National Academies Releases Evaluation of ARPA-E
On June 13, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released “An Assessment of ARPA-E.” The report is an independent evaluation of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program, which was authorized in the 2007 America COMPETES Act and first funded in 2009. The legislation that created ARPA-E called for this independent review after six years. The report is especially timely, as President Trump has proposed ending the program in his 2018 budget request.
The purpose of ARA-E is to incubate innovative energy technologies. The National Academies report concludes that the program is making progress towards its goals but that “It cannot reasonably be expected [of ARPA–E] to have completely fulfilled those goals given so few years of operation and the size of its budget. Importantly, especially at this early stage, the committee found no signs that ARPA–E is failing, or on a path to failing, to deliver on its mission and goals.”
The report suggests areas for improvement include making sure the ARPA-E portfolio is transformational and communicating results better to the public.
The report can be read in its entirety here.
NIH Announces Next Generation Researchers Initiative, Scraps GSI Index
In a surprising development, one month after announcing a plan to limit funding to the equivalent of three RO1’s based on a new index, the GSI, NIH announced that it was scrapping that plan. Instead, NIH is launching the Next Generation Researchers Initiative (NGRI). The goal of both efforts is/was to free up funding that can be used for early and mid-career investigators. The NGRI program goes into effect immediately. Through this program, NIH will focus on supporting investigators scoring in the top 25% seeking their first award or first renewal and at risk of losing all funding. NIH estimates it will cost $210 million per year to reach a steady state in redistributing awards to this targeted group of investigators. The money will come from freeing up funds through programs such as the MIRA program at NIGMS and the reprioritization of projects. Mike Lauer, NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research, discusses the new program on his blog. There is also a new website for NGRI. NIH plans to evaluate the program and share those results with the public.
Francis Collins to Remain NIH Director; Norman Sharpless Named Next Director of National Cancer Institute
President Trump has announced that Francis Collins will remain Director of the NIH and that Norman Sharpless will be the next director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Collins has served as NIH Director since 2009. Currently Sharpless is the director of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, where he also received his BA and MD. Sharpless will replace acting director Doug Lowry, who has been serving in the role since Harold Varmus stepped down from the position last year.
Webinar on Proposed Budget Cuts Wednesday
The AAAS is offering a webinar, The President's FY 2018 Science Budget--An AAAS Analysis, Wednesday June 21, at 2 PM ET. Matt Hourihan, Director of the AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program, will provide an analysis of the budget in regards to science.
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