The Natural Science Collections Alliance is a Washington,
D.C.-based nonprofit association that supports natural science collections,
their human resources, the institutions that house them, and their
research activities for the benefit of science and society.
Our members are part
of an international community of museums, botanical gardens, herbariums,
universities and other institutions that house natural science collections
and utilize them in research, exhibitions, academic and informal
science education, and outreach activities.
Membership in the NSC
Alliance links you to a network of institutions, scientists and
other professionals in North America through which you can share
news, information and common concerns - and help shape the future
of our community.
Through the NSC Alliance partnership with the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), the NSC Alliance has access to the AIBS Legislative Action Center (http://capwiz.com/aibs/home/). This tool allows you to quickly send a letter to your members of Congress to share your perspectives on policy issues.
Congress is working on fiscal year (FY) 2010 appropriations legislation for key science agencies. At this time, spending plans for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and United States Geological Survey (USGS) are moving quickly though the House of Representatives. The Senate is expected to consider science appropriations measures in the coming weeks. For these reasons, it is important that members of Congress hear from the science community today about the importance of these and other federal science agencies.
The House is expected to pass an FY 2010 appropriation for NSF that is just below the President’s budget request. It is not clear if the Senate will provide the same, more, or less funding for NSF. Thus, it is important that you send a message to your Senators today requesting that they support the President’s FY 2010 budget request for the NSF. You may send a prepared letter by going to http://capwiz.com/aibs/issues/alert/?alertid=13554031, or you may personalize the letter to demonstrate why funding for NSF and other science agencies is important to your natural science collection.
The House Appropriations Committee is also working on its FY 2010 appropriations for Interior and Environment, which includes agencies such as the United States Geological Survey. At this time, it is expected that USGS may receive slightly ($8 million) more than the President’s FY 2010 budget request. It is important that your Representatives know that this funding is important. So, please consider sending a letter in support of the USGS by clicking http://capwiz.com/aibs/issues/alert/?alertid=13540291.
If you would like to craft your own letter of support for these or any other science agency, you may do so by simply registering for the Legislative Action Center at http://capwiz.com/aibs/home/ and then selecting your members of Congress.
The Smithsonian Institution’s natural science collection has been used to successfully identify the species and origin of the birds which are implicated in the 15 January 2009 plane crash of US Airways flight 1549. All 150 passengers and five crew survived the plane’s crash landing into the icy Hudson River. Researchers at the Smithsonian’s Feather Identification Laboratory compared feathers from the crash site to feathers in the Institution’s collection and used molecular genetic techniques to determine that the flock of birds the plane struck while taking off from La Guardia Airport were Canada geese. Molecular analysis by the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute labs further honed in on the origins of the birds. Stable isotope analysis revealed that the birds were from the Labrador region of Canada and not residents of the New York City area. Information on whether the birds were residents vs. migratory is critical for minimizing the risk of bird strikes with planes. The results of the research can be read in the 8 June 2009 issue of Frontiers in Ecology and Environment.
On 5 June 2009, NSC Alliance submitted comments to the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on a draft science education rule. The rule would implement the Louisiana Science Education Action (SB 733), which was enacted in June 2008. The Act is viewed by many as a back door approach to teaching creationism. The rule approved by the Board of Education in April 2009 would “allow and assist educators in promoting critical thinking skills and objective discussion of scientific theories.” Under the proposed rule, teachers would be allowed to use supplemental textbooks and materials in science classes after covering the content of the state’s science curriculum.
The text of the letter follows.
June 5, 2009
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
P.O. Box 94064
Capitol Station
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
Re: Request for comments regarding draft rule on science education (Louisiana Register vol.4 number 35 page 740)
Dear Members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education,
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the implementation of the Louisiana Science Education Act (SB 733). On behalf of the Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSC Alliance), I encourage you to amend the regulations to explicitly prohibit the practices that would enable instruction in non-scientific concepts, such as creationism/intelligent design, in Louisiana science classes.
The Natural Science Collections Alliance is a nonprofit association that supports natural science collections, their human resources, the institutions that house them, and their research activities for the benefit of science and society. We are comprised of over 100 institutions who are part of an international community of museums, botanical gardens, herbariums, universities and other institutions that house natural science collections and utilize them in research, exhibitions, academic and informal science education, and outreach activities.
