On Feb. 27, Tom Cech (Howard Hughes Medical Institute) will present the recommendations of the American Academy’s ARISE: Advancing Research in Science and Engineering report to members of Congress and their staff at a Capitol Hill briefing organized by the American Chemical Society.
Cech, chair of the Academy committee that developed the ARISE report, will explain the rationale for targeted programs and policies to support early-career investigators and high-risk, high-reward research to preserve U.S. leadership in science and technology. The briefing will also feature:
- Ken Dill (University of California at San Francisco), who will discuss the historical context of federal research and development funding and trends in support for high-risk, “deep innovation” research, and a new sense of optimism and excitement about science funding.
- Rob Atkinson (Information Technology and Innovation Foundation) and Fellow of the Academy, discussing how the goals of the new Administration and Congress should incorporate investment in young researchers and high-risk research.
- Jeremy Berg (National Institute of General Medical Sciences), who will explain the need for nurturing early-career researchers in the context of the aging NIH workforce and describe NIH’s efforts to support young researchers doing creative research.
- Jennifer Kohler (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center), who will discuss the importance of an early-career grant to her career and share the views and experiences of a young scientist.
ARISE documents obstacles facing faculty as they launch their independent careers, as well as the dearth of support for potentially transformative science and technology research. It sets out a series of steps that government, academic research institutions, and private foundations can take to maintain a steady pipeline of science and engineering talent. Recommended actions include targeted grants and seed funding programs for early-career faculty, formalized mentoring for early-career scientists, adjustments to university promotion and tenure policies, and attention to the needs of primary caregivers.