_May 29, 2009
Forum on International Physics: Call for Nominations
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The Executive Committee of the Forum on International Physicsconsists of 13 voting members. The following positions becomevacant beginning January 2010:1) Vice-Chair2) APS Councillor3) Two Members-at-LargeThe purpose of this message is to invite you to nominate candidatesfor these positions. If you wish to review the current make up ofthe FIP Executive Committee, please go to: http://units.aps.org/units/fip/ Satoshi Ozaki, Past Chair of the Executive Committee, serves asChair of the Nominating Committee. Submit nominations directly tohim (ozaki@bnl.gov). Nominations will close on July 30, 2009.Nominators please verify that the nominee has agreed to be acandidate before you send in the nomination. WE URGE YOU TOUSE THE FORM BELOW (also posted on the FIP web site).The new Executive Committee members will be expected to participatein the activities of the FIP. Chief among these is the annualmeeting of the Executive Committee - usually held in conjunctionwith the APS March or April Meetings. If you or you nominee haveany questions regarding FIP and the election process, please contactme (734-647-1834; nmirkin@umich.edu).The Nominating Committee will identify the candidates from the list ofnominees and you will then have an opportunity to vote your preference.Get involved!!Noemi MirkinSecretary/Treasurer FIP********************************************************************* FORM FOR THE NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR VICE-CHAIR, COUNCILLOR, AND/OR MEMBER-AT-LARGEDear Colleague,To nominate a colleague, we ask you to contact the nominee and gainher/his assent. If they agree to stand for election, please request acopy of a current CV to be appended to this form. If you are nominatingyourself, please pay close attention to paragraph 3, below, calling forthe naming of colleagues who support this nomination. 1. I have contacted the candidate and she/he has agreed to standfor election if selected by the Nominating Committee. The candidate'sfull name, position, and contact information is: ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 2. Please provide a statement of no more than 500 words explainingyour reasons for nominating this colleague as a candidate for Vice-Chair(Member-at-Large, Councillor) of the Forum (keep in mind that in the case of the Vice-Chair, he/she will serve in the Forum's leadership for four years - first as Vice-Chair, then as Chair-Elect, to succeed to Chair in the third year and a final year as Past Chair). Emphasize those qualifications and qualities that you believe will make your nominee an exceptional leader of the community. 3. It will be useful to have the concurrence and opinion of othercolleagues. Please list names and contact information of two othercolleagues (three colleagues in the case of self-nominations) who will beprepared to second your nomination. The Nominating Committee may wish tocontact them for additional information: ____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 4. Please append the CV of your nominee.For further information concerning the Bylaws and duties of ForumOfficers, see the FIP web site accessible from the Membership link on the APS web site or http://www.aps.org/units/fip/governance/bylaws.cfm
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May 29, 2009
EPP Funding Plans FY09 to FY11
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We would like to give you an update regarding EPP “normally appropriated” (NA) funding and the use of the special ARRA funds. In addition we would like to alert you to special funding opportunities in the ARRA MRI and ARI solicitations. . Details of these solicitations can be found at
Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI-R²)
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5260
Full Proposal Deadline Date: August 10, 2009
Academic Research Infrastructure Program: Recovery and Reinvestment (ARI-R²)
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503380&org=NSF&sel_org=XCUT&from=fund
Letter of Intent Deadline Date: July 1, 2009
Full Proposal Deadline Date: August 24, 2009
Under guidelines set by the National Science Foundation the EPP ARRA funds are used only for standard grants that had undergone the standard review process and were to be recommended for an award. In addition, proposals funded with ARRA funds cannot be awarded supplemental funds during the duration of the grant.
Consistent with NSF guidance, we plan to use ARRA funds to support appropriate merit reviewed proposals that have requested funding in FY 09, 10 and 11. As a consequence, and depending on sustained NA funding, we should have more NA funding available than would otherwise be the case in these years. The bulk of this available NA funding will enhance support through our normal funding process. With the aid of the ARRA funds, once the final determination is made for the amount needed to fund the remaining active research proposals, EPP will be able to consider limited supplemental funding actions using NA funds. Some supplemental awards will address prior commitments. Priority consideration will be given to those grants that were made in FY08 and were reviewed as meriting funding that could not be realized but had to accept a significant decrease compared to their FY07 funding.
We at EPP are grateful for the ability to better advance our science and infrastructure through ARRA funding
*****************************************************************
David Lissauer
Tel: 703 292 7061 FAX: 703 292 9078
EPP/PHY/MPS
National Science Foundation Suite 1015
4201 Wilson Blvd.-Arlington VA 22230-USA
**_
May 28, 2009
DPF2009 (26-31/7/2009, Detroit, MI) - Call for Abstracts
May 28, 2009
CERN Bulletin - The latest on the LHC
May 27, 2009
Photo of Washington DC visit including USLUO representatives
May 22, 2009
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FYIThe American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy NewsNumber 67: May 22, 2009Web version: http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/067.htmlEnergy Secretary Chu Testifies Before Senate AppropriatorsEnergy Secretary Steven Chu was the only witness at a ninety-minutehearing held by the Senate Energy and Water DevelopmentAppropriations Subcommittee earlier this week. Chu, testifying onthe FY 2010 Department of Energy request, was well-received,although he encountered some skepticism about aspects of thedepartment's proposed budget.Chairman Byron Dorgan (D-ND) opened the hearing by commenting onhow the department's $27.1 billion request was basically flat ascompared to this year's appropriation. Dorgan characterized theOffice of Science request as "robust," and described the proposedEnergy Innovation Hubs in favorable terms. The subcommittee'sRanking Republican, Robert Bennett (R-UT), suggested that the Officeof Management and Budget had influenced the preparation of therequest, warning that a chronic pension shortfall for some DOEworkers threatened funding for science and weapon facilities'cleanup programs. Bennett also seemed to question the ability ofthe Office of Science to promptly spend its $1.6 billion in economicstimulus funding, saying that it "can only shovel so much money outthe door."Chu briefly summarized his written testimony, explaining that therequest emphasized science, discovery and innovation. He told thecommittee he wants to better utilize basic research supported by theOffice of Science to maximize energy breakthroughs, emphasizing theproposed Energy Innovation Hubs and their work in areas such asartificial photosynthesis or better batteries.Many of the questions addressed to Chu focused on research areasthat senators felt had been inadequately funded. Chairman Dorganargued that flat funding for coal R&D was unwise, and took realissue with what he called the near zeroing out of funding forhydrogen research. He criticized how the department's proposalwould end funding for 500 jobs in universities, nationallaboratories, and industry. Calling himself a "big fan" ofhydrogen and fuel cells, he acknowledged that while theirutilization would not occur in the near term, it was the mission ofDOE to pursue such long-term research. Chu responded that it was adifficult decision and spoke of problems in the compact storage ofhydrogen for use in vehicles, the use of reformulated natural gas asits source, and supply infrastructure obstacles. Dorgan replied hewould not support shutting down hydrogen research and that thesubcommittee would do everything it could to continue it.Dorgan also asked about the status of the panel to developalternatives to the storage of radioactive waste. Chu said a listof names was now circulating in the White House, and spoke of hissupport for interim storage and the eventual reprocessing of spentfuel, adding during later questioning that he thought "the wasteproblem is solvable."Ranking Member Bennett asked additional questions about how quicklyDOE would spend its economic stimulus funding. Chu said thedepartment hopes to obligate 70 percent of this funding by LaborDay, saying there would be a "massive review" of many programs thissummer. He called this process a "herculean task" that wouldinvolve many reviewers coming to Washington for a week this summer.Other questions addressed to Secretary Chu involved innovative usesof CO2, proposed solar facilities on desert lands in California,the clean up of World War II and Cold War facilities, new storagefacilities for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the potential ofgeothermal and wind energy, weatherization, and proposedrequirements for renewal energy production.In a related development, the Senate confirmed Under Secretary forScience Steven Koonin this week. Koonin was previously the ChiefScientist for BP, following twenty-nine years at the CaliforniaInstitute of Technology where he was a Professor of TheoreticalPhysics and the Institute's Provost.
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May 22, 2009
Senate contact reminder and NUFO membership
_**Dear Colleagues,
Please act today if you have not already done so (see May 19 re: FY2010 budget support letter).
Also - you will notice that after some changes to the National Facility Users Organization (NUFO) charter, US LUO has joined NUFO, which
encompasses 28,000 users in a wide range of disciplines.
