CoR NEWSMay 15, 2018
To: APLU Council on ResearchFrom: APLU CoR Staff
- Registration Reminder for 2018 CoR & CIMA Joint Summer Meeting
- CoR Survey Updates
- Request for Information on EPA Proposed Rule on Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science
- NIST Return on Investment (ROI) Initiative Update
- NOAA Research Update
- NSF STEM for All Video Showcase
- NSF Accountability for Broadening Participation in STEM Update
- NSF and USAF Announce Partnership in Science and Engineering Research
- NSF Dear Colleague Letter on Replicability and Reproducibility
- NSF Terms and Conditions Updates
- NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I and II Grant General Conditions Updates
- Higher Ed Organizations Submit Comments on NSF Reporting of Sexual Assault and Harassment
- Higher Ed Organizations Submit Comments on HHS Common Rule NPRM
- Higher Ed Organizations Submit Letter in Support of Amendment to Farm Bill
- Request for Information on NIH Laboratory Animal Welfare Regulations and Policies
- HHS Office of Research Integrity RCR Instruction Workshop
- HHS Office of Research Integrity Ethical Complexities in Multidisciplinary Grants Workshops
- Upcoming NASEM Report on Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century
- New NASEM Report on the Integration of the Humanities and Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Ed
- New NASEM Report on the Next Generation of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences Researchers
We are headed to Bozeman! The APLU Council on Research (CoR) will meet jointly with APLU’s Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis (CIMA) on July 29 – July 31, 2018 at the Strand Union Building on the campus of Montana State University. The pre-meeting “New and Future VPR Workshop” for new and aspiring Senior Research Officers (SROs) will take place on Sunday, July 29, followed by an evening reception on Sunday and two full days of programming on Monday, July 30 (7:30am MT start) and Tuesday, July 31 (5:00pm MT end). We expect most attendees will arrive on Saturday, July 28 or Sunday, July 29 and will depart on Wednesday, August 1. We once again encourage each participating SRO to invite one Associate Vice Chancellor/President for Research, or future SRO, both to attend the meeting and participate in the pre-meeting workshop, designed to build skills and address topics specific to this audience.
CoR sessions offer the chance to learn from and share ideas with invited speakers and colleagues from across North America. 2018 session topics will include: the National Science Board’s 2018 Science & Engineering indicators; the Air Force’s Science & Technology 2030 initiative; research infrastructure and core facilities; lab safety; enterprise systems; modernizing research (including Highly Integrative Basic And Responsive (HIBAR) and Grand Challenge research); and a legislative update. In addition, two joint CoR and CIMA sessions will be held on using data for research benchmarking and measuring faculty contribution; and addressing data collaboration among research, academic, and administrative leaders. A joint evening reception will take place on Monday, July 30 at the Museum of the Rockies.
Registration information is available here, and hotel reservation information is here. Shuttle service will be provided between The Lark, the Best Western GranTree Inn, the Strand Union Building, and the Museum of the Rockies. Please let Sarah Rovito (srovito@aplu.org) know of any questions you may have.
One survey of CoR Senior Research Officers (Vice Presidents and Vice Chancellors for Research) is underway, and another is about to launch with the goal of informing sessions at the 2018 CoR & CIMA Joint Summer Meeting:
A survey on Core Facilities developed by several of the CoR Research Leader Fellows was sent out on Tuesday, May 1. The survey is intended to be completed by the highest academic research leadership/senior research officer at your institution, and we ask that only one survey is submitted per institution. Survey responses will be accepted through Friday, June 8. Please direct any questions to Jason Carter (jcarter@mtu.edu), Assistant to the Vice President of Research for Research Development at Michigan Technological University and CoR Research Leader Fellow.
A survey on Lab Safety developed by the University of Nevada, Reno and APLU is forthcoming, and survey responses will be accepted through Wednesday, May 30. Please direct any questions to Kacy Redd (kredd@aplu.org), Assistant Vice President, Science & Mathematics Education Policy at APLU.
We wrote over the weekend regarding the recently-published EPA Proposed Rule on “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science.” APLU is tracking this proposed regulation and is in the process of submitting a letter requesting an extension of the comment period (currently slated to end on May 30, 2018) from 30 days to 90 days.
APLU and several other higher education organizations are also working on a broader letter to address the impact of the proposed rule from an institutional perspective, and we are eager to hear from you. Please send Sarah Rovito (srovito@aplu.org) your high-level feedback, concerns, likes, and potential changes by tomorrow (Wednesday, May 16). We truly appreciate any input that you are willing and able to share given the tight comment submission timeline. Thank you!
