AIBS Comments to DHS on Proposed Student Visa Restrictions
AIBS is deeply concerned by this proposal to impose complicated new visa restrictions on international students and urge that the proposed rule be withdrawn in its entirety.    Related StoriesMultisociety Letter Urging Rigorous Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and EfficacyWHO, NASEM Unveil COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation PlansLatest Public Policy Report  (Source: Public Policy Reports)
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 27, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Short Takes
The objective of the Roundtable is to improve coordination among the U.S. Army's research and development stakeholders and to increase awareness in the broader open science community of current and future capabilities. Nominations are sought for 8-10 committee members within government, military, industry, and academia with expertise in synthetic biology science and technology, laboratory infrastructure management, policy development and administration, battlefield medicine, human performance, and biosphere ethics and regulation. Nominations will be accepted until November 2, 2020 at https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5941980/...
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Deadline Extended: NSF's Request for Information on STEM Education
In coordination with the National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC’s) Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the National Science Foundation (NSF) is soliciting input on the implementation of the Federal STEM Education Strategic Plan, Charting a Course for Success: America’s Strategy for STEM Education. This Request for Information (RFI) addresses changes in education systems that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Information collected from this solicitation may be used to guide future Federal STEM education resource devel...
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Webinar Series: Resources for Natural History Collections in a New Virtual World
Recognizing the rapid changes happening within museum communities and the efforts being made throughout the community to adapt to these changes, iDigBio is organizing a webinar series, entitled Adapting to COVID-19: Resources for Natural History Collections in a New Virtual World. The webinar series aims to help provide insight into how different groups and institutions are adapting to life in a quickly evolving world. AIBS, the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), and the Natural Science Collections Alliance contributed to the planning of these programs. The next two webinars will be held...
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

NSF Soliciting Future Topics for Convergence Accelerator
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a Request for Information (RFI) on Future Topics for the NSF Convergence Accelerator. With this RFI, NSF is seeking input from industry, institutions of higher education (IHEs), non-profits, government entities, and other interested parties on potential NSF Convergence Accelerator tracks for fiscal year (FY) 2022. Proposed topics must have the potential for significant national-scale societal impact. Topic ideas may also relate to Industries of the Future (IotF) and/or NSF’s Big Ideas. Ideas submitted in response to this RFI must be broad in scope to support and id...
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Trump Establishes Trillion Trees Interagency Council
On October 16, 2020, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the One Trillion Trees Interagency Council and increasing U.S. involvement in the global Trillion Trees Initiative in an attempt to boost his environmental credentials ahead of the election. The goal of the Trillion Trees Initiative, launched earlier this year at the World Economic Forum, is to plant, grow, conserve, and restore one trillion trees around the world by 2030 to sequester carbon. According to the White House, the Order “promotes healthy and resilient forests and rangelands by actively managing them through partnerships with St...
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Work Begins on National Climate Report after Concerns over Delay
After public outcry over a months-long delay, the Trump Administration has moved ahead with the fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) by soliciting nominations for authors and technical input. The National Climate Assessment report is congressionally mandated to be prepared every four years by scientists from 13 federal agencies. The fourth installment, which was published in 2018, was written by more than 300 authors, including Federal and State government scientists as well as scientists from the private sector. President Trump rejected the findings of the last assessment, which concluded that “Earth’s cl...
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Report Urges Increased Investments in U.S. R & D
A new report from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The Perils of Complacency: America at a Tipping Point in Science & Engineering, urges significant action and research funding to ensure that the United States does not lose its leadership position in innovation. The report offers a five-year update to the Academy’s 2014 report, Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream, which called for annual U.S. investments in research and development (R&D) to equal 3.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). “China is projected to become the world’s lar...
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Relief Negotiations Remain Unfruitful
Negotiations continue between the White House and congressional leaders over the next emergency relief package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with disagreements persisting over the price tag of the measure. Earlier in October, the House passed a $2.2 trillion package - a pared-down version of the $3.4 trillion Heroes Act that the chamber passed in May. The revised proposal includes nearly $3 billion in emergency funding for the National Science Foundation as well as $11.9 billion for higher education institutions. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has expressed unwillingness to go below $2.2 trillion. The White Ho...
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Election Day Approaching: Remember to Vote
Participate in U.S. democracy by voting on Tuesday, November 3rd. In addition to the presidential race, all members of the House of Representatives and one-third of Senators are up for re-election. There are also many state and local races on the ballot. The next Congress and President must address many significant environmental and public health challenges, including impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and climate change. Contact your state board of elections to find your polling location or to learn about early voting opportunities.       (Source: Public Policy Reports)
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Work Begins on National Climate Report after Concerns over Delay
After public outcry over a months-long delay, the Trump Administration has moved ahead with the fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) by soliciting nominations for authors and technical input.    Related StoriesWHO, NASEM Unveil COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation PlansMultisociety Letter Urging Rigorous Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and EfficacyLatest Public Policy Report  (Source: Public Policy Reports)
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Trump Establishes Trillion Trees Interagency Council
On October 16, 2020, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the One Trillion Trees Interagency Council and increasing U.S. involvement in the global Trillion Trees Initiative in an attempt to boost his environmental credentials ahead of the election.    Related StoriesWHO, NASEM Unveil COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation PlansMultisociety Letter Urging Rigorous Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and EfficacyLatest Public Policy Report  (Source: Public Policy Reports)
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Report Urges Increased Investments in U.S. R & amp;D
A new report from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The Perils of Complacency: America at a Tipping Point in Science & Engineering, urges significant action and research funding to ensure that the United States does not lose its leadership position in innovation.    Related StoriesWHO, NASEM Unveil COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation PlansMultisociety Letter Urging Rigorous Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and EfficacyLatest Public Policy Report  (Source: Public Policy Reports)
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Relief Negotiations Remain Unfruitful
Negotiations continue between the White House and congressional leaders over the next emergency relief package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with disagreements persisting over the price tag of the measure.    Related StoriesWHO, NASEM Unveil COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation PlansMultisociety Letter Urging Rigorous Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and EfficacyLatest Public Policy Report  (Source: Public Policy Reports)
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news

Latest Public Policy Report
The Public Policy Report has been released. The report provides analysis and communication on important issues in the scientific community.    Related StoriesWHO, NASEM Unveil COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation PlansMultisociety Letter Urging Rigorous Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and EfficacyLatest Public Policy Report  (Source: Public Policy Reports)
Source: Public Policy Reports - October 26, 2020 Category: Biology Authors: AIBS Source Type: news