Best regards
Harvey
_
May 21, 2009
_
U.S. Senate Confirms Koonin
On May 19, Steven Koonin, visiting associate in physics and former provost of Caltech, was among three nominees unanimously approved by U.S. Senators for positions in the Department of Energy (DOE) under Nobel prize-winning Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, who will present the keynote address at the Institute’s commencement ceremony in June. Koonin will serve as the under-secretary for science, Chu’s chief scientific adviser, and will oversee research performed at the 10 national laboratories within the DOE’s Office of Science. At his confirmation hearing, Koonin discussed his intention to create energy-related jobs and cut greenhouse-gas emissions.
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May 20, 2009
AAAS Policy Alert
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**
Budget News**
NSF Releases Details of FY 2010 Budget Request. The National Science Foundation released details of its proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2010 on May 15. NSF’s Research and Related Activities (R&RA) programs would grow 10.6 percent above the final FY 2009 levels (excluding stimulus) for a total of $5.7 billion. All R&RA Directorates would receive increases between 6.7 percent (U.S. Arctic Research) to 12.6 percent (Geosciences). The Education and Human Resources (EHR) program would grow 1.5 percent for a total of $858 million.
Flu Spending Passes House. The U.S. House of Representatives last week approved the supplemental defense spending bill containing $2 billion for pandemic flu preparedness, of which $1.5 billion will go towards development and purchase of vaccines for the national stockpile. Meanwhile, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the bill (which also includes pandemic preparedness funds) allowing it to go to the floor for a vote.
Other Congressional News
On May 18 the U.S. Senate approved the nomination of Margaret Hamburg as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
National Climate Service Bill Advances. On May 13, the House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment passed a draft bill that would create a National Climate Service within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Sponsored by Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN), the proposal would expand NOAA’s delivery of climate-oriented services and is envisioned as a single point of federal contact for data collection, information exchange, climate forecasting, and adaptation assistance. The bill establishes a network of regional and local facilities to enhance collaboration, including the six preexisting Regional Climate Centers, facilities run by the National Weather Service, and other NOAA programs. The full committee is scheduled to take up the bill later this week.
Boxer/Inhofe Climate Bill Approved by Committee. The Senate Environment and Public Works passed a bill cosponsored by Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK) on May 14. The Black Carbon Emissions Bill (S. 849) requires the EPA to study the climate and health-related impacts of black carbon and to identify the most effective control strategies for the pollutant, a contributor to global warming that is mainly emitted from diesel engines and burning wood.
Committee Begins Markup of Climate Bill. The House Energy and Commerce Committee began markup of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) on Monday. Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chair Ed Markey (D-MA) released the bill’s text late last week. The bill contains several changes from an earlier draft, notably reducing the greenhouse gas emissions goal in 2020 from 20 to 17 percent below 2005 levels and lowering a renewable electricity standard from 25 percent in 2025 to 20 percent, with a quarter of that total allowable from increased efficiency measures. The bill outlines how emission allowances and revenues will be distributed, with utilities receiving 35 percent of the free permits and trade-vulnerable industries such as steel, cement and glass receiving 15 percent.
**Nominations
**
Last week President Obama announced a number of key S&T appointments including:
- Zachary Lemnios to be director of defense research and engineering (DDR&E), a key S&T post in the Pentagon. Lemnios is currently chief technology officer at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, a federally-funded R&D center.
- Thomas Frieden to serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Frieden is currently New York City’s health commissioner and previously worked at CDC. Frieden immediately issued a memo to employees affirming the agency’s commitment to science.
- Gregory Jaczko, currently a commissioner at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), was designated as the NRC chairman. Jaczko previously served as science policy advisor for Senator (now Majority Leader) Harry Reid (D-NV), and was a AAAS Congressional Fellow sponsored by the American Institute of Physics in the office of Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA).
**Executive Branch
**
NIH Deals with Grant Overload, Conflict of Interest. The National Institutes of Health is reportedly overwhelmed by the submission of approximately 20,000 Challenge Grant applications-more than double the amount for a normal review period. NIH must award the grants by the end of September, and so it has recruited more than 15,000 extra reviewers and will take an editorial board-style approach. In other news, NIH is examining its financial conflict of interest policies following a number of high-profile incidents involving extramural researchers. Comments are due by July 7.
USDA and Animal Welfare. On March 17, 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspected the University of Louisiana’s New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) following complaints by the Humane Society of the United States that the center was caring for its nonhuman primates in a manner that violated the Animal Welfare Act requirements. Inspectors cited NIRC for issues with its handling of animals, and with its Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). A USDA follow-up inspection on April 30, however, concluded that the March 17 citations were being addressed appropriately.
“Midnight Regulation” Affirmed. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has announced that the administration will retain a special rule issued in December for protecting the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The rule prohibits the government from invoking the Act to restrict emissions of greenhouse gases that threaten polar bears and their habitats. Salazar told the New York Times that ESA is not the appropriate means for curbing emissions linked to global warming.
NSF Data on Doctorates to Underrepresented Minorities. NSFs Science Resources Statistics Division established a new Web site that provides information on its progress toward improving the release of doctorate recipient data of underrepresented minorities as part of the annual Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED). Concerns arose in the past over the suppression of data disaggregated by race/ethnicity/sex that, although critical for programs and policies to promote underrepresented minorities, could reveal personal information of the surveyed individuals due to the small sample size. Current plans, however, now will release the data while protecting confidentiality.
**Elsewhere
**
AAAS Submits Comments on Scientific Integrity. On May 13, AAAS responded to the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP) request for public comment on the Presidential Memo on Scientific Integrity published in the Federal Register on April 23, 2009.
NRC Issues Report on Neuroscience and the Military. A new report from the National Research Council (NRC) states that the Army should use insights from neuroscience to improve its capacity to identify and make use of the individual variability of its soldiers. The report, Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army Applications, says the Army should expand its research on the neural bases of training, learning and performance, and should monitor nonmilitary research in neuroscience to keep abreast of advances that may have military application. Neuroscience also may have practical battlefield applications, the report said, such as neuroergonomics – the use of brain-machine interfaces to allow hands-off control of external systems such as computers or vehicles.
**People in the News
**
Former AAAS President (1998), Mildred Dresselhaus, was presented with the 2009 Vannevar Bush Award on May 13. The National Science Foundation award is given to an individual “who, through public service activities in science and technology, has made an outstanding contribution toward the welfare of mankind and the nation.” She was honored for her “perseverance and advocacy in increasing opportunities for women in science, and for her extraordinary contributions in the field of condensed-matter physics and nanoscience.” Dresselhaus is Institute Professor at MIT.