NIST Director Walter G. Copan sent the letter below this afternoon regarding the agency’s Return on Investment (ROI) Initiative:
Dear Colleague:
As already announced, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is holding four public meetings in response to the Request for Information (RFI) published on May 1, 2018 in the Federal Register. These public meetings provide a forum to gather stakeholder inputs about the current state of Federal technology transfer and the public’s ability to engage with Federal laboratories and access federally funded R&D through collaborations, licensing, and other mechanisms. Registration is open for these public forums scheduled from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon local time, with seats currently available at the following forums:
- May 17, 2018, Silicon Valley USPTO Regional Office, San Jose, CA.
- May 21, 2018, Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel, Denver, CO.
- May 31, 2018, Hilton Chicago/Oak Lawn, Oak Lawn, IL.
The agenda for these public forums is as follows:
9:00 am – 9:10 am Opening remarks
9:10 am – 9:25 am Overview presentation by NIST official
9:25 am – 11:55 am Stakeholder feedback period (3 minutes per speaker)
11:55 am – 12:00 noon Closing remarks and next steps
NIST may update the fourth public meeting at the NIST Campus in Gaithersburg, MD on June 14, 2018 to allow for additional space and additional time. Please look for a notice in the Federal Register announcing the changes. Webcast registration is still available.
During the stakeholder feedback period, each attendee will have an opportunity to provide input on the questions listed in the RFI:
- What are the core Federal technology transfer principles and practices that should be protected, and those which should be adapted or changed?
- What are the issues that pose systemic challenges to the effective transfer of technology, knowledge, and capabilities resulting from Federal R&D? Please consider those identified in the RFI as well as others that may have inhibited collaborations with Federal laboratories, access to other federally funded R&D, or commercialization of technologies resulting from Federal R&D.
- What is the proposed solution for each issue that poses a systemic challenge to the effective transfer of technology, knowledge, and capabilities resulting from Federal R&D? Please consider the approaches identified in the RFI.
- What are other ways to significantly improve the transfer of technology, knowledge, and capabilities resulting from Federal R&D to benefit U.S. innovation and the economy? What changes would these proposed improvements require to Federal technology transfer practices, policies, regulations, and legislation?
The RFI and the public meetings seek to gather broad input from Federal R&D, intellectual property, and technology transfer stakeholders in the public and private sectors to identify critically-needed improvements to Federal technology transfer efforts. They are designed to advance the Lab-to-Market cross agency priority (CAP) goal in the recently released President’s Management Agenda. NIST and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) are co-leading the Lab-to-Market CAP Goal which seeks to ensure that the $150 billion per year invested annually in Federal research and development (R&D) reaps the largest commercial, economic, and national security returns possible. To carry out these efforts, NIST launched the Return on Investment (ROI) Initiative in coordination with OSTP to streamline and accelerate the transfer of technology from Federal Laboratories and federally-funded R&D at universities at the Unleashing American Innovation Symposium on April 19, 2018.
We look forward to your participation in the public forums and the RFI process (written responses to the RFI are due by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on July 30, 2018). They provide a unique opportunity to join the conversation and be part of the journey to help unleash American Innovation to benefit U.S. competitiveness for all Americans.
Sincerely,
Walter G. Copan, Ph.D.
Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology
Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology
A NOAA Research Update Call will take place on Wednesday, May 30 at 2pm ET. Acting Chief Scientist and Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research Craig McLean will provide a brief update on NOAA and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) before opening the floor for questions and comments. Please email oar.constituents@noaa.gov to RSVP and receive call-in information.
The 2018 NSF STEM for All Video Showcase: Transforming the Educational Landscape will be held online from May 14-21, 2018. This annual event features short videos highlighting the work of more than 200 federally-funded projects seeking to improve STEM and computer science education. Researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the general public are invited to watch (and vote on) the videos and share perspectives, ideas, and feedback. APLU is thrilled to share that our APLU INCLUDES: Broadening Participation within STEM Faculty video is part of the 2018 Showcase!
The following note on broadening participation of underrepresented groups related to NSF comes from CoR Executive Committee representative Alicia Knoedler:
Dear APLU CoR Colleagues:
I am a member of an advisory committee to the National Science Foundation called the Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE). Every two years, we produce a report to Congress regarding efforts to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in STEM across the U.S. We recently issued a new report (along with a cover letter and executive summary) focused on accountability for PIs, for institutions, and for NSF itself in promoting participation and excellence in science and engineering.
