Government Scientists Research Articles

Scope and financial impact of unpublished data and unused samples among U.S. academic and government researchers

Unpublished data and unused samples are common byproducts of research activity, but little is known about the scope and economic impact of their disuse. To fill this knowledge gap, we collected self-reported anonymous survey responses from 301 academic and government scientists from randomly selected institutions. Respondents estimated that they published ∼60% of their data and 95% had unpublished data. Of those collecting specimens, 60% stored unused samples. Systemic and logistical issues were identified as major contributory factors. The median cumulative self-reported estimated value of unused resources per researcher was $28,857, with life science ($36k) and government ($109k) researchers reporting the costliest assets. Using NSF headcounts, we estimated that the current cumulative value of unused resources at universities is approximately $6.2 billion, about 7% of the current annual R&D budget. These findings provide actionable information that can be used by decision makers to reduce obstacles that undermine scientific progress and productivity.

What does integrated ecosystem assessment mean to policy-makers and scientists working in the Atlantic? Implications for ocean science diplomacy

An important goal of Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) is to be an inclusive, evidence-based process to engage stakeholders, in support of ecosystem-based management. IEA is resource intensive, requiring the engagement of personnel, experts from many disciplines, public and private institutions, and including issues of technology, infrastructure, capacity building, etc. Stakeholders such as policy-makers and scientists in influential decision-making roles often determine the level of investment when committing to an IEA. It is thus critical to understand how these specific stakeholders understand and perceive IEA, as well as their motivations for engagement. We interviewed government officials, science managers and scientists whose decisions are critical for mobilizing resources (time, expertise and funding) in support of ecosystem based management (and potentially IEA) in the Atlantic Ocean. The interviews aimed at documenting their perceptions of IEA, and their motivations to engage in the process. Our results show that most of these research and policy stakeholders are generally unaware of, or have misconceptions about IEA concepts. Those who expressed awareness of IEA considered IEA as unfit to address most policy and managerial goals. We propose that the IEA process could be improved by promoting inclusivity and applying ocean science diplomacy. We see that these two aspects (inclusivity and science diplomacy) can help research and policy stakeholders understand the true meaning of IEA through negotiating, and by strengthening and diversifying the involvement of international stakeholders. We advocate that the scoping phase of an IEA is of critical importance and should be core to the whole process. It is during the scoping phase that stakeholders are identified and engaged. With their involvement, there is a need to make their interests visible and respected. During the scoping phase, a safe and open space needs to be secured, so these interests can be negotiated and mutual understanding on concepts, roles in the process and the possible outcomes are achieved. This article is part of the Mission Atlantic Project (Horizon 2020) which is designed to conduct IEAs in the Atlantic Ocean.

Public procurement for innovation: Lessons and challenges of a COVID-19 vaccine contract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered a worldwide emergency call to pursue new drugs and devices to treat and cure the disease, vaccines began to be developed mid-2020, as a promising weapon and shield. Fiocruz, a Brazilian government science and technology institute, signed a public procurement for innovation contract with the foreign pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to purchase, at that time, vaccines still under development. It was the first public procurement for innovation contract in the Brazilian public health system (SUS). This paper analyzes how the Brazilian public procurement contracts for the COVID-19 vaccine dealt with technology and institutional risks and uncertainties. It also aims to describe how such agreements (and the legal apparatus behind them) relate to the Brazilian system of innovation and to the theoretical approach of contracting for innovation. A key question is: how does the public procurement for innovation vaccine contract signed by Fiocruz deal with the intrinsic nature of uncertainty that characterizes innovation, and what lessons and challenges can be drawn?

Ideology, knowledge, and the assessment of science policy agencies

Abstract In the USA, politics often dominates the conversation surrounding science and related technologies. We also live in times of high political polarization, leading to political debate over scientific discoveries and subsequent policy implications. Given these dynamics, there is much to be learned about the politicization of science, individuals’ policy views, and the public’s relationship with the communication and interpretation of scientific findings. Agencies are often responsible for facilitating scientific research and framing its policy relevance for decision makers and the public. This paper uses data from a large national public opinion survey to investigate citizen attitudes about government science agencies. We theorize that disparities between objective and self-assessed scientific knowledge coupled with ideological cues help frame citizen evaluations of agencies. We find that individuals’ political ideologies and disparities between knowledge types shape citizen assessments of energy-related scientific agencies. These findings have important implications for our understanding of public acceptance of the work of government science agencies.

Current status and future challenges of genotoxicity OECD test guidelines (TGs) for nanomaterials: a workshop report.