Publisher: Alan I. Leshner
Editor: Joanne Carney
Contributors: Kavita Berger, Mark Frankel, Erin Heath, Earl Lane, Shirley Malcom, Al Teich, Richard Weibl, Kasey White
**_
May 20, 2009
International Travel Grant Award Program
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Message to the members of the American Physical SocietyForum on International Physics. Authorized by Noemi Mirkin,Secretary/Treasurer.***********************************************************Dear FIP members:I want to bring to your attention the call for applicationsfor the tenth competitive cycle of the INTERNATIONAL TRAVELGRANT AWARD PROGRAM. Below are the details of the program andinstructions for applying online. You will also find thisinformation on the FIP website: http://www.aps.org/units/fip/ Sincerely,Noemi Mirkin************************************************************************* INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL GRANT AWARD PROGRAM (ITGAP)I. BackgroundFollowing the initiative of the APS Forum on International Physics (FIP), the sponsors* of the APS International Travel Grant Award Program (ITGAP) recognize that funding for collaborations between developed and developing country scientists is often insufficient to meet existing needs and opportunities. While the needs are great, and though we have only limited resources to stimulate growth of longer-term collaborations, we believe that an International Travel Grant Award Program, even a modest one, may make a significant difference.* ITGAP sponsors: APS Divisions of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP), Astrophysics (DAP), Computational Physics (DCOMP), Materials Physics (DMP), Nuclear Physics (DNP), Physics of Beams (DPB), Particles and Fields (DPF), and Plasma Physics (DPP), the APS Forum on International Physics (FIP), the APS Topical Group on Magnetism and its Applications (GMAG), the APS Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Liaison Committee for the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.II. PurposePromote international scientific collaborations between APS members and physicists in developing countries.III. Amount of the AwardUp to US$2,000 for travel and lodging expenses for international travel while visiting a collaborator.IV. FeaturesA. Time limit: Once awarded, the time limit on the use of the award is a maximum of 5 years.B. Report: A report, with a 300 word public abstract, is required upon completion of the award. This report will be posted on APS websites.C. Bi-directionality: The trip can be in either direction, with preference given for travel from developing countries to developed countries.D. Preference: Support for the growth of existing collaborations will be given preference over new ones, a measure of the former, for example, being joint publications.V. Conditions and CriteriaA collaborative visit must be for a period of at least one month. One or both partners (co-applicants) in the collaboration must be APS members of at least one of the sponsoring APS units. When rank-ordering applications, consideration will be given to:A. Merit1. Past record of research accomplishments and promise of future accomplishments; and2. Invited talks to be delivered during the trip, especially talks at APS-sponsored meetings.B. Need1. Under-represented countries and ethnic groups will be given priority; and2. Resources available from other sources with matching funds (leverage) will be considered as a positive factor while potential support available, but not sought, from other sources as a negative factor.VI. ProgramAwards will be made on 6-month competitive cycles. Twenty awards have been made during the first nine cycles. The application deadline for the current (10th) cycle is 30 June 2009. Decisions will be announced 31 July 2009. Applications are to be submitted online at http://ultron.aps.org/forms/aps.cgi?ID=1028 They should include the following items:Narrative proposal of 5000 characters (maximum);Lists of up to 5 most relevant publications of the two co-applicants;Statement of financial support provided from an appropriate representative of other sources (leverage);Statement of who is (are) the member(s) of the APS sponsoring units (specifying all that apply, i.e., DAMOP, DAP, DCOMP, DMP, DNP, DPB, DPF, DPP, FIP, or GMAG);Outline of the benefits of the proposal to junior scientists, students, or post-docs from a developing country; andDescription of the travel plan and budget.Applications will be considered active for the current cycle alone without restricting re-application in subsequent cycles. The Executive Committee of FIP, with assistance from the APS Committee on International Scientific Affairs (CISA), the APS Office of International Affairs, and other sponsoring APS units, will be responsible for managing the review process. Confidentiality of the reviews is assured.VII. Longer-term ProgramFIP and CISA invite funding partners to either continue this program or co-develop new programs that meet our combined objectives. We especially seek support of additional APS Units. Larger awards with broader aims and relaxing the restriction on APS membership are anticipated.VIII. Acknowledgment of Financial SupportAPS Division of AstrophysicsAPS Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical PhysicsAPS Division of Computational PhysicsAPS Division of Materials Physics APS Division of Nuclear PhysicsAPS Division of Particles and Fields APS Division of Physics of Beams APS Division of Plasma PhysicsAPS Forum on International PhysicsAPS Topical Group on Magnetism and its Applications APS Office of International Affairs U.S. Liaison Committee of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
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May 19, 2009
Austria to remain a CERN Member State
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_Corrigendum - last paragraph, please read :
_
Please note that the Delegates to the CERN Council were informed this morning of this decision by the Council secretariat.
Official confirmation of Austria’s decision should be received this afternoon.
Apologies for the misunderstanding.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Yesterday afternoon, Austrian Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann announced that Austria will not be leaving CERN. I am very pleased that Austria has taken this decision, and convinced that it is the right one not only for Austrian science, but also for European science. In taking this step, Chancellor Faymann is reaffirming Austria’s commitment to European research, and ensuring that the Austrian particle physics community can celebrate the 50th anniversary of Austrian accession to CERN, safe in the knowledge that Austria will play a full part in reaping the rewards of LHC physics.
Official confirmation of Austria’s decision was received this morning by letter from the Austrian Mission in Geneva to the President of the CERN Council.
Rolf Heuer
**_
May 19, 2009
AAAS Advances - May Newsletter
May 19, 2009
APS Request for Letters in Support of FY2010 Request for the DOE Office of Science_**
Dear Colleagues,
Apologies for those who receive this from multiple sources.
Please contact your Senators by Friday, using the easy procedure
outlined below. It does make a difference.
While the FY2010 budget is somewhat flatter than the 7+ % increase per year
required for doubling over ten years, the outlook is for the
upward trend to pick up in the future. This year it is important to
stay on track, with the President’s request, and to keep the pressure up
for continued strong support in the future.
Best regards
Harvey
-——— Forwarded message ———-
From: Cherry Murray, President, American Physical Society
To: Members of the American Physical Society
Re: Support for President Obama.s Fiscal Year 2010 Request for the
Department of Energy Office of Science
I am writing to request that you contact your Senators no later than
Friday, May 22, 2009 and ask that they sign a letter being
circulated by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman
Jeff Bingaman and Senator Lamar Alexander to the Appropriations
Committee supporting President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2010 request of
“at least $4.9 billion” for the Department of Energy Office of
Science (DOE/SC). Securing this amount would largely keep DOE/SC
on the seven year doubling plan set out by the America COMPETES Act
of 2007 (P.L. 110-69). Despite recent increases in funding for
DOE/SC through the FY2009 budget and the President’s American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), it is critical to keep
the pressure on Congress to continue strong and steady increases in
basic science funding and to avoid the “boom and bust” cycle in such
funding in future years. You can make this contact quickly and
easily at:
http://www.aps.org/policy/tools/alerts
There, you will find pre-written messages to your Senators. You may
send these letters as they are, modify them, or write your own.
While individualizing your letter is not essential, please at least
make minor edits to the subject line and the first line of the text
of each email so that these emails are more individualized. (See
webpage pointers below for further instruction.)
The attached letter would request that your Senators sign on to a
letter to Energy and Water Development Subcommittee on Appropriations
Chairman Senator Dorgan and ranking Member Robert Bennett supporting
President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2010 request of at least $4.9 billion
for DOE/SC. You can read the letter at the following website:
http://www.aps.org/policy/issues/research-funding/upload/Research-2009-FY10-SenateDOEDearColleagueNS.pdf
WEBPAGE POINTERS:
(1) While individualizing your letter is not essential, we ask that
you make minor edits to the subject line and the first line of the
text of each email.
(2) If you are a government employee, please do not use government
resources to send a communication.
(3) Your browser will take you to a page where you will enter your
name and address.
(4) After entering your address, click the “Edit/Send Email button”
A window with an individual email message to the four offices
will appear. Click “Send Emails” to transmit the communication.
(5) Electronic submission is preferred.
(6) For further help, write to opa@aps.org.
**_
May 18, 2009
AIP FYI #66
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FYIThe American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy NewsNumber 66: May 18, 2009Web version: http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/066.htmlBuilding Support for the DOE Office of Science Budget RequestYour senators have been asked to demonstrate their support for the$4.9 billion FY 2010 budget request for the Department of Science.Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) havesent a "Dear Colleague" to all senators asking them to sign a letterto the senior leadership of the Energy and Water DevelopmentAppropriations Subcommittee."We are writing to express our support for President Obama's FiscalYear 2010 request of at least $4.9 billion for the Department ofEnergy's Office of Science," states this letter to Chairman ByronDorgan (D-ND) and Ranking Republican Member Robert Bennett (R-UT).It later continues, "we commend you and the subcommittee for makingthe Office of Science a funding priority in recent years. We urgeyour continued support for the Office of Science so that we canmaintain this critical investment in our nation's future."Members of Congress receive many Dear Colleague letters every day.These letters are more likely to be acted upon if constituentscontact their senators or representatives about it.Information on the FY 2010 Office of Science request is available athttp://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/056.html Guidance on contacting aMember of Congress can be reviewed athttp://www.aip.org/gov/commcong.htmlThe full text of the letter follows:"Dear Chairman Dorgan and Ranking Member Bennett"We are writing to express our support for President Obama's FiscalYear 2010 request of at least $4.9 billion for the Department ofEnergy's Office of Science."The America COMPETES Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69) authorized theOffice of Science to receive $5.8 billion in Fiscal Year 2010, withthe goal of doubling the Office of Science's budget over aseven-year period."The Office of Science is the main federal sponsor of basic researchaimed at achieving the scientific breakthroughs necessary to meetour nation's growing needs for clean, abundant energy. In addition,the Office of Science is our nation's largest supporter of basicphysical sciences research."The Office of Science supports research in new fields -biotechnology, nanotechnology, and supercomputing - that willrevolutionize the 21st Century economy. Investment in basicscientific research is critical to preserving America's brainpoweradvantage so that we can compete in the global economy and preventour good jobs from going overseas. Especially now in the midst ofthis severe economic downturn, a strong investment in science isprudent and necessary to regain and sustain economic growth throughthe development of new industries."Through its many world-class user facilities and programs, theOffice of Science plays an indispensable role in attracting,educating, training, and sustaining the nation's scientificworkforce. Thousands of university researchers - professors, youngpost-doctoral scientists, and undergraduate students - rely onsupport from the Office of Science. Roughly half of the researchersat facilities run by the Office of Science come from universities,and about a third of Office of Science research funds go toinstitutions of higher learning."Historically, there is strong bipartisan support for increasingfunding for the Office of Science. We are acutely aware of the tightconstraint on available budgetary resources, and we commend you andthe subcommittee for making the Office of Science a funding priorityin recent years. We urge your continued support for the Office ofScience so that we can maintain this critical investment in ournation's future."
