Lamont Weekly Report – May 20, 2005

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
P.O. Box 1000, 61 Route 9W Palisades, New York 10964

<> REPORT SUMMARY <>

– Letter from the Director –
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<> LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

This week I will start with the serious stuff and let things slide from there.

Please read the overview of the federal funding scene that Ellen Smith and Nick Moustakas have provided for us - appended at the bottom of my report.

There is growing evidence that the proposal deadlines at the beginning of June are going to bring an unusually large of concentration of proposals through the system in a very short period of time. This is a plea to the PIs - your DAs and our Contracts and Grants Office will do everything possible to process these proposals as quickly as they can - but please get your budget information into the system as soon as possible - there are limits to how many proposals we can get through the system on any given day (and night) - please do all you can to start your proposal through the process as far ahead of the deadline as is feasible. Thanks.

The Alumni Association meeting last Sunday afternoon, prior to Jeff Fox’s great Public Lecture was another great success - and the lecture itself was given to a capacity crowd. I am sure that will be the case this coming Sunday when Art Lerner-Lam talks about the Great Tsunami - the popularity of the public lectures has grown to a level that I believe we will have to change our mode of operation in future years - we will have to control the numbers of folks, to avoid dangerous overcrowding and to reduce disappointed attendees who have to be turned away because of lack of room. As on previous Sundays we will have a dinner for special guests following the reception as part of our continuing efforts to develop a cadre of strong supporters for the research and education that we carry out here.

For those of you who did not attend the Lamont Ball last Saturday, I can only express my condolences - it was a superb evening - great music, great company, extremely well organized - thanks again to Dalia Bach and all her helpers - we should do it more often!

Speaking of great events, I spent yesterday at Commencement, though not downtown. I was at Rutgers College watching my daughter graduate, along with 2,368 (approximately) of her colleagues. It was in fact a truly impressive event - they were bringing 22 students per minute across the stage, receiving their degrees - at one point towards the end they reached 25 per minute - a very well orchestrated, though somewhat mind-numbing experience.

So mind-numbing in fact that, driving home with a car full of elated young graduates, I discovered for the first time that the cruise control buttons on the left spoke of my steering wheel precisely match in form and function the Bose sound system controls on the right spoke of my steering wheel… but we survived nevertheless.

Have a great weekend,

– Mike

OVERVIEW OF THE WASHINGTON FUNDING SCENE FROM CU GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

As you are know, stresses across-the-board on the Fiscal Year 2006 budget have resulted in proposed cuts to a number of programs of importance to Lamont-Doherty scientists. Working with interested parties at Columbia and other institutions, the Office of Government Affairs has been engaging in a number of efforts to respond to the proposed reductions. We have worked with The Science Coalition, AAU and targeted groups to support overall research and education funding in a number of agency budgets as well as detailed for key Congressional aides programs of great concern to us. Among some of the recent activities:

NOAA - The Office of Government Affairs has organized a coalition that includes a nation-wide group of institutions in an advocacy campaign in support of extramural research programs, particularly climate research. On-going meetings with Members of Congress and key committee staff will be followed by a day of focused Capitol Hill activities in June that will include a set of 'state of the science' briefings. Earth Institute Deputy Director John Mutter visited DC twice this semester for NOAA advocacy and another visit is planned in a week.

NASA -- Columbia is taking part in a coalition of research institutions that, among other things, is meeting with key Members of Congress and pressing the case for the continued involvement of universities in NASA science programs and the continued funding of both missions and data analysis in Earth and space science at a level at least equal to the current year's.

NSF - Columbia has been working with several university associations to build support for basic research funding. Government relations staff contacted the entire New York delegation to urge them to sign a recent House letter calling for NSF to receive $6.1 billion dollars in 2006, $500 million more than sought in the Administration request. The letter was signed by 167 Representatives, including Columbia's representatives, Congressman Charles Rangel and Congressman Eliot Engel, and a number of other New York Members. It is also notable that Rep Frank Wolf (VA), who chairs the appropriations Science, State, Justice, and Commerce and Related Activities subcommittee, that funds NOAA, NSF and NASA, has joined those seeking to heighten the public awareness of the critical role federal support of university-based research and education plays in the nation's wellbeing. Mr. Wolf voiced his concerns in a letter to President Bush that calls for a tripling of basic science research budgets. In addition, he has secured funding for a conference on US Innovation at the Commerce Department.

Your help educating Congress on the importance of research will also be important over the coming months. A simple start would be to email notes of appreciation to Mr. Wolf for his statement on basic research and to Mr. Rangel and Mr. Engel's for their signing on to the NSF letter (www.house.gov). The Office of Government Affairs will also be happy to assist you in arranging visits with relevant offices. Please don't hesitate to contact Ellen S. Smith, ess9@columbia.edu or Nicholas Moustakas, nm14@columbia.edu.

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