Biophysical Society Bulletin | December 2020

Public Affairs

Around theWorld Mexican Senate Votes to Cut Research Funding On Wednesday, October 21, the Mexican Senate voted to pass a bill that cuts funding from 109 public trust funds, which provide consistent scientific research funding, unrelat- ed to the national budget. About one-third of the $2.5 billion goes to directly support scientific research. Earlier in the year, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called for the cuts citing widespread corruption and doubt that the funds reach and benefit Mexican citizens. López Obrador has also said that the money is needed to support the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Opponents of the bill have expressed worry that this is a power move intended to make researchers more reliant on annual appropriations, which could fluctuate with political change and do not provide the stability of the trusts. Should the cuts move forward, re- searchers believe it could set back Mexican scientific research efforts by 30 to 40 years.

While BPS acknowledges that there may be individuals who might seek to ”game” the system of non-immigrant student visas, as also occurs within the other visa categories, the pro- posed changes in the NPRM will not prevent that from con- tinuing. International students are already carefully screened, vetted, and monitored through the US Department of Home- land Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. Setting a clock such as this only serves to dissuade students from coming to the United States to pursue their education and the consequences of that will be far reaching. BPS submitted formal comments, along with more than 28,000 individuals, academic institutions, and organizations objecting to the proposed rule and supporting the contin- uation of the Duration of Stay period currently in place for student visas. You can find theproposed rule at www.feder- alregister.gov/documents/2020/09/25/2020-20845/estab- lishing-a-fixed-time-period-of-admission-and-an-exten- sion-of-stay-procedure-for-nonimmigrant and the full BPS comments are available in the Newsroom at www.biophysics. org/news-room/bps-submits-comments-to-homeland-se- curitys-proposed-changes-to-non-immigrant-student-visa.

Grants & Opportunities

The Robert A. Welch Award in Chemistry The purpose of this award is to foster and encourage basic chemical research and to recognize the value of chemical research contributions for the benefit of humankind. Who can apply: No self-nominations are allowed. Deadline: January 31, 2021 Website: https:/www.welch1.org/awards/welch-award- in-chemistry/welch-award-guidelines

L’Oréal USA For Women in Science Fellowships The L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship program awards five women postdoctoral scientists annually with grants of $60,000 each for their contribu- tions in STEM fields, and commitment to serving as role models for younger generations. Who can apply: Applicants should have exceptional aca- demic records, clearly articulated research proposals with the potential for scientific achievement, outstanding let- ters of recommendation from advisors and demonstrat- ed success or interest in supporting women and girls in STEM through community service or outreach initiatives. Deadline: The application will open early December 2020, with a deadline of January 31, 2021. Website: https:/www.loreal.com/en/usa/articles/com- mitment/about-l-oreal/

December 2020

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