Remarkable Leaders
We have announced the distinguished honorees of the 2025 Advocacy Awards, a stellar group of remarkable leaders who – through their innovation, dedication, resilience, and creativity – have advanced our nation’s commitment to research with the overriding goal of healthier lives for all.
I hope you will read our release and visit the Advocacy Awards web page to learn more about this incredible group of leaders. The awards will be formally given during an event at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. on March 12, 2025. Save the date!
Advocacy Now: We are in the homestretch of the elections, but there is still time to engage candidates on the importance of supporting research. See our Candidate Engagement Toolkit, which includes sample social media posts and key questions to ask at campaign gatherings. Explore more resources on our 2024 election webpage!
Post-Election Briefing: Join us for an in-the-moment briefing on Nov. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C., to discuss how the election results may impact medical and other scientific research moving forward. The discussion will begin at 11 a.m. followed by a networking reception from 12:15 p.m.-1 p.m. The event is free, but space is limited so register soon.
Advocacy Going Forward: One post-election priority: making the case for completing the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations process before the Dec. 20 deadline established under the current continuing resolution (CR). Further delays in finalizing FY25 funding would simply compound the negative impact of frozen-in-time budgets, delay the FY26 appropriations process, and open up FY25 funding for NIH and every other federal agency and program to a whole new world of uncertainty.
Two Steps to a Locally Relevant Advocacy Email: It is not too early to raise the volume on this issue by making sure there are plenty of emails in the inboxes of each congressional office. Here’s a quick path to a personalized email:
- Click on this editable email, which urges members of Congress to complete FY25 appropriations legislation and provide needed funding increases for NIH and other federal research agencies.
- Put our new detailed research funding charts to work, adding a sentence into your email letting your representatives in the House and Senate know the NIH, CDC, FDA, NSF, and AHRQ dollars flowing into their state.
S&T in the USA: The drumbeat to revitalize the S&T enterprise continues. NAS President Marcia McNutt authored an action-oriented perspective in the fall Issues in Science and Technology that outlines the steps needed to ensure our nation’s leadership in S&T, steps that include developing a national research strategy. The bottom line is this: if other nations leverage their S&T strategically as we settle for the status quo, we are setting up our nation for a setback.
The Science and Technology Action Committee (STAC) has heeded the call with a new initiative to formulate a Vision for American Science and Technology (VAST). VAST is bringing together prominent leaders across the S&T ecosystem to create bold but
actionable recommendations to inform policymakers and advocates, focused – for starters – on the Presidential transition team. Stay tuned for ongoing reports and insights.
Civic Engagement: McNutt also delves into the concern about trust in science and the need to do a far better job communicating science to non-scientists. Our Civic Engagement Microgrant Program fosters public engagement by STEMM graduate students and postdocs, and that effort goes a long way in building trust. We thank the Howard Hughes Medical Institute for its support. We also thank Dennis Mangan for his continuing support.
We will fund a new category of microgrants for 2024-25 with support from the Lasker Foundation, focused on the creation of curricula in science communication and other public engagement skills. This microgrant opportunity is open to junior faculty in STEMM and STEMM-adjacent fields, PhD candidates, post-docs, and professional degree candidates. The application deadline for both categories is Nov. 15.
PCORI Congressional Science Fair: Our readers are invited to attend the second annual Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Congressional Science Fair on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Russell 385. Lunch will be served. For more information, visit the event’s web page.
Alliance Member-only Events: If you are with a Research!America alliance member organization, join us for two important conversations:
- ARPA-H Careers, Funding, Future Breakthroughs: Are you wondering how to become a program manager at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) or participate in other ways in the agency’s initiatives? Join us on Oct. 23 from noon to 1 p.m. ET for a conversation with Dr. Blake Bextine, who will share insights and field questions focused on working for and with ARPA-H.
- Conversation with BARDA Director Gary Disbrow: Please join us on Oct. 30 at noon ET for an off-the-record discussion with BARDA director, Dr. Gary Disbrow. We’ve asked Dr. Disbrow to shed light on the evolving biodefense landscape and how BARDA balances priorities in the infectious disease arena with the need for countermeasures against chemical, radiological, and nuclear threats.
If you are with a Research!America alliance member organization, email Jacqueline Lagoy for the registration link for these two events. If your organization is interested in learning more about joining the alliance, check out the “Membership” section of our website and please don’t hesitate to contact Kristen Furlong for more information.
Stay well, stay safe, and stay connected.