_May 15, 2009
AIP FYI #65
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FYIThe American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy NewsNumber 65: May 18, 2009Web version: http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/065.htmlFY 2010 Request for the National Science Foundation"With this budget, the President makes it absolutely clear thatscience and engineering research and education are vital to thenation's future. . . . In FY 2010, NSF is requesting $7.045 billion,an increase of 8.5 percent over FY 2009. That puts NSF on track todouble our budget over the next decade and to realize thePresident's Plan for Science and Technology." So said NationalScience Foundation Director Arden Bement last week when outliningthe Foundation's FY 2010 request, the details of which were madeavailable on Friday evening.The FY 2009 NSF appropriation was $6,490.4 million. The foundationreceived an additional $3,002.0 million from the American Recoveryand Reinvestment Act passed earlier this year; this funding is notincluded in the following calculations. The FY 2010 request is$7,045.0 million, an increase of $554.6 million or 8.5 percent.The full NSF request can be viewed athttp://www.nsf.gov/about/budget/fy2010/toc.jsp This documentprovides narrative and detailed figures on the request, a summary ofwhich is below:RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES:The current budget is $5,183.1 million. The FY 2010 request is$5,733.2 million, an increase of $550.0 million or 10.6 percent.There are eleven components in this account.The budget for the Directorate for Engineering would increase by$71.2 million or 10.3 percent from $693.3 million to $764.5 million.The budget for the Directorate for Geosciences would increase by$101.9 million or 12.6 percent from $807.1 million to $909.0million.The budget for the Directorate for Mathematical and PhysicalSciences would increase by $124.0 million or 9.9 percent from$1,256.0 million to $1,380.0 million.Within this Directorate:Astronomical Sciences funding would increase 9.7 percent.Materials Research funding would increase by 9.5 percent.Physics funding would increase by 7.9 percent.The budget for the Office of Polar Programs would increase by $45.3million or 9.6 percent from $470.7 million to $516.0 million.EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES:The current budget is $845.3 million. The FY 2010 request is $857.8million, an increase of $12.5 million or 1.5 percent.There are four components in this account.The budget for the Division of Research on Learning in Formal andInformal Settings would increase by $3.0 million or 1.3 percent from$226.5 million to $229.5 million.The budget for the Division of Undergraduate Education wouldincrease by $6.7 million or 2.4 percent from $283.2 million to$289.9 million.The budget for the Division on Graduate Education would stayapproximately equal, from $181.5 million to $181.4 million.The budget for the Division on Human Resource Development wouldincrease by $2.9 million or 1.9 percent from $154.0 million to$156.9 million.MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES:The current budget is $1,093.9 million. The FY 2010 request is$1,085.6 million, a decline of $8.3 million or -0.8 percent.The NSF budget document states: "In FY 2010, NSF requests continuedfunding for five ongoing projects: Advanced LIGO (AdvLIGO), theAtacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), the Advanced Technology SolarTelescope (ATST), the final year of funding for the IceCube NeutrinoObservatory (IceCube), and the Ocean Observatories Initiative(OOI)."
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May 15, 2009
Foreign Driving Licenses in France
_**An article published in a January 2009 issue of the CERN Bulletin titled “Foreign Driving Licenses in France” may resolve questions some holders of U.S. licenses have about whether or not they need to obtain a French driving license if living at CERN for more than one year. Section 1.2.a. of the article, for holders of a driving license issued by a non-EU, non-EEA country, states that “Any driving licence held by a person who is in possession of a special residence permit issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is recognised for driving on French territory during the period in which the special residence permit is valid.” Most, if not all, U.S. CERN users living in France hold a “Titre de sejour special”, or special residence permit.
Read the article here.
This information is of special importance to holders of U.S. licenses issued by states that do not have a reciprocal agreement with France. A list of states with reciprocal agreements from 2007 can be found here.
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May 15, 2009
FYI #64:_ Science Committee Hearing on FY2010 Request**
FYI
The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News
Number 64: May 15, 2009
Web version: http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/064.html
Science Committee Responds Favorably to FY 2010 S&T Request
Yesterday’s hearing of the House Science and Technology Committee
provided a first indication of congressional reaction to the Obama
Administration’s FY 2010 request for science and technology
budgets. Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John
Holdren was the sole witness, and was praised by committee members
on both sides of the dais.
This one hour, twenty minute hearing was the first of several
hearings on the request. It afforded Holdren an opportunity to
outline the Administration’s positions on S&T funding and policy,
and for Members to highlight their areas of interest.
Funding is always a concern, which Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN)
addressed in his opening remarks when he said “we are facing tough
budget times and we won’t always have new money at hand.” Holdren
addressed funding early in his own statement, telling committee
members that an analysis of the FY 2009 and FY 2010 R&D budget
numbers must include the funding in the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that was passed earlier this year and which
will be spent in both years. He also noted a requested increase in
non-defense R&D FY 2010 funding and a proposed reduction in defense
R&D spending. Said Holdren: “With the estimated $13.3 billion in
FY2009 dollars added by ARRA to the research funding for FY2009 and
FY2010, and with Congressional approval of the President’s proposal
for the latter, these two years will provide the largest Federal
investments in research in U.S. history. This follows four years of
real decline in this category from FY2004 to FY2008.”
Holdren told the committee that the FY 2010 request “sustains the
President’s commitment to double the budgets for three key basic
research agencies over a decade” as authorized in the America
COMPETES Act for the National Science Foundation, DOE Office of
Science, and the NIST laboratories. Earlier, Ranking Republican
Member Ralph Hall (R-TX) praised the Obama Administration for
requesting this level of funding, citing “deep bipartisan support”
for the COMPETES legislation. Hall wondered, however, about the
ability of the Administration to ensure that 3 percent of US GDP
will be devoted to R&D.
There was less agreement about NASA. While the FY 2010 request
would add almost a billion dollars to the agency’s budget, in
addition to a billion dollars in the ARRA, some Republican and
Democratic members expressed reservations about the Administration’s
intentions. Concerns were voiced about the time it has taken to
select a new NASA administrator with Holdren telling the committee
an announcement would soon be made. Members asked about the
Administration’s plans for manned space flight missions, and the
blue-ribbon panel to examine this program. Holdren’s written
testimony addressed this: “As President Obama has emphasized on a
number of occasions, he remains committed to U.S. participation in
human as well as robotic space exploration, including sending
astronauts beyond low-earth orbit.” His testimony then continued,
“Reconciling these aspirations with NASA’s other missions in an era
of budget constraint remains a great challenge, however, and to help
with it as we contemplate the budgets looking forward from FY2010 to
the `out years,’ the Administration is establishing a blue-ribbon
team of experts who will work closely with NASA to re-examine human
space flight activities beyond the scheduled retirement of the Space
Shuttle at the end of calendar 2010. The goal for the review, which
will report to me and the NASA Administrator, is to be sure that all
of the options for achieving as many of our human spaceflight goals
as possible in this crucial period, consistent with also fulfilling
NASA’s other missions, have been identified and carefully analyzed.”
Other NASA questions concerned the feasibility of returning
Americans to the moon by 2020, the Administration’s “vision” for the
agency, the five-year gap after the shuttle is retired for its
replacement, the recent Russian announcement that it will charge $51
million per seat for Soyuz return transportation to the space
station, the problem of space debris, the entrance of China into
space transportation, and future layoffs of NASA personnel. The
Administration’s selection of Augustine to chair the NASA committee
was praised by Ranking Member Hall; Holdren said that the other
committee members that will be announced in the near future are also
very praiseworthy.
Holdren’s answers to a wide range of other questions were
well-received. Members asked about the protection of the world’s
oceans, funding for social sciences, international scientific
cooperation, patent law reform, scientific integrity, the use of
science in policy making, energy (fossil, biofuels, solar), DOE’s
proposed Energy Innovation Hubs, the NSF request for its Education
and Human Resources Directorate, green buildings, energy storage
technologies, the clean up of nuclear legacy waste, the funding
formula for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and avoiding
the “boom and bust” cycle that has characterized science funding.
This is the first of a number of hearings that will be held in
coming months on the Administration’s FY 2010 S&T request. Next
week, Science Committee members will have a chance to ask additional
questions about one of their major topics of concern when the
committee is scheduled to have a hearing on the FY 2010 NASA budget
request.