Our member institutions house the specimens and researchers that have informed and conducted studies of evolution since Charles Darwin first proposed his theory 150 years ago. The scientific studies of biologists and geologists at natural science collections and natural history museums around the world have strengthened the evidence supporting the theory of evolution as a unifying principle of biology and as the scientific explanation for the history and diversity of life on Earth.
There is no scientific dispute about the validity of the theory of evolution. Moreover, creationism and intelligent design are not scientific concepts. Thus, they have no place in the science curricula.
The proposed changes to the Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators are inadequate. As drafted, these guidelines would permit the introduction of non-scientific concepts into the science classroom. Our nation is at a point in history where we should be striving to teach our students the best possible science. Louisiana and the nation’s economic future depend on our children taking up the challenge to become the next generation of scientists and engineers. To do this, we must inspire and prepare them throughout their academic career. We can not afford to water down our science curricula.
It is inappropriate to introduce or permit the use of supplemental materials in classrooms which facilitate the teaching of creationism/intelligent design or other non-scientific concepts under the guise of critical thinking.The regulations should be amended to explicitly prohibit the teaching of creationism/intelligent design.
Thank you for your consideration of these comments.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced two new funding opportunities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on 1 June 2009.
The Recovery Act NIST Construction Grant Program will fund $120 million in grants for construction of research buildings. All grant proposals that complement one or more programs of the Department of Commerce’s three science organizations (NIST, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Telecommunications and Information Administration), will be considered. Specifically, these include science related to measurements, oceans and atmosphere, and telecommunications. NIST anticipates funding 8-12 projects with federal shares in the $10-$15 million range. Although cost sharing is not required, it is encouraged for a proposal to be selected for funding. For more information, go to www.grants.gov and search for opportunity number 2009-NIST-ARRA-CONSTRUCTION-01.
The Recovery Act Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grants Program will fund appropriately 20-60 proposals of $500,000 to $1,500,000, totaling $35 million in grants. Proposals in six areas will be considered: energy, environment and climate change, information technology/cybersecurity, biosciences/healthcare, manufacturing, and physical infrastructure, with priority funding in areas of special interest to NIST. In the environment and climate change subcategory, priority research includes measurement and modeling of aerosols and their impacts, monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, development of buoy sensor technology to support accurate ocean color and chemistry measurement, and research to better characterize environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials. In the biosciences/healthcare subcategory, priority research includes development of measurement systems and standards for discovering and visualizing disease signatures in blood and tissue, development of measurement tools and standards for analysis of human cells, and development of reference methods and standards for nucleic acids, proteins and non-peptide hormones in blood. For more information, go to www.grants.gov and search for opportunity number 2009-NIST-ARRA-MSE-RESEARCH-01.
The Natural Science Collections Alliance submitted comments to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on 29 May 2009 regarding the agency’s development of a strategic research, education, and extension plan. When completed, the plan will identify current trends, constraints, and major opportunities and gaps that no single entity within the USDA would be able to address individually. To view the notice published in the Federal Register, go to http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-7252.htm.
Following is the text of the comments submitted by NSC Alliance to the USDA.
May 29, 2009
Dr. Rajiv Shah
Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics
United States Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20250
Re: Request for comments regarding the Roadmap for agricultural research, education, and extension (REE_2009-0001)
Dear Dr. Shah,
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the development of a roadmap for agricultural research, education, and extension at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The Natural Science Collections Alliance is a nonprofit association that supports natural science collections, their human resources, the institutions that house them, and their research activities for the benefit of science and society. We are comprised of over 100 institutions who are part of an international community of museums, botanical gardens, herbariums, universities and other institutions that house natural science collections and utilize them in research, exhibitions, academic and informal science education, and outreach activities.
In looking at the future of agricultural research at USDA, several research and planning topics should be addressed to better serve the needs of the research community and farmers. The Roadmap for agricultural research, education, and extension should address the need for scientific collections, competitive extramural grants, and workforce planning.
Scientific Collections
Natural science collections are valuable assets that help answer science questions that inform pressing policy issues, such as climate change, emerging diseases, loss of biodiversity, environmental contaminates, and pest invasions. Scientific collections are irreplaceable specimen and data repositories that are the basis for significant fields of scientific research, monitoring, and education. The USDA maintains 60 scientific collections, including biological specimens (e.g., native and weed plants, insect pests), tissue and cell cultures, fossils, and rocks and minerals.
