weekly letter

Dear Research Advocate, Advocacy Then and Now: This letter marks #500 since I began this weekly conversation with you. In the first letter, I spoke out against the Budget Control Act and the severe funding caps it would (and did) impose on strategic imperatives like research. You joined with us to help secure modifications to those budget caps to enable funding increases for NIH and other research agencies. Advocacy works. Now, hundreds of letters later, the FY22 budget cycle is about to begin: reports are that President Biden will release the first details of his FY22 budget request next week, to be followed by a more detailed budget later this spring. It was heartening to hear the...

Dear Research Advocate, Never Again: One year ago today, the WHO officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Within days, statewide stay-at-home orders began across the U.S., and the road before us became frighteningly uncertain. Across the country, COVID-19 has taken almost 530,000 lives; globally, more than 2.6 million have died. Over the course of a year filled with determination, turmoil, and tragedy, the significance of science and technology became crystal clear. Because of decades of basic research, rapid response science & technology (S&T), and heroic public health efforts by individuals laser-focused on saving lives, we have three safe and effective vaccines, and, as new CDC...

Dear Research Advocate, Perseverance and resilience anchor us as we navigate this pandemic. The recent landing of the Perseverance rover on Mars exemplifies the tenacity and commitment underlying breakthrough discoveries in science and technology. COVID-19 Therapeutics: Thanks to the perseverance of extraordinary academic and private sector researchers around the world, we now have an array of therapeutics available for a disease that a year ago was just entering the public consciousness. Earlier today, we hosted a virtual discussion focused on the what, when, and how behind COVID-19 interventions. If you were unable to join us today, I promise you will find the conversation informative,...

Dear Research Advocate, Public Support for a Science Strong Future : A new survey commissioned by Research!America affirms Americans’ support for investing in research as a top priority for the new Congress and Administration. Four of five express strong support for the value of both public and private sector research and innovation, and the percentage of Americans indicating support for basic research “even if it brings no immediate benefits” grew from 77% in August 2020 to 85% in January 2021, with three of four now favoring doubling federal spending on medical research. As reassuring as the new survey data is in most regards, one in five Americans say they have lost confidence in science...