My reasons for bringing this to your attention are many but in particular, NSF has been very responsive to recent CEOSE recommendations. The NSF INCLUDES initiative is in response to CEOSE’s 2011-2012 report. The 2018 NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) solicitation included an expanded additional review criterion related to broadening participation. Broadening participation will become much more visible and pervasive across NSF directorates, programs and initiatives and collaborative approaches to having meaningful impact related to inclusive excellence are expected. PIs and institutions will be expected to “up their game” regarding broadening participation, although this may look very different across the Foundation. One example is the recent solicitation regarding NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) Planning Grants, which highlights the requirement of using a convergence approach within ERC teams. Convergence approaches will also become more pervasive across NSF programs, including programs for broadening participation.
In the 2015-2016 report, there is a section of recommendations for funded PIs and their responsibilities regarding broadening participation and there is also a section regarding institutional responsibilities. I draw your attention to these two sections and would be receptive to your reactions and thoughts on these recommendations. One of my responsibilities as a CEOSE member is to gather thoughts and reactions and discuss them (in aggregate) in future CEOSE meetings. If you would like to share your thoughts and comments, please email me directly at aknoedler@ou.edu.
All the best,
Alicia J. Knoedler, CRA, PhD
Executive Associate Vice President for Research
Executive Director, Center for Research Program Development and Enrichment (CRPDE)
University of Oklahoma
Vice-Chair, NSF Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE)
Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson and NSF Director France Córdova signed a Letter of Intent to coordinate mutual research interests and bolster national security on May 9, 2018. The Letter of Intent creates a strategic partnership focused on science and engineering research in four areas: space operations and geosciences, advanced material sciences, information and data sciences, and workforce and processes. The collaboration is designed to create a pathway between the basic research supported by NSF and the technologies needed to support the Air Force of tomorrow.
Back in March, NSF issued a Dear Colleague Letter on Achieving New Insights through Replicability and Reproducibility. The NSF’s Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) encourages submission of proposals that target reproducibility and replicability efforts in data-intensive domains and that specifically rely on analysis of neuroimaging or neuroelectric data, including but not limited to electroencephalography, magnetoencephalography, electrocorticography, and functional neuroimaging. The suggested research must demonstrate clear potential for generating new scientific advances and discoveries, beyond simply rejecting or corroborating prior findings. Proposals submitted in response to this DCL should be submitted to the June 11, 2018 target date for the Cognitive Neuroscience program (PD 15-1699). Awards are anticipated to be made in Fiscal Year 2018 and will provide three to four years of support for projects whose total budget does not exceed $600,000.
NSF recently sent the letter below concerning revisions to the NSF Terms and Conditions:
Dear Colleagues:
I wanted to make you aware that the Foundation’s suite of Award Terms and Conditions (see full listing below) has been revised. Important changes include:
- Revision of the Equipment article to align with 2 CFR § 200.313 requirements for all equipment purchased under NSF awards and provide clarity on reporting requirements for NSF-owned equipment; and
- Revision of the Patent Rights article to implement government-wide changes to the Department of Commerce Bayh-Dole regulations at 37 CFR § 401 effective May 14, 2018.
Each set of terms and conditions is accompanied by a summary of changes made to that document. The revised Terms and Conditions will apply to all new NSF awards and funding amendments to existing NSF awards made on or after May 14, 2018.
Revisions have been made to the following documents:
- NSF Agency Specific Requirements to the Research Terms and Conditions (ASR);
- Cooperative Agreement Financial & Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC);
- Cooperative Agreement Modificiations and Supplemental Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions for Major Multi-User Research Facility Projects and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers; and
- General Conditions (GC-1).
If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact the DIAS Policy Office on X8243 or by email to policy@nsf.gov.
Regards,
Jean
Jean Feldman
Head, Policy Office
Division of Institution & Award Support (DIAS)
Office of Budget, Finance and Award Management
NSF recently sent the letter below concerning revisions to the SBIR/STTR Phase I and II Grant General Conditions:
Dear Colleagues:
I wanted to make you aware that the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I and II Grant General Conditions have been revised. Important changes include:
- Development of a separate NSF prior approval matrix for awards made to State and local governments or for-profit organizations;
- Modification of Research.gov to include an “Other” category, which must be used to submit prior approval requirements that do not already have a specific request type in NSF’s electronic systems;
- Revision of the Equipment article (applicable to SBIR/STTR Phase II awards) to align with 2 CFR § 200.313 requirements for all equipment purchased under NSF awards and provide clarity on reporting requirements for NSF-owned equipment;
- Revision of the Patent Rights article to implement government-wide changes to the Department of Commerce Bayh-Dole regulations at 37 CFR § 401; and
- New requirement for awardees to have procedures in place to respond to a breach of personally identifiable information (PII) and notify NSF that a breach of PII within the scope of an NSF award has occurred.
