Biophysical Society Newsletter | August 2017

5

BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

2017

AUGUST

Canada Simplifies Immigration Process for Visiting Academics and Researchers

Assessment of ARPA-E . The report is an indepen- dent evaluation of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program, which was authorized in the 2007 America COMPETES Act and first funded in 2009. The legislation that created ARPA-E called for this independent review after six years. The report is especially timely, as President Trump has proposed ending the program in his 2018 bud- get request and has also temporarily halted provid- ing funds to already awarded ARPA-E grants for a period this spring. ARPA-E, modeled after the Department of De- fense’s DARPA program, was created to incubate innovative energy technologies. The National Academies report concludes that the program is making progress towards its goals but that “It can- not reasonably be expected [of ARPA–E] to have completely fulfilled those goals given so few years of operation and the size of its budget. Impor- tantly, especially at this early stage, the committee found no signs that ARPA–E is failing, or on a path to failing, to deliver on its mission and goals.” The report suggests that the ARPA-E program could be improved by considering the portfolio as a whole to make sure the funded projects are trans- formational, and by communicating results better to the public.

In the wake of stricter international immigration policies, Canada has introduced a new immigra- tion program for visiting academics and research- ers that will process temporary work permit applications within two weeks. The Global Skills Strategy allows work-permit exemptions for in- ternational faculty and researchers visiting Cana- dian Universities for up to 120 days per year. As stated by Paul Davidson , President of Universities Canada, this initiative will attract intellectuals to Canada, “advancing knowledge, fostering innova- tion, and building prosperity.”

Apply to be the 2018-2019 BPS Congressional Fellow!

Are you interested in working on Capitol Hill and learning more about science policy? All members who have obtained their PhD and are eligible to work in the United States may apply.

Collins to Remain NIH Director and Joined by Norman Sharpless at NCI

Application deadline: December 15, 2017 Visit www.biophysics.org for additional information.

President Donald Trump has announced that he will keep Francis Collins on as Director of the NIH and that Norman Sharpless will be the next director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Collins has served as NIH Director since 2009. Cur- rently Sharpless is the director of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, where he also received his BA and MD. Sharpless will replace acting director Doug Lowry , who has been serv- ing in the role since Harold Varmus stepped down from the position last year.

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