Richard M. Jones
Media and Government Relations Division
The American Institute of Physics
fyi@aip.org http://www.aip.org/gov
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May 15, 2009
Message from CERN Director General about Austrian participation in CERN
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Dear Colleagues,
I would like to inform you of the actions taken by the President of Council and myself since we heard of the Austrian Science Minister’s wish to bring his country’s membership of CERN to an end. Both of us have written to the Austrian government setting out our belief that it is in Austria’s best interest to remain a Member State. I wrote to the Austrian Science Minister and the Austrian President as soon as I heard the news, while Professor Åkesson wrote to the Austrian Chancellor on 13th May, after having consulted with a number of Council delegations.
The delegations that Professor Åkesson has spoken to all expressed their surprise at the decision, and the way in which it was announced. They were also surprised that Austria should consider such a step at a time when we are poised to reap the rewards of a long period of investment in the LHC.
Such a step would not be in line with the general trend at a time when several countries are applying for membership of CERN. Just this year, Council had the pleasure of welcoming Romania to the CERN family for the first time. Four more countries have submitted their candidacy for membership.
At a time when the nature of particle physics is shifting from regional to global, with the LHC as its centrepiece, it is timely to take a close look at CERN’s role on the global stage. That is why Council has established a working group to look at the question of geographic and scientific enlargement of CERN, in other words, to examine the place that CERN should occupy in the global scientific landscape, as well as the conditions and categories of membership.
Furthermore, CERN was a pioneer of European research, and is an established flagship today. From the very earliest days, Austria has played an important role at CERN, with two Director-Generals coming from Austria, as well as one President and three Vice-Presidents of Council. Today, CERN is growing ever closer to the European Commission, each recognizing the other’s role in constructing a European Research Area. To this end, dedicated sessions of Council are being held to harmonize and strengthen national activities in the field and an agreement is about to be concluded between CERN and the European Commission.
Through its intergovernmental collaboration strategy, Europe is setting the standard for leadership and success in science. CERN is a prime example of this: a world-leader in its field, to which Austria has contributed fully. CERN’s successes are Austria’s successes, and in the 50th anniversary of Austrian accession to CERN, that is something to celebrate. Both the President of Council and I sincerely hope that Austria will reconsider its decision, and retain its place at the heart of science at CERN in line with the aforementioned European strategy.
This is what the Austrian government has been told. In parallel, there was a meeting in Vienna on Monday this week at which Felicitas Pauss and I met with Austria’s Science Minister. It was a constructive meeting at which we agreed to continue to work together in search of a common solution. Further follow-up meetings will be organised, the first of which takes place on Wednesday next week. At the same time, Professor Åkesson will continue his discussions with the Council delegations, and the two of us will keep each other fully briefed in preparation for the June session of Council, at which the question will be discussed. If there are any significant developments in the meantime, we will of course keep you informed.
Rolf Heuer
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May 14, 2009
Petition to help stop Austria’s departure from CERN
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The Austrian Physical Society are asking for your help to support our case. Please, sign the "Petition SOS", calling on the Austrian Parliament not to endorse Minister Hahn's proposal:http://sos.teilchen.at/petition/(English version is at the bottom of that page.You may find more background information on our Institute's web page athttp://www.hephy.at/en/where we invite you also to write a comment.
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May 13, 2009
AAAS Policy Alert
_**AAAS Policy Alert – May 13, 2009
Budget News
FY 2010 Budget Proposals. On May 7, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director John Holdren released the Obama Administration’s FY 2010 R&D budget
priorities through August 6. Appearing with Holdren in the AAAS Auditorium were NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, NSF Acting Deputy Director Cora Marrett,
and NASA Acting Administrator Chris Scolese, presenting the R&D budget outlooks for their respective agencies. According to OSTP’s analysis, the Administration’s budget requests for
R&D in FY 2010 will total $147.6 billion, an increase of 0.4 percent compared to the FY 2009 estimate, excluding stimulus funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA).
Agencies slated for significant R&D increases over FY 2009 (not including ARRA funds) include NASA (with $11.4 billion of R&D requested, a 10 percent increase);
National Science Foundation ($5.3 billion of R&D requested, a 9.4 percent increase); National Institute of Standards and Technology ($637 million of R&D requested, a 15.8 percent increase); and
Department of Education ($384 million of R&D requested, a 18.9 percent increase). The Department of Energy would see an increase of 1.1 percent for a
total R&D portfolio of $10.74 billion, and the National Institutes of Health would grow 1.5 percent to $30.2 billion in R&D for FY 2010. Agencies that
would receive cuts in R&D include the Department of Defense ($79.7 billion
, a 2.4 percent decrease), USDA ($2.3 billion, a 6.32 percent decrease), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ($644 million, an 8 p
ercent decrease). Overall, non-defense R&D would increase 3.6 percent for a
total of $63.9 billion, whereas defense R&D would decline 2 percent to $83.8 billion. ARRA funds, which are meant to be spent over FY 2009 and FY 2010 are not included in these calculations.
On May 11 the Obama Administration released the full budget and analytical perspectives for the FY 2010 budget requests. The latter
includes a chapter on research and development (see Section 5 under "
Crosscutting Programs"). AAAS will prepare a preliminary analysis of the FY 2010 budget requests for R&D and post it to the AAAS R&D Budget website soon.
Flu Spending Passes House Committee.
The House Appropriations Committee last week approved a supplemental defense spending bill containing $2 billion for pandemic flu preparedness in response to the H1
N1 (“swine flu”) virus scare. The $1.5 billion requested by President Obama will go toward federal response efforts such as the development
and purchase of vaccines, but the committee also added funds for state/local ($350 million) and international ($200 million) preparation and response
efforts. This week the full House will consider the bill, while the Senate
Appropriations Committee will mark up its version.
Other Congressional News
Science Envoy Measure Advances.
On May 5 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved legislation (S. 838) that would establish science envoys “to promote the advancement of science and technology throughout the world.” Although th
e bill does not explicitly define “science envoys,” its sponsor, Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), said in a statement accompanying the bill’s introduction, that “these envoys will be recogniz
ed world leaders in their fields of expertise and will demonstrate that the United States is serious about engaging other nations in issues of mutual
benefit and concern in science and research.” The bill also allows the Secretary of State to establish or expand existing programs to increase the number of educational and cultural exchange activities involving the scie
nce, medicine, research, and academic sectors.
Nominations
Margaret Hamburg, the nominee for commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration,
won endorsements from some key Senators during her nomination hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which bodes
well for her confirmation. At press time, votes on her confirmation by the
committee and by the full Senate were not yet scheduled. Joshua Scharfstein
has been serving as acting FDA commissioner pending Hamburg’s confirmation, but as Principal Deputy Commissioner and Chief Scientist, he is not subject to confirmation.
The Senate voted to confirm William Corr, former aide to then-Senator Tom Daschle (D-S
D) and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human
Services.
Tara O’Toole, M.D., CEO of the Center for Biosecurity, University of Pittsburg Medical
Center, has been nominated to be Under Secretary for Science and Technology at the Department of Homeland Security.
Executive Branch
OSTP Calls for Review of NASA Human Space Flight Program.
At the May 7 budget rollout, OSTP Director John Holdren also announced the launch of an independent review to assess current and future plans for NASA’s Human Space Flight initiatives and to present alternatives and options for ini
tiatives that NASA could undertake after the Shuttle is retired in 2010. The review will be conducted by a blue-ribbon panel to be led by former Lockheed Martin CEO Norman Augustine.
EPA Examines Biofuels.
As part of a proposed rule implementing a renewable fuels production mandate from the 2007 Energy Bill, EPA released a
lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions analysis that includes direct greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels as well as indirect impacts of land use chang
e from biofuel production. EPA’s assessment, open for 60 days for public comment, presents greenhouse gas reductions of various biofuels under differe
nt time horizons. On the day of the announcement, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that$786 million in stimulus funding will be allocated to advanced biofuels and expansion of com
mercial biorefineries.
Follow-Up: Public Consultation on Lab Biosecurity.
Last week’s Policy Alert (May 6, 2009) referred to a public consultation being held May 13-14 on an interagency review of laws and regulations
related to laboratory biosecurity, and provided a link for advance registration and the program agenda. AAAS is submitting comments. For those interested, written comments must be received prior to May 18.
Elsewhere
Anti-Evolution Bill Dead in Florida. Florida’s legislative session came to a close on
May 1, and with it the prospects of a bill that would have required teachers to present a “critical analysis” of evolution. This year’s anti-evolution bill seemed to have significantly less momentum than the so-cal
led “academic freedom” bill from last year (which ultimately failed as well).
