China Initiative, AHRQ, NSF Career
JUSTICE DEPT. ENDS CHINA INITIATIVE
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday that it is terminating its “China Initiative,” a Trump Administration program to address security threats from the Chinese government. In a speech to the National Security Institute, Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen acknowledged concerns that the program “fueled a narrative of intolerance and bias” and led to a “chilling atmosphere for scientists and scholars” who collaborate with Chinese peers. Going forward, DOJ will take a more nuanced approach to research security cases to determine whether administrative remedies are more appropriate than criminal prosecution. Olsen also noted that under new research security guidance recently issued by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, federal science agencies will put in place procedures that allow researchers to self-correct inaccurate reporting of foreign collaborations without risk of criminal indictment.
BUZZ BITS…
- On Tuesday, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announced that Dr. Robert Otto Valdez will serve as the new AHRQ director, effective immediately. Dr. Valdez was previously a professor emeritus of family & community medicine and economics at the University of New Mexico and held roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Clinton Administration.
- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee introduced its version of the Department of Energy (DOE) Science for the Future Act last week. The bill sets policy priorities for the DOE Office of Science and recommends additional funds for the agency’s research activities over the next five years. The bill is expected to be folded into comprehensive innovation and competitiveness legislation that Congress will consider later this spring.
- The National Science Board (NSB), which oversees and advises the National Science Foundation (NSF), held the first NSB meeting of the year on Wednesday and Thursday. The Board heard a presentation on NSF’s equity ecosystem, held a conversation with the director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and discussed initiatives to grow K-12 STEM education.
EVENTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
Considering applying for the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program? The Office of Research is hosting a webinar on March 1st at 4 p.m. on how to navigate the CAREER application process. As part of NSF’s COVID-19 recovery efforts, the agency expects to increase funding this year for the CAREER program. Panelists from Lewis-Burke Associates, a federal consulting firm in Washington, DC, will provide early career investigators with advice on how to best engage with NSF and make your proposal more competitive. A panel of BU faculty who have previously received CAREER awards will also discuss their experience and answer your questions.