Beginning October 1, 2000, the NIH will require education on the protection of human research participants for all investigators submitting NIH applications for grants or proposals for contracts or receiving new or non-competing awards for research involving human subjects. The Office of Research will be scheduling training sessions starting in August. Call Diane Lindley, IRB Coordinator, for details (915-7482). The NIH policy statement can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
The National Science Foundation in June released a two-volume report, Science & Engineering Indicators, 2000, presented to the National Science Board. The report provides an enormous amount of quantitative data, as well as analyses of trends in R&D funding, the workforce, education, and public attitudes toward and understanding of science and engineering. In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the creation of NSF, S&E Indicators 2000 also examines the historical context of funding for science and engineering. The report serves as a resource for policy-makers and can be mined productively by proposal writers who want to strengthen their arguments that their projects will have the “broader impacts” described in Merit Review Criteria #2. It should prove indispensable for those writing proposals with an education, infrastructure, or outreach focus. The report can be found on-line at http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind00/start.htm.