AAAS Report on Biosafety Training.
On May 6 the AAAS Center for Science, Technology and
Security Policy and the Program on Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law released a workshop report,
Biological Safety Training as a Component of Personnel Reliability. The report addresses biosafety training for researchers working in high-containment laboratories, the process by which
scientists are approved for access to high-containment laboratories, and the
need for reporting of potential exposures.
European Parliament Votes on Animal Research.
The European Parliament has voted to back the use of non-human primates in research, a move that pleased many science advocacy groups worried about a more
stringent proposal last year that would have essentially banned the research. The revised policy would, however, still ban most testing on great apes
including chimpanzees. Last week’s vote was not the final one—that will likely come this year after next month’s European parliamentary elections.
Publisher: Alan I. Leshner
Editor: Steve Nelson
Contributors: Kavita Berger, Joanne Carney, Erin Heath, Kathryn Luke, Al Teich, Kasey White
NOTE: The AAAS Policy Alert is a newsletter provided to
AAAS Members to inform them of developments in science and technology poli
cy that may be of interest. Information in the Policy Alert is gather
ed from published news reports, unpublished documents, and personal communi
cations. Although the information contained in this newsletter is reg
arded as reliable, it is provided only for the convenience and privat
e use of our members. Comments and suggestions regarding the Policy A
lert are welcome. Please write to alert@aaas.org.
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May 8, 2009
DOE Office of Science in the FY2010 Proposal
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Dear Colleagues, Additional information on the President's proposed FY2010 budget forthe DOE Office of Science can be found at: http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/10budget/Content/Volumes/Volume4.pdf HEP starts at: http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/10budget/Content/Volumes/Volume4.pdf#page=231 The ILC budget request in FY2010 remains the same as in FY2009, namely $35M. Details can be found at: http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/10budget/Content/Volumes/Volume4.pdf#page=268 It is not clear to me whether detector R&D is to be included in this amount, since there is a separate section on Detector Development on the next page with the following comments: "Current areas of investigation include R&D on detector technologies that couldbe used to pursue new opportunities in future lepton colliders,... A diverse programwill be continued, including efforts on particle flow calorimeters, very low-mass trackers, ..." Detailed information regarding the National Labs can be found at: http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/10budget/Content/Labandstate/FY2010lab.pdf Some examples: Page Laboratory/ Facility FY2008 FY2009 FY2010 App. App. Req. 4 Argonne National Laboratory $410,651 $452,108 $452,109 11 Brookhaven National Laboratory $461,326 $524,648 $590,661 20 Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory $354,685 $377,075 $402,935 27 Hanford Site $982,523 $1,037,991 $971,678 28 Idaho National Laboratory $995,570 $1,086,406 $1,070,058 37 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory $497,264 $506,675 $531,176 39 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory $1,185,096 $1,167,506 $1,159,696 44 Los Alamos National Laboratory $1,891,911 $1,884,853 $1,741,401 67 Oak Ridge National Laboratory $998,608 $1,094,260 $1,065,482 76 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory $512,765 $498,633 $508,696 92 Sandia National Laboratories $1,356,156 $1,322,247 $1,343,234 98 Savannah River Site $1,421,265 $1,490,384 $1,596,169102 SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory $302,943 $312,906 $289,089112 Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility $98,517 $125,862 $149,188 It should be noted that this represents the President's proposed budget,which is only the beginning of a very long, complicated budget process. Sincerely,Norman Graf
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May 8, 2009
_AIP FYI #55: FY2010 S&T Request to Congress
FYIThe American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy NewsNumber 55: May 8, 2009Web version: http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/055.htmlAdministration Sends FY 2010 Request to CongressThe Obama Administration sent its FY 2010 budget request to CapitolHill yesterday. At a noon time briefing, OSTP Director John Holdrenreviewed the science and technology components of the request, andtold the audience, "we have done better that almost any otherconstituency." He went on to say "we have a President who gets it,"and who is "walking the walk," despite the US being in a "very badspell economically . . . [in an] "era of stringency."Getting a firm handle on the FY 2010 request for science andtechnology programs is somewhat a work in progress. Holdrenexplained that the Administration is still calculating how thebillions of dollars for S&T programs in the economic stimulus orrecovery act will be spent in this and coming fiscal years. Theimpact of the stimulus funding is, in effect, to provide funding forFY 2010 spending in advance of the enactment of the traditional FY 2010appropriations bills (see http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/016.html.)As was true in previous budget requests, the Obama Administration isalso noting the impact that congressionally-directed or earmarkedfunding has in analyzing its budget request. For instance, an OSTPdocument shows that the NIST laboratories would receive a 1.2percent budget increase in FY 2010. A footnote then explains,"2010 request is a 14.2 percent increase excluding congressionalgrants and projects in 2009."OSTP has a ten-page document "A Renewed Commitment to Science andTechnology - Federal R&D, Technology, and STEM Education in the 2010Budget" available at http://ostp.gov/cs/rd_budgets as well as foursupplemental exhibits. This FYI includes excerpts from the longerdocument. Future FYIs will provide information from department andagency budget materials of interest to the physics, astronomy, andSTEM communities."The President's Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Budget proposes $147.6billion for the Federal investment in research and development(R&D). That is $555 million or 0.4 percent more than the 2009enacted level. . . . In 2009, 2009 enacted appropriations andpreliminary allocations of Recovery Act funding increase the FederalR&D investment to a record $165.4 billion; Recovery Act funds willbe spent in 2009 and 2010. . . . In real terms, the 2009 enactedlevel and 2010 Budget are among the two largest R&D investments inhistory. . . . These investments, spread across two dozen Federaldepartments and independent agencies, reflect the Administration'srecognition that science, technology, and innovation are criticaltools for making progress toward the national goals of a prosperouseconomy, a clean energy future, a healthy American people, and astrong and secure America. The Federal R&D investment alsorecognizes that the urge to probe more deeply into the unknown andexpand the frontiers of human knowledge is at the core of theAmerican experience."BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH FUNDING:"The 2010 Budget includes a special emphasis on basic and appliedresearch to fundamentally improve our understanding of nature,revolutionize key fields of science, and foster radically newtechnologies. The Federal research portfolio (comprising basic andapplied research) totals $59.0 billion in the 2010 Budget . . . , up$376 million or 0.6 percent compared to the 2009 enacted level(excluding Recovery Act funding). After four years of decline inreal terms . . . from 2004 to 2008, the 2009 enacted level and 2010Budget represent a real dollar turnaround in Federal researchinvestments across the spectrum of the sciences and engineering."DEVELOPMENT FUNDING:"The 2010 Budget provides $84.1 billion in development funding. TheRecovery Act and 2009 enacted appropriations provide unprecedentedFederal support for R&D facilities and capital equipment totaling$8.2 billion . . . , including support for the construction andrenovation of laboratory facilities at government laboratories,contractor-operated national laboratories, and academic institutionsas well as competitively awarded funding for the purchase of majorresearch instrumentation. In the 2010 Budget, R&D facilities andcapital equipment funding totals $4.5 billion, including substantialsupport from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA; $2.4 billion) for scientific facilities including theInternational Space Station and the Department of Energy (DOE; $1.2billion) for a suite of scientific user facilities at DOElaboratories."THE PRESIDENT'S PLAN FOR SCIENCE AND INNOVATION:The Bush Administration called its S&T funding doubling plan theAmerican Competitiveness Initiative. The House leadership had asimilar plan called the Innovation Agenda. The Obama Administrationwill continue the effort to double funding for the Department ofEnergy's Office of Science (DOE SC), the National ScienceFoundation, and the National Institute of Standards andTechnologies Laboratories, calling it "The President's Plan forScience and Innovation."Page 4 of the OSTP document has an exhibit on the Administration'splan for "Doubling Funding for Key Basic Research Agencies in the2010 Budget," that is accompanied by a figure charting the doublingof basic research funding from FY 2006 to FY 2016. A selection fromthis page follows:"The President's Plan for Science and Innovation and the AmericaCOMPETES Act have identified NSF, DOE SC, and NIST as key to ournation's prosperity and to preserving America's place as the worldleader in science and technology. Although the previousAdministration voiced support for efforts to double these agencies'budgets between 2006 and 2016, these efforts fell short in 2007 and2008. In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act signed by President Obama finallyput these agencies back on a doubling trajectory. The 2010 Budgetbuilds on these early Administration accomplishments with arequested $12.6 billion total for NSF, DOE SC, and the NIST labs, anincrease of $731 million or 6.1 percent above the 2009 enacted total(excluding Recovery Act funds of $5.2 billion for the threeagencies). These substantial increases keep the agencies on trackfor the fourth year of a ten-year doubling trajectory. In addition,the 2010 Budget establishes projections laying out a clear path tocompleting the doubling effort in 2016 with $19.5 billion for thethree agencies, double the $9.7 billion they received in 2006.Between 2009 and 2016, the Obama Administration's enacted andproposed budgets would add $42.6 billion to the 2008 budgets forthese basic research agencies, with a special emphasis onencouraging high-risk, high-return research and supportingresearchers at the beginning of their careers."The OSTP document identifies four "key R&D priorities": Investing inthe Sciences for a Prosperous America," "A Clean Energy Future,""Healthy Lives for All Americans," and "A Safe and Secure America."The document also provides summary information on three multi-agencyresearch initiatives:Networking and Information Technology R&D: The Administrationrequested an increase of 1.l percent or $44 million to $3.9 billion.Nanotechnology R&D: The Administration requested a reduction of 1.0percent or $17million to $1.6 million, citing "the proposedelimination of 2009 Department of Defense congressional projects in2010."Climate Change R&D: The Administration requested an increase of 2.3percent or $46 million to $2.0 billion.
