Data for Insight and Action
Dear Research Advocate,
Data on Trust in Science: Newly published data from the annual global State of Science Index commissioned by 3M indicate that public trust in science is trending upward. According to the 3M survey, which was conducted in 17 countries in February and March, 87% of survey participants are hopeful that 2021 will be better than 2020, thanks to science. U.S. respondents tracked closely with others worldwide. Our own public opinion survey, conducted earlier this year, found that 46% of Americans say their trust in science has increased.
Health Equity Data: The Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine has developed a Health Equity Tracker to expand data sources, empower policymakers, and measure health equity progress. In addition to COVID-19 statistics, the tool tracks conditions like COPD, diabetes, and other diseases impacted by social determinants of health. Explore the Health Equity Tracker data here and help the Institute identify missing information.
Earmark Data: The new STEM earmarks tracker from AAAS highlights 195 science projects from a list of nearly 3,000 Congressional “community project funding” requests (better known as “earmarks”) submitted by individual members of Congress to the Appropriations Committees for consideration for FY22 funding. Earmarks, traditionally a way to address highly district-specific needs, were off-limits for a decade but are back this Congress.
On the Hill: The Senate has passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S.1260), a major package of legislation that incorporates the Endless Frontier Act. As my Science Technology Action Committee (STAC) co-chairs Sudip Parikh and Keith Yamamoto stated, “The strong bipartisan support for the innovation bill is an important milestone on the path to increased focus and investment in American competitiveness. Together with…the House legislative proposal, we are within reach of progress not seen in generations.” Next Tuesday, the House Science Committee plans to mark up its NSF for the Future (H.R.2225) and DOE Science for the Future (H.R.3593) bills, with floor consideration possibly taking place by the end of the month. We will keep you informed of developments.
Appropriations Watch: Reports are House and Senate Appropriations leaders are considering allocations to each Subcommittee for FY22. Nothing has been finalized — now is the time to weigh in! Use this editable Tweet to urge Appropriations leadership in both chambers to set the stage for the funding our health research agencies need in FY22.
Reflection, Recognition, and Renewal: The Association of Science and Technology Centers’ Annual Conference focuses on the intersections between science, technology, and society. This year, the theme of Reflection, Recognition, and Renewal invites discussions on societal inequities, climate change, and rebuilding after COVID-19. Session proposals are being accepted through June 18.
Advocacy Awards Nominations: Coming off the unprecedented success of this year’s Advocacy Awards event (see highlights here), we are excited to begin the nomination process for the 2022 event. We welcome a nomination from you. Think big, bold, and broadly. For the various categories and the nomination form, please click here. Nominations are due Friday, June 25, 2021.
ARPA-H: A big thank you to the many alliance members who attended our off-the-record roundtable on ARPA-H for your insights and robust discussion! Tomorrow Eric Lander, Cabinet member and OSTP Director, and Tara Schwetz, OSTP Assistant Director for Biomedical Science Initiatives, will discuss ARPA-H at a meeting of the Advisory Committee to the NIH Director. You can find the meeting agenda here and a link to the videocast here.
Upcoming Alliance Member Meeting: Our next alliance member meeting will feature a mini-communications workshop with Robyn Castellani, a nationally recognized marketing and advocacy expert. Her work is grounded in social and behavioral research and focuses on cognitive storytelling: “the art and science of building narratives that feel better, do better, and create change for the better.” The meeting is June 17 from 1:00 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. ET. Register here.
Stay well, stay safe, and stay connected.
Sincerely,
Mary Woolley