic Flu
on Capitol Hill
On December 14, the minority membership of the House
Committee on Science held a briefing entitled “Gaps in the
National Flu Preparedness Plan: Social Science Planning and
Response”. The
briefing was moderated by Representative Brian Baird (D-WA), who
serves on the Research Subcommittee. Rep. Baird, a psychologist by
training, introduced the three principal speakers, who proceeded to
describe research that they felt should be considered in order to
optimize preparation for and response to a possible pandemic.
Read
the full article
Russell Jones to Discuss Disaster Relief on Capitol
Hill
On January 19, APA Fellow Russell Jones, PhD, will
participate in a congressional briefing co-sponsored by APA entitled: "Public
Health 101: The Public Health Response to Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita - Applying Lessons Learned".
Dr. Jones recently became a consultant to the Disaster
Technical Assistance Center at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA). His recent trauma-related efforts
include: presenting at the Consensus Conference, Psychological Risk
Factors for Children and Adolescents Following Natural and Technological
Disasters. Early Trauma Responses and Psychopathology: Theoretical and
Empirical Directions, sponsored by NIMH and serving as moderator at the
Anxiety Disorders Association of America Consensus Conference on Acute
Posttraumatic Reactions. He is a member of the Terrorism and Disaster
Branch of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. He was deployed as
the team leader for a group of mental health consultant assigned to Gulf
Port Mississippi and recently served as a presenter at workshops entitled:
Helping Students Recover from Traumatic Events Workshops for Teachers and
Administrators sponsored by the Department of Education. In addition he
was appointed to the Hurricane Katrina Community Advisory Group
administered by the Department of Health Care Policy at the Harvard
Medical School. Dr. Jones received his PhD from Penn State University and
completed his clinical internship at Brown University. He also holds a
secondary appointment at Yale University at the Child Study Center. [back to top]
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, PhD, Director of Science Policy
Pat
Kobor, Senior Science Policy Analyst
Heather
O'Beirne Kelly, PhD, Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer
Karen
Studwell, JD, Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer
Sara
Robinson, Legislative Assistant
| 