Each set of terms and conditions is accompanied by a summary of changes made to that document. The revised Terms and Conditions will apply to all new NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I and II awards and funding amendments to existing NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II awards made on or after May 18, 2018.
If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact the DIAS Policy Office on X8243 or by email to policy@nsf.gov.
Regards,
Jean
Jean Feldman
Head, Policy Office
Division of Institution & Award Support (DIAS)
Office of Budget, Finance and Award Management
Earlier this month, APLU, along with the American Council on Education (ACE), the Association of American Universities (AAU), the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR), and others submitted comments and recommendations in response to the National Science Foundation (NSF) notice on Reporting Requirements Regarding Findings of Sexual Harassment, Other Forms of Harassment, or Sexual Assault. The comments express support for NSF’s efforts to address these abuses but cautions against unintended consequences “which do not optimally align with NSF’s objectives or sufficiently advance our collective efforts to address and eliminate harassment in the scientific workplace.”
Later this week, APLU, along with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), AAU, and COGR will submit joint association comments on the Common Rule Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The comments express support for the proposal to delay the general compliance date of the revised Common Rule until January 21, 2019 as well as the proposal to allow the voluntary adoption of three “burden reducing” provisions in the 2018 requirements during the six-month delay timeframe. The comment period remains open through May 21, 2018.
Today, APLU, AAU, and COGR sent a letter to Representative David Rouzer of North Carolina expressing thanks and support for the recently-proposed amendment to H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, which revises the timing of research facility inspections under the Animal Welfare Act.
NIH published a Request for Information on Laboratory Animal Welfare: Coordination and Harmonization of Regulations and Policies in March. The agency is “seeking information to improve the coordination of regulations and policies with respect to research with laboratory animals as required by the 21st Century Cures Act.” The RFI is a coordinated effort with USDA and FDA with the goal of reducing “administrative burden on investigators while maintaining the integrity and credibility of research findings and protection of research animals.” The comment period remains open through June 12, 2018.
ORI is planning to hold the next Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Instruction Workshop on September 19-20, 2018 at Emory University. The goal of the workshop is to help new or inexperienced RCR instructors develop and implement “best practices” in RCR instruction. The course presenters will consist of experienced RCR instructors, who will define distinct topics, lead active discussions and exercises, and identify useful resources (case studies, short writing assignments, etc.) needed for successful RCR instruction. For more information on the RCR Instruction Workshop, please contact Tracey Randolph (Tracey.Randolph@hhs.gov).
George Mason University is offering half-day workshops, funded by an ORI conference grant, on the complexities and challenges faced by Principal Investigators (PIs) of multidisciplinary grants. PIs funded through NIH for multidisciplinary grants will come together to provide information and lead a discussion about challenges faced when working with large multidisciplinary groups. There are two dates being offered: Thursday, June 21, 2018 and Monday, July 9, 2018.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will release Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century on May 29. The report follows Reshaping the Graduate Education of Scientists and Engineers (1995), returning to the important questions on the education, development, and training of students in the light of the 21st Century context. The study, chaired by Alan Leshner, CEO Emeritus of AAAS, is a comprehensive look at the U.S. graduate education system, identifying policies, programs, and practices that could better meet the diverse education and career needs of graduate students in the coming years. This study is funded by the National Science Foundation, Institute of Education Sciences, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and the Spencer Foundation. Registration (in person or webcast) is currently available for the report release meeting on May 29, 2018 at 1:30pm ET in Washington, D.C.
- New NASEM Report on the Integration of the Humanities and Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Ed
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released The Integration of the Humanities and Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Education: Branches from the Same Tree on May 7. The report examines the evidence behind the assertion that educational programs that mutually integrate learning experiences in the humanities and arts with sciences, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM) lead to improved educational and career outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students. This report summarizes the results of this examination and provides recommendations for all stakeholders to support appropriate endeavors to strengthen higher education initiatives in this area. A press release, compendium of integrative courses and programs, report highlights, and video recording from the report release meeting are also available.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released The Next Generation of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences Researchers: Breaking Through on April 12. The report evaluates the factors that influence transitions into independent research careers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences and offers recommendations to improve those transitions. These recommendations chart a path to a biomedical research enterprise that is competitive, rigorous, fair, dynamic, and can attract the best minds from across the country. A press release and video recording from the report release meeting are also available.
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