BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
11
SEPTEMBER
2014
Technology (NIST). The bill would also promote
the economic benefits of promising R&D and
address agency efforts, including at NASA and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), to increase participation in STEM fields,
including among women and minorities.
As in the original bill, the America COMPETES
Act of 2007, the Reauthorization’s goal is to
increase investments in key federal R&D activities;
to advance STEM education; and to support the
innovation necessary for economic growth.
“Our bill makes it clear that the US is committed
not only to investing in research, but also to getting
our students excited about STEM so that America
can continue to lead the world in innovation,”
Rockefeller said in a press release.
With only September left before Congress adjourns
for the year (with the exception of a lame ducks
session that will probably occur to finish necessary
business, such as appropriations), it is unlikely the
reauthorization bill will become law this year. It
does lay the groundwork for 2015, though.
Ask Your Candidates
Voter Initiative
With midterm Congressional
elections around the corner,
many voters are reading about
the candidates and trying to
determine where they stand on
issues of importance to them. To help the public
learn where candidates stand on issues related to
medical progress, such as federal funding for re-
search, Research!America has launched an initiative
called
Ask Your Candidates
. The purpose of the
initiative is to get those running for Congress to
publicly share their positions on these issues. As of
August 1, candidates from 32 states had responded
to requests to comment on the importance of
medical progress.
Individuals can ask the candidates running in their
districts to participate using Research!America’s
prepared letter available at
-
wiz.com/ram/issues/alert/?alertid=63167326.
If your candidate has already provided a statement
on his/her position, you can use the link to thank
them. Both asking candidates to answer and thank-
ing those that already have helps raise awareness
of the importance of medical progress and voters’
interest in the issue.
You can read submitted statements submitted by
candidates at
.
Landis to Step Down at NINDS
Story Landis
, Director of the National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS),
NIH, announced that she will step down from that
role in September. Landis has served as director
since 2003 and prior to that as Scientific Director
since 2005.
Walter Koroshetz
, who is currently the
NINDS deputy director, will serve as Acting Di-
rector as a national search is conducted for Landis’
replacement. Koroshetz’s research has spanned the
spectrum from basic electrophysiology studies to
clinical research focused on identifying treatments
for stroke and Huntington’s disease.
Get Involved!
On September 18, representatives from the
Biophysical Society will join individuals from
dozens of other research, health, and patient
advocacy organizations to advocate for federal
funding for medical research on Capitol Hill.
Society members are encouraged to participate in
the advocacy efforts on the 18th by calling,
tweeting, or writing their Congressmen.
Information on how to participate is available on
the front page of the Biophysical Society website.
