The alternative is that millions of contractors (including call center agents, data entry workers) would be furloughed or fired upon shutdown. Unlike feds, furloughed contractors do NOT receive back pay when the gov’t re-opens. And the contract workforce is much bigger than federal workforce.
While this project is a travesty, this is normal practice. As a federal contractor, I can keep working for my federal client until we need direct guidance. This rule enables me to keep my work going (in support of the agency) through a shutdown.
Reposted by: Jeffrey Alexander
New today: We're petitioning NSF to revert GRFP eligibility criteria to last year's terms, to avoid pulling the rug out from under the earliest of early-career scientists who had every reason to think they'd be able to apply this year. Sign and spread the word!
laurenkuehne.github.io/grfpChanges/
laurenkuehne.github.io/grfpChanges/
New contest idea—“Americanize” the titles of movies referencing or set in other countries! “All Quiet on the Atlantic Front.” “30 Seconds Over Little Tokyo.” (Someone please do better…)
What does “follow the facts” mean here—aren’t you supposed to have all the facts needed to prove guilt BEFORE you indict someone?
And for those who are curious, “Gilders” followed George Gilder, a futurist who promised all kinds of bounties from new communications technologies but is mainly known for pumping telecom tech firms where he owned stock to his followers and cashing out: www.wired.com/2002/07/gild...
The Madness of King George
George Gilder listened to the technology, and became guru of the telecosm. The markets listened to his newsletter, and followed him into the Global Crossing abyss.
www.wired.com
This course, organized by the DC Chapter of the Technology Transfer Society, explains how technologies invented in labs or at start-ups can be brought to market through partnerships and patent licensing. Great for scientists considering an alternate career! $700 (or $475 for county residents)
STARTS THURSDAY: Our course on “An Introduction to Technology Transfer and Commercialization” at Montgomery College, Rockville, MD with the option to attend remotely via Zoom. Thursdays from 6:30pm to 9pm Eastern through December 18. See www.montgomerycollege.edu/workforce-de...
Small Business and Entrepreneurship | Montgomery College, Maryland
www.montgomerycollege.edu
Based on an article for @issuesinst.bsky.social on new ways to calculate biomedical research impact issues.org/nih-intramur.... Cc: @jeremymberg.bsky.social @stuartbuck.bsky.social @shalinjyotishi.bsky.social @standupforscience.bsky.social @davidimiller.bsky.social @maxkozlov.bsky.social
The Real Returns on NIH’s Intramural Research
The NIH intramural research program generates benefits far beyond the property lines of its facilities and laboratories.
issues.org
I’ll be speaking tomorrow (9/23) at 9am EST at the DC campus of Arizona State U on a project by @rti.bsky.social to calculate the long-term impacts of technologies invented at NIH labs. See cspo.org/event/ntfa09... Register to attend in-person or online. #techtransfer #sciencepolicy
Rethinking the Outcomes of Biomedical Research - CSPO
cspo.org
MOST of ANY scientific progress is incremental. That’s a feature, not a bug—careful experimental study that has to be reviewed. As a mentor of mine said, the phrase “high risk, high reward research” usually means “please only fund successful research with known results.”
by Michael E. Mann — Reposted by: Jeffrey Alexander, Michael E. Mann
Please come out (or participate via livestream) for our #ScienceUnderSiege event at the storied DC bookstore @politicsprose.bsky.social, featuring my co-author @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social & yours truly,
Thursday Oct 2: politics-prose.com/mann-hotez
Thursday Oct 2: politics-prose.com/mann-hotez
Reposted by: Jeffrey Alexander
On September 15th, Business for Federal Research Funding, a coalition of chambers of commerce representing employers in 35 states, expressed their support for robust R&D funding for FY26. Read the letter:
researchfunding.org
What a waste especially since the move to the current NSF HQ was controversial and the NSF’s union sued to block it: www.flra.gov/fsip/2014fs_-6
National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia and Local 3403, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO *CASE NOs. 14 FSIP 100 & 104*
ARBITRATOR’S OPINION AND DECISION
www.flra.gov
For those who don’t know, for DECADES Ukraine was the main location in the USSR for missile development and production. These folks know their stuff. They built the missile that took out Russia’s flagship battle cruiser early in the war.
Plus Capitol Police, US Mint Police, Postal Inspection Service, Dept of Energy Police (the Federal Protective Force), the DoD Police Force…
NSF gives program directors much more discretion to pick out lower-scored proposals. With the bias inherent in peer review, random selection among the top cohort of proposals is probably more fair than strict adherence to ranked scores.
Reposted by: Jeffrey Alexander
We're gathering insights on how basic scientists think about public engagement, what barriers they face, & what kind of support would make it easier.
👉 Take a few minutes to share your thoughts before 3 Aug: airtable.com/appIOiMGYFhF...
#BasicScience #OpenScience #LabLife #AcademicChatter
👉 Take a few minutes to share your thoughts before 3 Aug: airtable.com/appIOiMGYFhF...
#BasicScience #OpenScience #LabLife #AcademicChatter
Not just a White House aide. He’s talking about the Science Adviser to the President (probably why Trump doesn’t know him).
Reposted by: Jeffrey Alexander
The 29th Annual #STI2025 isn’t just great talks — it’s about community + fun too!
📍 Bristol, Sept 3–5:
🏃♀️ Morning harbour run
🎨 Banksy treasure hunt
🎲 ‘Publish & Perish’ game
🖼️ Poster bingo
Come for the research, stay for the people. Join us!
👉 stienid2025.org/registration-1
📍 Bristol, Sept 3–5:
🏃♀️ Morning harbour run
🎨 Banksy treasure hunt
🎲 ‘Publish & Perish’ game
🖼️ Poster bingo
Come for the research, stay for the people. Join us!
👉 stienid2025.org/registration-1
Registration | STI-ENID2025
stienid2025.org
I always wonder how useful these polls are. He’s not going to run for re-election. If he does, it’s because he can guarantee the outcome. The ultimate lame duck President.
It seems like it’s fair to ask yourself how many hours you are willing to spend writing multiple worthy proposals just to get one that will barely cover the cost of a Graduate Research Assistant.
Looks like someplace near the Amtrak rail yard in northeast DC, around Ivy City. You can see the Washington Monument from that vantage point.
As many of us helping to implement federal programs know from experience…
She did make a very important point—what we’re seeing today is the culmination of a deeper set of issues that have been building for well over a decade.
She had a really interesting and compelling range of data to present, as opposed to just cribbing charts from the NSF’s Science & Engineering Indicators report like others tend to do. I did find her diagnosis of our current state more compelling than her prescriptions.
She was great. Hadn’t heard her before but will definitely read up on her and UTEP. Gotta be a challenge to be a person of character in charge of a public university in TX. Mike Crow from ASU did get a few rounds of healthy applause, but that’s about average for him.
To be fair she has a lot on her plate right now (although you could also argue she has nothing to lose by going all-in on criticizing the administration): www.science.org/content/arti...
National Academies, staggering from Trump cuts, on brink of dramatic downsizing
Plan for slashed units and mission to be presented at governor’s meeting next week
www.science.org