In 2005, the Office of Science and Technology Policy recognized the value of scientific collections and commissioned the first ever survey of federal scientific collections. The Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections (IWGSC), co-chaired by USDA and the Smithsonian Institution, was formed to survey the status of federal scientific collections and to make recommendations for their management and use. In the report released this year, the IWGSC found that “these scientific collections are essential to supporting agency missions and are thus vital to supporting the global research enterprise.” The Roadmap should build upon the work of the IWGSC to continue the preservation of scientific collections and to collaborate with other agencies to expand access to federal collections by the research community.
Extramural Research
In 2000, the National Research Council evaluated the USDA’s competitive research program, the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program. The report recommended “continuing the process of merit-based peer review as the most effective method of competitively distributing funds for research in food, fiber, and natural resources.” Although this program was reauthorized in the 2008 Farm Bill as the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative, the underlying merit of this program remains. Indeed, Congress recognized the importance of this program when it authorized funding of up to $700 million a year for competitive grants. In fiscal year (FY) 2009, the program was appropriated $201.5 million. The President’s budget request for FY 2010 would flat fund the program. This level of funding is far short of levels recommended by the National Academies and authorized by Congress. The Roadmap should outline a plan to increase competitively awarded research grants in the coming years. The USDA should seek to fully fund AFRI at its authorized level of $700 million.
Workforce
Planning for the future of agricultural research also requires the consideration of an adequate workforce. Training, recruitment, and retention of scientists specializing in many biological, chemical, and statistical fields will be needed to fully implement the Roadmap. According to the ARS Workforce Plan for 2006-2010, 35 percent of research and service scientists within the agency will be eligible to retire by 2010. Recruitment of new scientists to replace retirees will be challenging because of declining student enrollment in soil and crop science programs and the difficulties of hiring postdoctoral scientists who are not US citizens. Indeed, ARS believes that more than half of Ph.D. graduates in relevant fields are ineligible for employment at the agency for this reason. The Roadmap should outline a plan for ensuring adequate numbers and qualifications of agricultural research staff in coming years, including support for graduate research fellowships. Additionally, the Roadmap should address the availability of extension workers that are able to communicate science to stakeholders.
On behalf of our members, we thank you for your consideration of our comments. If the Natural Science Collections Alliance may provide further assistance to you on this or other matters, please do not hesitate to contact Director of Public Policy Dr. Robert Gropp at 202-628-1500.
On 18 May 2009, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released its long-anticipated fiscal year (FY) 2010 budget request. In total, NSF’s FY 2010 request is for $7.045 billion, an increase of $555 million (8.5 percent) above the FY 2009 request (Note: The FY 2009 and 2010 budget numbers do not include the one-time appropriation of $3 billion NSF received earlier this year via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 [ARRA]). Currently, NSF is working to allocate FY 2009 and ARRA funds totaling approximately $9.49 billion. These funds must be allocated during the current fiscal year. The 2010 fiscal year begins on 1 October 2009.
The FY 2010 request for the NSF’s Research and Related Activities (R&RA) accounts is $5.733 billion, an increase of $550.14 million (10.6 percent) from the FY 2009 request of $5.183 billion. This planned new investment in R&RA programs is intended to reflect the President’s priorities for science and innovation with a focus on high-risk, transformative research; new faculty and young investigator support; graduate research fellowships; and support for research on global climate change.
The total FY 2010 request for the Biological Sciences Directorate (BIO) is $733 million, an increase of 11.8 percent ($77.19 million) from the FY 2009 request. However, even with this significant increase in funding, it is expected that the funding rate for research proposals will remain at approximately 20 percent, as more grant applications are anticipated.
In FY 2010, BIO investments would focus on understanding biosphere dynamics and bioenergy, stimulating transformative research, and enhancing education and participation in the biological sciences. Climate change research, interdisciplinary basic research, research centers, education activities, and the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) would all receive substantial increases.
Research Resources and Centers in the Biological Sciences would receive an increase of $20 million, bringing total spending to $142.54 million in FY 2010. Funds would be used to fulfill the recommendation of the Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections to continue digitizing and networking U.S. specimen-based research collections. Additionally, support will be enhanced for Advances in Biological Informatics and Instrument Development for Biological Research.