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May 7, 2009
AAAS News Release - “White House 2010 R&D Budget, Presented at AAAS, Offers Significant New Investment”**
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May 7, 2009
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DOE Budget to Put More Scientists to Work to Find Energy “Solutions”: ScienceInsider
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May 7, 2009_
The 2010 Science Budget – Kintisch et al. 2009(507):1 – ScienceNOW_
May 7, 2009
The President’s FY2010 Budget
May 7, 2009
_The White House OSTP wants your opinion
From ScienceDebate.org:**
Barack Obama pledged to Science Debate that he would “ restore the science integrity of government and restore transparency of decision-making…”
He has referred to this pledge several times since, most recently in his speech to the National Academies of Science. On March 9, the president formally asked the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to make recommendations on how the executive branch can meet this pledge.
The OSTP has opened a public comment period regarding this directive, giving you the opportunity to share your thoughts on what the next steps should be. Comments are due by Wednesday, May 13.
The OSTP is looking for recommendations on the six issues President Obama identified in his memo:
- hiring and keeping qualified scientists
- defining new policies to ensure integrity
- using “well-established scientific processes” like peer review
- disclosing scientific findings
- ensuring that principles of scientific integrity are being adhered to
- adopting additional policies like whistleblower protections
The OSTP is accepting comments via email and through their blog, here.
Their original request for input can be found here (pdf).
Many organizations in Washington will be giving their opinions of what the OSTP plan should entail. We believe it is important for scientists and other science supporters to be included in that process, and for you to indicate to the White House how science and scientific integrity affect your work, your families, and your communities.
If you’re interested in more background information, visit the scientific integrity site of our friends at the Union of Concerned Scientists here.
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May 6, 2009_
Chu Pegs ILC Cost at $25 Billion: ScienceInsider_
May 6, 2009_
AAAS News Release - AAAS S&T Forum Keynote Address: Obama’s Science Advisor Urges U.S. Climate Policy Leadership_
May 6, 2009_
Senate Budget Committee - Democratic Staff website - on the FY10 Budget_
May 6, 2009_
Committee on the Budget, U.S. House of Representatives_
May 6, 2009_
OMB - Blog Post - This Week in Budget News_
May 6, 2009
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu Calls on Scientists to Help Review Energy Applications
May 6, 2009
At AAAS Forum, Experts Detail R&D Bounty - and Warn of Tough Budget Pressures Ahead**
**
May 6, 2009_
AAAS S&T Policy Forum, Budget News and Other Congressional News**
AAAS S&T Policy Forum
Record Crowd Hears Holdren, Chu, Congressional Leaders Address Forum. Despite the lack of a proposed budget for the coming fiscal year - analysis of which has been a focus of previous Forums - Presidential Science Adviser and OSTP Director John Holdren’s opening keynote address to the 34th Annual AAAS Forum on S&T Policy, April 30, was warmly received by the more than 600 attendees. Holdren outlined Administration S&T priorities, discussed the tasks and challenges facing OSTP, and asserted that the U.S. must become a world leader in addressing global climate change. Several speakers noted that despite the current influx of federal funds for R&D, serious budget pressures lie ahead.
Other notable speakers at the Forum included Secretary of Energy Steven Chu (who outlined how the federal government was responding to energy challenges), Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) of the House Science & Technology Committee, MIT President Susan Hockfield, Canadian Minister of State (Science & Technology) Gary Goodyear, Richard Garwin (who gave the Carey Lecture), and Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy & Environment. Accounts and video clips of several key sessions are available on the AAAS web site. Speakers’ PowerPoint presentations and podcasts will be available soon.
Budget News
According to Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag’s blog (released late May 4), the President’s proposed budget for FY 2010 will soon be released in two phases: on May 7, the budgets for most agencies – the “micro view” – will be released (as well as a volume of proposed “terminations, reductions, and savings”); and next week, the cross-agency summaries and historical trends, including OSTP’s R&D budget overview – the “macro view” – will be presented. Last week the House and Senate approved the congressional budget resolution for the coming year based on the outline released by the Administration in February. The next task will be for appropriators to determine how the total $1.086 trillion budget outlined in the resolution will be divided among the 12 appropriation subcommittees. This week, the House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to mark up the $83.4 billion supplemental request for the Department of Defense FY 2009 budget plus an additional $1.5 billion requested by the Administration last week for the flu pandemic. The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to follow suit next week.
Other Congressional News
The House Science and Technology Committee approved two bills that would require the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to create two interagency coordinating committees under the National Science and Technology Council, one on international science cooperation and the other on science education (see April 6 Policy Alert). The International Science and Technology Cooperation Act of 2009 (H.R. 1736) and the STEM Education Coordination Act of 2009 (H.R. 1709) will now go to the House floor for votes. No Senate versions have been introduced.
May 5, 2009**
Science representatives seek to ease tension in Middle East - Physics Today
**
****May 5, 2009
FYI THIS MONTH: APRIL - 2009
****HIGHLIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENTS IN WASHINGTON IMPACTING THE PHYSICS COMMUNITY FROM FYI, THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS BULLETIN OF SCIENCE POLICY NEWSTo read the cited FYIs, see the FYI archive at: http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/
HOUSE SCIENCE COMMITTEE ACTS ON LEGISLATION: Bills advanced to coordinate STEM education and international S&T cooperation that would alter the structure of the Cabinet-level National Science and Technology Council. (#39)
FY2010 APPROPRIATORS CYCLE UNDERWAY: A key subcommittee started the FY 2010 budget cycle with a series of hearings featuring private witnesses discussing appropriate levels of science funding. Said the chairman, “We don’t want to create a baseline and a commitment to a percentage increase that we can’t sustain.”(#40)
The Executive Officer of the America Physical Society cautioned against “the `boom and bust’ cycle for science funding that has been seen in the past,” warning of disproportionate impacts on students and young faculty members. (#41)
The House Science and Technology Committee chairman voiced support for the “robust funding levels” for various science agencies in the FY 2010 overview request. (#42)
Seventy-three representatives signed a letter supporting the $7 billion NSF request. (#43)
Seventy representatives urged an 8 percent budget increase for the DOE Office of Science. (#44)
A “sense of the House” statement in the House Budget Resolution promoted American innovation and economic competitiveness. (#45)
More than 200 organizations signed a letter to the President commending his support for physical sciences and engineering research and the preliminary S&T budget request. (#45)
Appropriators received testimony from the Commerce Secretary on his department’s science and technology programs. (#51)
LOOKING BACK ON THREE MILE ISLAND: A common theme during a hearing on the most serious nuclear accident in the history of the U.S. commercial nuclear power industry was the need to guard against the danger of complacency. (#46)
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE: The National Science Board asked for public comment on a report outlining the actions the federal government must take to move to a sustainable energy economy. (#47)
U.S. AND CHINA S&T COOPERATION: A senior Chinese official discussed collaboration on issues such as energy conservation, environment, joint R&D, and intellectual property rights. (#48)
OBAMA SETS GOAL OF 3% OF GDP FOR R&D: President Obama set a goal of devoting more than 3 percent of U.S. GDP to research and development, a level that would exceed that of the Space Race era. (#49)
CHU ON CLIMATE CHANGE: Energy Secretary Steven Chu told a House subcommittee that the United States “must get off the sidelines of the clean energy race and play to win.” (#50)
_
**May 4, 2009
**_Serious accident at a work site on the CERN Prévessin site
This afternoon a fatal accident occurred during work being carried out by a company mandated by the Communauté des communes du Pays de Gex on installations that pass through CERN’s Prévessin site. One of the workmen was found unconscious in an access shaft to the underground drains. He was immediately transported to the Geneva Cantonal Hospital, where he later died. The causes of the accident are not yet known.
