Science Policy Report

Address all comments to the Science Policy Office at:
sciencepolicy@sciencesocieties.org

21 July 2010

In This Issue:

Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities

Conferences, Meetings and Reports

Congressional/Administration News

Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities

The NAI MIRS program is intended to address the critical shortage of minority students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields in the United States by providing opportunities for talented faculty and students to partner with astrobiology investigators. The MIRS program has historically provided opportunities for faculty at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to initiate joint partnerships with astrobiology researchers through summer sabbaticals, follow-up support, and travel opportunities for faculty and students. Deadline 7 Oct. http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=55692

This Annual Program Statement (APS) disseminates information about USAID/LAC Bureau’s Phase II Initiative for Conservation in the Andean Amazon (ICAA II) program and provides prospective grantees with an opportunity to develop and submit applications for funding… to help meet the objectives of ICAA II Intermediate Result 1 -- Selected Landscapes Managed Sustainably. Deadline 31 Mar. http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=55733

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) seeks proposals in support of education programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The ONR mission of STEM is to: foster an interest in, knowledge of, and study in science, technology, engineering and mathematics nationwide to ensure an educated and well-prepared workforce, which meets the naval and national competitive needs. Deadline 30 Sep. http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=55774

The Research and Evaluation on Education in Science and Engineering (REESE) program seeks to advance research at the frontiers of STEM learning, education, and evaluation, and to provide the foundational knowledge necessary to improve STEM teaching and learning at all educational levels and in all settings. Deadline 15 Nov. http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=55852

This NASA Research Announcement (NRA) solicits proposals for supporting basic and applied research and technology across a broad range of Earth and space science program elements relevant to one or more of the following NASA Research Programs: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics. Deadline 1 Oct. http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=55951

Conferences, Meetings and Reports

This week, President Obama announced the release of the final report of the President’s Ocean Policy Task Force which establishes the country’s first comprehensive national policy for the stewardship of the oceans, our coasts and the Great Lakes.   This national policy will set the United States on a new path toward comprehensively planning for the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean. Read report: www.whitehouse.gov/oceans

The US Department of Energy is seeking the nomination of individuals to fill vacancies on its Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee (Committee) which advises the DOE and USDA with respect to the Biomass R&D Initiative. ASA-CSSA-SSSA, in the 2008 farm bill, were able to get a new slot for an agronomist, crop or soil scientist added to the Committee. Deadline 30 Jul. View notice: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-17285.htm

'Food Security Assessment, 2010-20' is the title of a USDA ERS report which states that food security in 70 developing countries is estimated to have improved between 2009 and 2010, in part due to economic recovery in many of these countries, and that the number of food-insecure people at the aggregate level will not improve much over the next decade, declining by only 1 percent. View report: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/GFA21/

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently released the first in a series of video programs called Science Nation, which examine breakthroughs and the possibilities for new discoveries about our planet, our universe and ourselves. The first episode, released on June 1, focuses on what we can learn from organisms that can live and thrive in frozen deserts or steaming-hot volcanic vents. These "freak" organisms may offer clues about possible life away from Earth. Subsequent episodes will be released every Monday and will be featured on: http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=114908&org=NSF

Scientists attempting to determine how much carbon is locked up in the world's forests have a new tool. A new map (view map at: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/forest-height-map.html) draws on data from three NASA satellites to depict the height of tree canopies around the world.  Such a tool could aid scientists to improve their understanding of just how much of the Earth is covered in biomass, a category that includes not just forests but other vegetation and sequesters large amounts of carbon.

Congressional/Administration News

The Senate House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittees have marked up (debated and passed) their respective FY 2011 spending bills, providing $310,074,000 (an 18% increase over FY 2010 enacted) and $312, 392,000 (19% increase), respectively, for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s hallmark competitive grants program funding research, education, extension and integrated programs. In these tight budget times, these increases are heartening and reflect the combined efforts of the AFRI Coalition (led by ASA, CSSA, SSSA), National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research (NCFAR) and Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU), as well as Roger Beachy, NIFA Director.  As always, we should thank our champions in Congress, Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee and Rosa DeLauro (D-3rd CT), his counterpart in the House, for their continued strong support for research and education.  The ag spending bills will continue to make their way through Congress and, we hope, to the president’s desk for his signature. Stay tuned.  

Senate Democrats are struggling to move comprehensive energy-climate legislation, with the clock ticking down towards the end of the summer session. The uncertainty is prompting grim forecasts for the passage of any bill -- one containing climate provisions or not. This week, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) raised fresh questions concerning his willingness to push for greenhouse gas reductions in the electric power sector, telling Democratic senators in a private lunch meeting that he's considering several paths forward.  One option is an energy bill that doesn't address utility emissions. With only 13 ‘working’ days left before the commencement of the summer recess, it appears unlikely that much progress will be made on the combined energy-climate bill, which is sure to stir up opposition from the Senate Republican majority and Democrats from major energy producing states. Passage of comprehensive energy-climate legislation has been and continues to be a major priority for both the Obama Administration and the Democratically led Senate.

Last month, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and its director, Peter Orszag, issued two directives, Budget Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Guidance,telling all federal research agencies, except non-security agencies, to submit a budget request five percent below the discretionary total provided for that agency for FY 2012 in the FY 2011 Budget. The 2nd directive, Identifying Low-Priority Agency Programs,requires agencies to identify the programs and subprograms that have the lowest impact on their agency’s mission and constitute at least five percent of the agency’s discretionary budget.  It appears that the pressure is on the Obama Administration to cut back the discretionary portion of the federal budget which includes funding for science as it is an election year and the GOP is seeking to paint the Democrats and Obama as budget busters.

Sources: Congressional Quarterly; E&E Publishing; Food Industry Environmental Network, LLC

Vision: The Societies Washington, DC Science Policy Office (SPO) will advocate the importance and value of the agronomic, crop and soil sciences in developing national science policy and ensuring the necessary public-sector investment in the continued health of the environment for the well being of humanity. The SPO will assimilate, interpret, and disseminate in a timely manner to Society members information about relevant agricultural, natural resources and environmental legislation, rules and regulations under consideration by Congress and the Administration.

This page of the ASA-CSSA-SSSA web site will highlight current news items relevant to Science Policy. It is not an endorsement of any position.