Congress Probes Research with International Collaborators
BU IN DC
Megan Bair-Merritt of the School of Medicine spoke at a National Institutes of Health Office of Research on Women’s Health event on fostering gender equity in research institutions on October 5th.
Lee McIntyre of the Center for Philosophy and History of Science spoke about building trust in science at a Research! America meeting on October 6th.
CONGRESS PROBES RESEARCH WITH INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATORS
On Tuesday, two subcommittees of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing entitled “Balancing Open Science and Security in the U.S. Research Enterprise.” Dr. Maria Zuber of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology explained how universities are redoubling their efforts to ensure that research with foreign partners is conducted appropriately and urged lawmakers not to stifle international scientific collaboration. She was followed by Candice Wright from the Government Accountability Office, who testified that some scientific agencies lack clear guidelines for federal grantees as they engage in research with foreign partners. Wright pointed out that the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is slated to release uniform policies this fall. The final witness was Temple University Professor Xiaoxing Xi, who faced espionage charges that were later dropped when investigators determined he had not engaged in malicious conduct. He decried policies that specifically target Chinese scientists.
BUZZ BITS…
- National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Francis Collins announced Tuesday he will step down as NIH director at the end of the year. Dr. Collins has served as the NIH director for 12 years, the longest tenure in the agency’s history. President Joe Biden intends to nominate a replacement before Collins departs.
- On Tuesday, the President announced his intent to nominate Shelly Lowe as chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson as chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). If confirmed, Ms. Lowe will be the first Native American to lead the NEH and Dr. Jackson will be the first African American and Mexican American to lead the NEA.
- The NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research (OBSSR) announced last week that Dr. William Riley will retire as its director at the end of the year. Dr. Riley has led the office since 2015. OBSSR Deputy Director Dr. Christine M. Hunter will lead the office on an interim basis.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REVAMPS LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education announced an overhaul of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which allows borrowers to have their federal student loans forgiven after ten years of public service employment. Through October 2022, the Department is temporarily allowing all student loan payments made by borrowers in public service fields to count towards PSLF, regardless of the borrower’s loan program or repayment plan. The Department will also automatically give PSLF credit to both military service members and federal employees and review previously rejected PSLF applications. With few borrowers currently achieving the goal of loan forgiveness after ten years, the PSLF program has been sharply criticized for its burdensome reporting requirements and confusing guidance. The Administration estimates that more than a half million borrowers will be positively impacted by the changes.