Genotoxicity testing for nanomaterials remains challenging as standard testing approaches require some adaptation, and further development of nano-specific OECD Test Guidelines (TGs) and Guidance Documents (GDs) are needed. However, the field of genotoxicology continues to progress and new approach methodologies (NAMs) are being developed that could provide relevant information on the range of mechanisms of genotoxic action that may be imparted by nanomaterials. There is a recognition of the need for implementation of new and/or adapted OECD TGs, new OECD GDs and utilisation of NAMs within a genotoxicity testing framework for nanomaterials. As such, the requirements to apply new experimental approaches and data for genotoxicity assessment of nanomaterials in a regulatory context is neither clear, nor used in practice. Thus, an international workshop with representatives from regulatory agencies, industry, government, and academic scientists was convened to discuss these issues. The expert discussion highlighted the current deficiencies that exist in standard testing approaches within exposure regimes, insufficient physico-chemical characterisation, lack of demonstration of cell or tissue uptake and internalisation, and limitations in the coverage of genotoxic modes of action. Regarding the latter aspect, a consensus was reached on the importance of using NAMs to support the genotoxicity assessment of nanomaterials. Also highlighted was the need for close engagement between scientists and regulators to 1) provide clarity on the regulatory needs, 2) improve the acceptance and use of NAMs-generated data, and 3) define how NAMs may be used as part of Weight of Evidence approaches for use in regulatory risk assessments.

Pelatihan Soft-Skill Public Speaking Pada Mahasiswa Program Studi Ilmu Pemerintahan FISIP Universitas Halu Oleo

The Community Service Program with the title: Soft-Skill Public Speaking Training for Government Science Study Program Students, FISIP Halu Oleo University, aims to improve students' speaking skills, particularly in front of audiences. This is critical for preparing graduates to compete in the labor market. As a result, the service team conducted Soft-Skill Public Speaking training activities by presenting material that needed to be mastered in Public Speaking. Students are directed to directly compose speeches at the end of the training, which is displayed in video form and uploaded via the YouTube video-sharing medium. Finally, this training was able to solve the problems encountered by Government Science Study Program Students as service objects as indicated by service participants' speaking ability that has significantly improved, as evidenced by good pronunciation and intonation.

Penerapan Ilmu Tata Kelola Keuangan Dalam Upaya Pengembangan Bisnis Pada Kangvifo Fnb

Kangvifo FnB is a business engaged in the service sector, Kangvifo was founded in February 2021 which was founded by several people to meet the community's needs for food and beverage product photo service providers, in Palu City there are many MSMEs so that this is a big business opportunity for Kangvifo FnB. In entrepreneurship, of course, it is necessary to apply the science of financial governance in order to develop a business so that it can develop. The purpose of this research is to find out the application of the science of financial governance in the Kangvifo FnB business. The research method uses qualitative data, the data source is primary data. Data collection techniques through interviews and documentation of financial reports from September to December. The results of this study indicate the application of the science of financial governance to the Kangvifo FnB business, which previously did not carry out financial management properly and after being assisted has carried out such planning as making a price list for the types of product photos to be photographed, sales targets, and has recorded reports. working capital, statement of cash flows, and statement of income

Improving the agri-food biotechnology conversation: bridging science communication with science and technology studies.

At a time when agri-food biotechnologies are receiving a surge of investment, innovation, and public interest in the United States, it is common to hear both supporters and critics call for open and inclusive dialogue on the topic. Social scientists have a potentially important role to play in these discursive engagements, but the legacy of the intractable genetically modified (GM) food debate calls for some reflection regarding the best ways to shape the norms of that conversation. This commentary argues that agri-food scholars interested in promoting a more constructive agri-food biotechnology discussion could do so by blending key insights, as well as guarding against key shortcomings, from the fields of science communication and science and technology studies (STS). Science communication's collaborative and translational approach to the public understanding of science has proven pragmatically valuable to scientists in academia, government, and private industry, but it has too often remained wedded to deficit model approaches and struggled to explore deeper questions of public values and corporate power. STS's critical approach has highlighted the need for multi-stakeholder power-sharing and the integration of diverse knowledge systems into public engagement, but it has done little to grapple with the prevalence of misinformation in movements against GM foods and other agri-food biotechnologies. Ultimately, a better agri-food biotechnology conversation will require a strong foundation in scientific literacy as well as conceptual grounding in the social studies of science. The paper concludes by describing how, with attention to the structure, content, and style of public engagement in the agri-food biotechnology debates, social scientists can play a productive conversational role across a variety of academic, institutional, community-level, and mediated contexts.