Other programs within BIO could receive funding increases as well. Environmental Biology Division (DEB) would receive $133.92 million (up 11.2 percent). If funded at this level in FY 2010, 41 of the budget would be used to support new grants. This request includes enhanced support for projects on climate change and biodiversity and the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program. Integrative Organismal Systems would receive $221.84 million (up 4.8 percent) for plant genome and organismal systems research. Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) would receive $128.83 million (up 6.2 percent). The Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) would receive $130.14 million (up 11.4 percent) for enhanced support for bioinformatics, instrumentation, the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent), and the establishment of a Climate Change Education program. The Emerging Frontiers (EF) division would receive $118.27 million (up 37.9 percent), with roughly 50 percent of this funding available for new research grants.
The Geosciences Directorate would also receive a sizeable increase of $151.13 million, a 19.9 percent increase over FY 2009. $46 million of this increase would be designated for climate change research. Additional funds would be made available for climate change education, graduate research fellowships, and other education initiatives.
Education and Human Resource Development would receive $857.76 million (up 1.5 percent) for educating technicians, funding 1,654 new graduate research fellows, and other training opportunities.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) will provide information about two current proposal solicitations funded by the economic stimulus during a webcast to be held on 28 May 2009. The Academic Research Infrastructure program (the ARI-R2 solicitation, NSF 09-562) and the Major Research Instrumentation program (the MRI-R2 solicitation, NSF 09-561) will be discussed. The webcast will be held from 1:00-2:45 pm EDT. Those wishing to participate in the webcast should register in advance at http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/nsf/090528/. The registration site includes an opportunity to submit, by email, questions about the ARI-R2 and MRI-R2 solicitations in advance of the webcast.
Funds for these programs were appropriated through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Together, these two solicitations are intended to strengthen the nation’s academic research capabilities by providing opportunities to develop or acquire research instrumentation (MRI2-R) and to renovate research facilities (ARI2-R). For the Academic Research Infrastructure solicitation, the deadline for letters of intent is 1 July 2009 and the deadline for full proposals is 24 August 2009. For the Major Research Instrumentation solicitation, the deadline for full proposals is 10 August 2009. (No letter of intent is required for MRI-R2.) More information about the solicitations are available at http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/ari/ and http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/mri/.
The National Science Foundation is accepting proposals through 9 July 2009 for research projects that address evolutionary processes or population and community ecology. The Evolutionary Processes Cluster will fund proposals that investigate the genetic bases of micro- and macroevolutionary processes and their effects on the evolution of genotypes and phenotypes, as well as proposals that research the evolutionary causes and consequences of ecological interactions. The Population and Community Ecology Cluster supports research on population dynamics of individual species, demography, and ecological interactions affecting populations, communities, and their environments. For more information, go to http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503421&govDel=USNSF_25 and http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503414&govDel=USNSF_25.
On 11 May 2009, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced two new grant opportunities for research infrastructure and instrumentation. $400 million will be available through the grant solicitations, which are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The Academic Research Infrastructure Program will provide $200 million to update existing research facilities at institutions of higher education and non-profit research organizations, including independent research museums. Approximately 100 awards will be made, ranging in size from $250,000 to $2 million. Letters of intent are due by 1 July 2009. For more information, go to http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09562/nsf09562.htm?govDel=USNSF_25.
The Major Research Instrumentation Program anticipates making 400 awards to assist institutions in the acquisition or development of shared research instrumentation. The $200 million in available funds will be allocated for proposals ranging from $100,000 to $6 million. Institutions of higher education, independent museums and science centers, and non-profit research institutions are eligible for funding. Funding proposals are due by 10 August 2009. For more information, go to http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09561/nsf09561.htm?govDel=USNSF_25.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 included $10.4 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Several funding opportunities from NIH from the economic stimulus are now posted on www.grants.gov. Funding is available for current NIH grant holders to expand the scope of their research proposal. Programs such as the International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups may be eligible. Additionally, funding is also available for high-end instrumentation costing over $600,000 and for administrative supplements for active NIH research grants. To see a full list of stimulus grants, go to http://www07.grants.gov/applicants/recovery.jsp.
