Our Sciences Represented and Honored in Washington DC

May 9, 2019

In April, several high-profile events on Capitol Hill and at the National Academy of Sciences brought attention to important scientific contributions of FABBS scientists.

On April 30th, two poster exhibitions on Capitol Hill highlighted a range of scientists, including our members. FABBS was pleased to be represented by Nicholas Turk-Browne, PhD, Yale University, at the 25th Annual Coalition for National Science Funding’s (CNSF) Exhibition and Reception, “Building the Future: Federal Investments in Science, Engineering, and Education”. Dr. Turk-Browne presented his NSF-funded research “Using Deep Neural Networks to Understand the Human Mind and Brain”. Among Turk-Browne’s professional memberships are the American Psychological Association, the Psychonomic Society, and the Vision Sciences Society.

The Exhibition featured thirty-five exhibitors representing a range of scientific societies and universities. Scientists spoke and mingled with members of Congress, Congressional staff, NSF leaders, and others in the scientific community. FABBS was joined by several member societies —the American Psychological Association, the American Educational Research Association, and the Society for Research in Child Development— as exhibitors at the event.

Prior to the Exhibition, scientists and CNSF members visited Congressional offices to share their research, invite staff to the event, and encourage offices to fund NSF at $9 billion in fiscal year 2020.

Down the hall that same evening, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) held their  23rd annual Posters on the Hill. In this spring event, undergraduate researchers from around the country, chosen through a rigorous review process, present their work to members of Congress and their staff. (Watch a greeting to CUR exhibitors from France Córdova.) Several of the posters presented were in the areas of psychology, health, and education. Demetrius Lee, from affiliate members Temple University Department of Psychology, presented his work “Early Life Stress Has Lasting Effects on Development and Sex-Specific Effects on Cognition in Rats”. His advisor at Temple is Debra Bangasser, a member of the Society of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology.

Also this month, the National Academy of Sciences Awards honored scientists from FABBS societies. The Troland Research award is given annually to recognize unusual achievement by young investigators within the broad spectrum of experimental psychology. This year’s winners were Tom Griffiths (Princeton University) and Adriana Galván (UCLA). Griffiths was previously honored as a FABBS Early Career winner from the Cognitive Science Society. (Watch Griffiths and Galván accept their awards.). Congratulations to Drs. Griffiths and Galván.

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