The work forms part of the substantial project to renovate the used water treatment system of the Pays de Gex.
Independently of any measures taken by the competent authorities, I have set up a fact-finding group to establish the circumstances of the accident. CERN has suspended the work on its site until this enquiry reaches its conclusions.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased.
Rolf Heuer
_
**May 2, 2009
**_**OSTP Director John Holdren Addresses AAAS Forum
FYI - The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News
Number 53: May 1, 2009
Web version: http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/053.html
**
Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John Holdren
delivered the keynote address yesterday at the 34th annual AAAS
Forum on Science and Technology Policy. Holdren’s address, and that
of House Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon
(D-TN) which followed, were optimistic about the outlook for science
in the Obama Administration.
“Our biggest asset: the President’s engagement with S&T,” concluded
Holdren’s final slide. “This is a president who just lights up,”
Holdren said, “when the subject is science and technology,” later
adding, “this is why we are going to get this done.”
Holdren started his presentation with a review of the two major
responsibilities of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and
his position as the Assistant to the President for Science and
Technology. The first, to provide “science and technology for
policy” which Holdren described as “independent, objective advice
for the President and Vice President about S&T germane to all policy
issues.” The second, “policy for science and technology,”
consisting of “analysis, recommendations, and coordination . . . on
R&D budgets and related policies” such as STEM education, workforce
issues, scientific integrity, and related matters.
Assisting Holdren will be four Associate Directors, and a staff of
sixty employees. Many will be detailees from the National Science
Foundation, NASA, NOAA, the Department of Energy, and the Department
of Defense. OSTP has an annual budget of about $6 million.
Holdren will co-chair the President’s Council of Advisors on Science
and Technology with Eric Lander and Harold Varmus. On Monday, the
White House announced PCAST members; see www.ostp.gov. Holdren will
also co-chair, with President Obama, the National Science and
Technology Council, described as a “Cabinet-level Council [that] is
the principal means within the executive branch to coordinate
science and technology policy across the diverse entities that make
up the Federal research and development enterprise.” See the NSTC
website at http://www.ostp.gov/cs/nstc
Holdren identified five major applied challenges, including S&T for
the economy, public health, energy, environment, and national and
homeland security. The “foundations of success” to meet these
challenges include the U.S. capability for fundamental research,
STEM education, information and communications technology, space
capabilities, and supporting policies in areas such as intellectual
property, scientific integrity, and visas.
The Obama Administration has moved quickly on several major
scientific and technological initiatives. These include the
President’s announcement on allocating 3 percent of the nation’s GDP
to R&D (see http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/049.html ), significant S&T
funding in the economic stimulus package
(
http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/016.html), the preliminary FY 2010
budget request (
http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/025.html ), initiatives
in STEM education, clean energy and climate, health, stem-cell
guidelines, and scientific integrity (see
http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/028.html ), and appointments. All of
this is set, Holdren said, in an “exceedingly demanding budget
situation.”
In response to questions from the audience, Holdren said that
“voices are being heard” regarding climate change in the
Administration. The “policy challenge” is the major factor in
deliberations about how green house gases should be controlled, he
said. In response to another question, he agreed that metrics for
science programs should be more than just the funding provided.
When asked if NASA should be included in those agencies for which
the budget is doubled, Holdren replied that fundamental science
funding for the agency should be strengthened. He predicted that
the Administration will succeed in dealing with Congress, and will
work to avoid the boom and bust funding cycle that has characterized
previous science agency budgeting.
Chairman Gordon’s remarks built on those of Holdren. He recounted a
conversation with President Obama in which the President said, “I’m
a science guy.” Gordon told the forum that science funding must be
spent wisely, later saying that the case must be made that “science
is about jobs.” The science community must “put a face on it” he
advised, so that the public sees science as being about more than
just scientists. “A lot of the future has to do with you,” Gordon
exclaimed.
_May 2, 2009
_
**DOE Science Positions Move Forward
**
**FYI - The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News
Number 52: May 1, 2009
Web version: http://www.aip.org/fyi/2009/052.html
**On April 23, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held
an afternoon hearing to consider five nominees for senior positions
at the Department of Energy and the Department of Interior. Among
the nominees was Steven E. Koonin to be the Under Secretary for
Science at the Department of Energy. The hearing went smoothly, with
limited questioning of each nominee. President Obama has also
nominated William Brinkman to be the Director of the DOE Office of
Science. Brinkman, now a Senior Research Physicist at Princeton
University, will appear before the committee in coming weeks.
In the Bush Administration, Ray Orbach was “dual-hatted,” filling
both DOE positions. Orbach started his service as the Director of
the Office of Science. After legislation was passed establishing the
new Under Secretary for Science position, Orbach also held that
position.
Committee chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) opened the hearing by saying
“I believe the president has chosen well,” later exclaiming “I
support each of your nominations.” Bingaman declared that he was
“very impressed with the scientific credentials” of Koonin, who has
served as Chief Scientist at BP for the last five years. Previously,
Koonin was a professor of Theoretical Physics years at the
California Institute of Technology and then its provost for nine
years
Koonin prepared brief written testimony which included his
observations on the department’s major activities. Selections from
this testimony follow:
“The basic research supported by the Office of Science is one of the
jewels of the Federal research portfolio. The long tradition of
peer-reviewed support for university and national laboratory
researchers and forefront user facilities continues to drive
advances on many fronts. We are on the cusp of understanding the
origin of mass, the nature of most of what’s in the universe, and
how quarks and gluons combine to form nuclei. New instrumentation
and new information technologies are enabling better understanding
of the changing climate and new capabilities to predict, manipulate,
and control materials, biological systems, and plasma. The
commitments from Congress and the Administration to double support
for these activities over the next decade are more than justified.
“In nuclear security, the President has set ambitious goals for
reducing the US stockpile of weapons while maintaining confidence in
their safety, security, and reliability in the absence of nuclear
testing. But these will not be achievable without a robust technical
enterprise in the NNSA. The National Nuclear Security
Administration’s ongoing Stockpile Stewardship program of
simulation, non-nuclear experimentation, and warhead surveillance
and refurbishment has been effective for more than a decade, but
faces growing challenges in maintaining technical capabilities.
Strengthening these capabilities will be essential to achieving the
President’s non-proliferation goals.
“In Energy, President Obama has set ambitious goals to enhance
energy security and reduce GHG [green house gas] emissions while
creating new jobs. Improvements in the technologies to produce,
transmit, store, and use energy are essential to meeting these
goals. But the scale, duration, cost, and complexity of energy
matters pose great challenges. Technical understanding and judgement
are important to making the right decisions about which technologies
to pursue and how each should be advanced from research and
development through demonstration and deployment. Novel forms of
public/private and international partnerships will be required to
address these global problems. I have pledged to Secretary Chu to
work closely with the Under Secretary of Energy on these matters, I
am confident that Dr. [Kristina] Johnson [the nominee for Under
Secretary of Energy] and I will work well together, should we both
be confirmed.
“What might I aspire to accomplish in the position to which I’ve
been nominated? As you know, by statue the Under Secretary for
Science has the dual responsibilities of overseeing the basic
research carried out in the Office of Science, and of serving as the
principal scientific advisor to the Secretary. In the former
capacity, I would look forward to working with this Committee,
Secretary Chu, the Director of the Office of Science, and the
broader scientific community to see that the existing and planned
incremental funds for basic research are wisely allocated and the
programs well-executed. In the latter capacity, I would hope to
coordinate and harmonize technical activities across the department,
looking for gaps and identifying synergies, bringing the rigor of
appropriate peer review, program and project management to all parts
of DOE. Indeed, the tone Secretary Chu has already set, and the team
he is assembling, are highly conducive to achieving those goals. I
would also hope to promote thorough and unbiased technical
assessments in all matters facing the Department, as these
necessarily underpin all good policy decisions.”
Senators were allocated time to ask questions to all five nominees.
Among the questions Koonin was asked concerned the collaboration and
coordination of the units within the Department of Energy on the
very complex issues of energy and climate change. Koonin
acknowledged the importance of doing so, describing energy as a
unique issue since it affects so many people, adding that “change
will only happen if, as we do the science and technology, we pay
attention to the economic, political and social dimensions.”
Koonin’s nomination was reported out of the committee yesterday, and
is now pending before the full Senate.