The UN Decade of Ocean Science stages of grief – Skepticism, frustration, fear of failure, and hope

The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development begun in 2021 with the motto of fostering “the science we need for the ocean we want”. This paper analyses what government officials and scientists in the Atlantic Ocean feel about this Decade one year prior its start (2020). Twenty key individuals were interviewed in order to gather insights on the values placed in this Decade. These views matter because these stakeholders are entrusted with budget allocation and scientific coordination that are critical to the success of this Decade. Interviewees expressed feelings similar to grief. These individuals feel skeptical, frustrated and fearful to fail in achieving the Decade’s outcomes. They believe the UN system to be stagnant and unable to implement the necessary changes. In addition, they feel frustrated with the invisibility of the ocean agenda in the public eyes, in spite of the surmount work done in calling the attention of political leaders and society at large. However, these individuals believe this UN Decade to be a turning point in placing the ocean in the minds of all. In order to do so, the implementation of the UN Decade of Ocean Science will necessarily need to recognize the imbalances in ocean science capacity and to prioritize public engagement with science. In this regard, ocean science diplomacy can offer different approaches within ocean social sciences in support of this Decade.

Polarised perspectives in salmon aquaculture warrant a targeted long-term approach to communication

Many activities associated with the expanding blue economy are characterised by high complexity, uncertainty, and significant potential for environmental impacts. In a shared marine environment, these conditions can lead to conflict, with increasingly polarised debate ultimately hindering new development. Key communication determinants of this conflict include: (i) the level of interest in the debate; (ii) the strength of attitudes; (iii) the certainty of attitudes; (iv) the level of trust between stakeholder groups; and (v) gaps in information. Using the Australian salmon industry as an exemplar of aquaculture conflict, we have run a stakeholder survey to measure each of these determinants. Implications for building effective communication strategies have been explored, addressing systemic issues such as legitimacy and credibility of information sources, message discrepancy, and negation of misinformation. The findings suggest that to reduce conflict and build community trust, communication will require targeted long-term strategies, allowing government agencies, aquaculture companies, scientists and communities to inform and be informed. Policies that promote a common dialogue and collective learning with regard to interactions between aquaculture, coastal ecosystems and communities will be critical in shifting the focus from concerns of collusion and secrecy, towards that of engagement and collaboration on impact and trust attributes. Policy makers and research agencies will also need to provide adequate resources, training, and incentives for scientists to expand their role from providing traditional technical advice, to engaging more broadly on contentious socio-ecological issues.

Implementation of The Budget Functions of The Regional People's Representative Council, Solok City, West Sumatra Province

One of the functions of the Regional House of Representatives is the budget function. The budget function includes a discussion of the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget. The Regional People's Representative Council discusses and also gives approval to the draft of the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget submitted by the regional government. Optimization of the implementation of the budget function will be related to the implementation of development and good governance This study aims to determine the implementation of the budget function of the Solok City Regional House of Representatives in the preparation of the 2020 Solok City Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget. The method that the researcher uses is descriptive method through a qualitative approach. Data collection techniques used literature studies and field studies consisting of observation and in-depth interviews. The results show that the implementation of the budget function by the Regional People's Representative Council has not been running effectively and efficiently in the absorption of budget use, yes, this is seen from the not yet maximal implementation of the program in every organization and regional apparatus in Solok City. There have been many budget cuts and diversions that have been set previously because the budget is used to handle the Coronavirus Disease-19 (Covid-19) pandemic that is hitting Indonesia. The impact of this research is to become a concern for the government and become knowledge in government science for future researcher.

Methodological Basis for the Formation of a System for Evaluating R&D Effectiveness

The article substantiates the need to create a new system for evaluating the effectiveness of research and development as a key element and basis for the R&D monitoring system in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Law of June 28, 2022 No. 195-FZ "On Amending the Federal Law "On Science and Government Science and Technology Policy".The authors formulate main parameters for this system, as well as propose and substantiate a methodology for the evaluation of R&D effectiveness.The proposed system for evaluating R&D effectiveness, according to the authors, meets the needs of public administration in the field of science and ensures: the integrity and high level of digitalization of the government R&D monitoring system, double personalized assessment of scientific and technological results (by experts and R&D subjects), maximum simplicity for users and experts of the system, its resistance to involuntary and purposeful influences on its work.

Long Before Suspicions Arose About A Lab Leak, Government Scientists Were Fiddling With Bugs to Make Them More Deadly

Decades before the COVID outbreak when Americans first began hearing of dangerous “gain of function” virus studies, US bioweapons researchers were juicing up bugs to make them more deadly and contagious. Combing through historical military records, writer Kris Newby found evidence that this research may have fueled the rise of patients with Lyme disease—a sometimes chronic condition, with almost half a million new infections every year.

