March 2021
Tell Congress to Support Biomedical Research Efforts Impacted by COVID-19 and Urge Them to Support Neuroscience Priorities in FY 2022
Join your fellow NeuroAdvocates and tell Congress to support the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act, which authorizes nearly $25 billion for research impacted by COVID-19, including $10 billion for the National Institutes of Health and $3 billion for the National Science Foundation. Send your Representative and Senators a message via SfN’s Advocacy Action Center.
Federal News Roundup
The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 Stimulus bill passed both houses of Congress and awaits the President’s signature, who plans to sign it before jobless aid runs out on March 14.
ECPA 2021 Class Announced
Congratulations to the 2021 class of Early Career Policy Ambassadors (ECPAs)! Learn more about the program and everyone in the 2021 class here. The ECPA program is designed to create an extensive network of neuroscience advocates. Ambassadors gain the necessary skills to advocate for science and to encourage those in their personal networks to join the conversation.
Congressional Neuroscience Caucus Briefing: Neurodevelopmental Disorders
SfN, the American Brain Coalition, Autism Speaks, American Academy of Neurology, and Cerebral Palsy Research Network are partnering to host a Congressional Neuroscience Caucus briefing on “Neurodevelopmental Disorders: The Challenges and the Opportunities.” The briefing will take place March 17, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Register here.
NSF RFI: Interdisciplinary Frontiers of Understanding the Brain
Exciting new opportunities at the interface of neuroscience and other sciences and engineering disciplines, catalyzed by transformative new discoveries and technologies, are poised to reshape brain research and its applications. The National Science Foundation seeks community input that illuminates these interdisciplinary opportunities, from theory to applications, and points to how they might best be realized. Deadline for submission is March 31.
Future Vaccines Depend on Test Subjects in Short Supply: Monkeys
Pharmaceutical companies encountered an unfortunate bottleneck while trying to develop their COVID-19 vaccines. A global shortage of nonhuman primates caused a delay in vaccine testing during the pandemic. This delay has revived talks to create a strategic nonhuman primate reserve in the United States to avoid such an issue in the future. Read the full article from the New York Times here.
International News Headlines
- EARA Media Training Workshop, supported by FENS and SfN, will be held in Hungary on March 16
- Breaking the Science Glass Ceiling - Four African Women Share What It Took
- What is research misconduct? European countries can’t agree
SfN Advocacy Resources
- Introduce yourself to the new Congress via the Advocacy Action Center.
- Watch the Neuroscientist’s Guide to Advocacy series to understand the tools you need to help advance the field.
- Learn how to engage your members of Congress and persuasively advocate for science with SfN's Advocacy Best Practices.
- Get involved in global advocacy.
- Talk to the public about the importance of animal research.
- Reach out to advocacy@sfn.org for assistance in preparing for your next advocacy effort at home or on Capitol Hill.