Exploiting Underutilised crops

Exploiting Underutilised crops

Sustainable Community Development as a Main Motive of Good Governance System and Ethical Presentation in a Developing Nation

Sustainable development has been given special attention worldwide regarding the environment and preservation of natural resources. However, sustainable community development remains a little-explored area, specifically concerning power-dominant economies and as an ethical representation of managing a country's law and order situations. Therefore, the current study aims to determine the influence of power disruptions, that is, human and governance factors, on sustainable community development directly and indirectly via an underlying mechanism of public sector performance. To achieve the study objectives, the study adopted a quantitative research methodology with a random sampling technique by surveying 720 citizens of Indonesia. A statistical data analysis using structural equation modeling in SmartPLS showed that power disruptions negatively impacted public sector performance, leading to underdeveloped communities. The results also showed that high levels of social connections between public sector employees and citizens mitigated the negative influence of power disruptions on public sector performance leading to the sustainable development of culture and community. The current study adds value to the government science literature by combining the critical issue of power disruptions and sustainable community development in a single consolidated framework that considers the ethics of governing a nation. The results will also help policymakers and project-executing agencies discourage power disruptions and find solutions to damages caused at the planning stages.

Government expenditure structure, technological progress and economic growth

PurposeThis study examines the differences in the economic stimulus effects, transmission mechanisms, and output multipliers of government consumption, government traditional investment, and government science and technology investment.Design/methodology/approachThis study constructs and estimates a New Keynesian model of endogenous technological progress embedded in the research and development (R&D) and technology transfer sectors. Using Chinese macroeconomic time series data from 1996 to 2019, this study calibrates and estimates the model and analyzes the impulse response function and a counterfactual simulation of expenditure structure adjustment.FindingsThe results show that compared with the traditional dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model, the endogenous process of technological progress amplifies the impact of government consumption shock and traditional government investment shock on the macroeconomy, leading to greater economic cycle fluctuations. As government investment in science and technology has positive external spillover effects on firm R&D activities and the application of innovation achievements, it can promote more sustainable economic growth than government consumption and traditional investment in the long run.Originality/valueThis study constructs an extended New Keynesian model with different types of government spending, which includes endogenous technological progress within the R&D and technology transfer sectors, thereby linking fiscal policy, business cycle fluctuations and long-term economic growth. This model can study the macroeconomic impact of fiscal expenditure structure adjustment when fiscal expansion is limited. In the Bayesian estimation of model parameters, this study not only uses macroeconomic variables but also adds a sequence of private R&D investment.

Brain organoids: are they for real?

1Quebec Chief Scientist, Montreal, QC, Canada2President, International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA), Montreal, QC, Canada

Science mapping of water governance research in retrospect

ABSTRACT This study employs, for the first time, a science mapping approach for understanding how water governance science is socially, intellectually and conceptually structured. The research collaboration, co-citation and keyword co-occurrence networks were illustrated by these steps: data retrieval, preprocessing, network extraction, normalization, mapping, analysis and visualization. The Netherlands, the United States, Germany, the UK, Canada and Australia were found to be major countries collaborating on water governance. Three groups of water governance research were identified to be focused on governance, management and policy, respectively, and water governance research mainly studied issues such as poverty, privatization and institutions.

Using corpus methods to analyze modal verbs in government science communication on Twitter

Online science communication, especially on social media, has become a constant and controversial type of scientific discourse. Past research has shown that how scientific information is presented can impact how the information is interpreted and accepted by the public. However, an aspect of scientific communication that has been relatively understudied is the use of modal verbs to communicate scientific uncertainty and how scientists convey the responsibility of agents to complete actions pertaining to scientific information. To address this gap, this study presents a corpus-based research approach to analyzing how modal verbs convey scientific information to the public on Twitter. The study's corpus consisted of 9,422 tweets posted between 2019 and 2022 collected from the official Twitter accounts of three scientific governmental agencies (SGAs): the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The results showed that each SGA varied in terms of which modal verbs they used most frequently and which agents and actions were most commonly addressed. A qualitative analysis using Conrad et al.’s (2002) categories of modal verbs—permission/ability, obligation/necessity, and volition/prediction—found that the frequent use of the modal verb can by all three SGAs suggests an emphasis on the ability or permission of specific agents to take or complete actions without conveying a sense of obligation or necessity. The method presented in this paper illustrates how corpus linguistics approaches can be used to analyze the role of modal verbs in agent + action structures to represent scientific uncertainty and responsibility in public-facing science communication, and this paper presents the implications of a preliminary application of these approaches.

Tilapia health: quo vadis?

Tilapia health: <i>quo vadis</i>?