URGENT ACTION REQUIRED -- ATTACKS TARGETING ANTHROPOLOGY NSF GRANTS

Written by: Noah Porter on May 2, 2007 4:17 PM EDT

This is from the USF anthropology listserv.  I hope you'll help protecting funding for anthropological research.

URGENT ACTION REQUIRED

Dear AAA Member:

Please consider this request for immediate action -- review the following and make a call.

BACKGROUND: The NSF Authorization bill for FY2008 is scheduled to come up for debate today on the House floor. Two proposed amendments – introduced by Reps. John Campbell (R-CA) and Scott Garrett (R-NJ) – would prohibit funding of nine already funded National Science Foundation grants in the Social, Behavioral and Economics Science Division based on their "silly" titles. Five of the nine grants targeted fall under the anthropology or archaeology portfolios. There are also amendments being considered to reduce NSF’s overall authorized funding level. The amendments and links to the abstracts of the nine grants follow below. The anthropology/archaeology grants are noted with an asterisk (*).

AMENDMENTS to H.R. 1867

Offered by Mr. Garrett of New Jersey

At the end of section 3, add the following new subsection;

(h) LIMITATION.-None of the funds authorized under this section may be used for research related to

(1) The reproductive aging and symptom experience at midlife among Bangladeshi Immigrants, Sedentees, and White London Neighbors; and

(2) The diet and social stratification in ancient Puerto Rico.

1 = http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0548393 *2= http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0612727 *

Offered by Mr. Campbell of California

At the end of section 3, add the following new subsection;

(h) LIMITATION.-None of the funds authorized under this section may be used for research related to

(1) archives of Andean Knotted-String Records

(2) the accuracy in the cross-cultural understanding of others’ emotions;

(3) bison hunting on the late prehistoric Great Plains;

(4) team versus individual play;

(5) sexual politics of waste in Dakar, Senegal;

(6) social relationships and reproductive strategies of Phayre’s Leaf Monkeys; and

(7) cognitive model of superstitious belief.

1 = http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0609719 *

2 = http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0617634

3 = http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0553390 *

4 = http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0451981

5 = http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0602843

6 = http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0542035 *

7 = http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0542486

MESSAGE: Call your Representative NOW, identify yourself as a constituent, tell him/her to vote "NO" on the Campbell and Garrett amendments to the NSF Authorization bill (H.R. 1867), and communicate the following simple messages:

· NSF’s merit review is the best system for choosing grants, not Congressional meddling;

· Titles are not the best judge of the worthiness of scientific research;

· Silly sounding titles often produce important research results.

Any questions, please call Paul Nuti at the AAA office – contacts below. THANK YOU!!!

Paul J. Nuti

Director of External, International & Government Relations

American Anthropological Association

2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 600

Arlington, VA 22201

TEL: 703/528-1902 x3008

FAX: 703/528-3546

e-mail: pnuti@aaanet.org

WEB: www.aaanet.org

------------

Hello Friends,

Below you will find contact information for our local Congress people, Bilirakis and Castor. I included the Senators' contacts there just for fun (and future reference).

Representative Gus Michael Bilirakis (R - 09) 202-225-5755 202-225-4085

http://bilirakis.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm

Representative Kathy Anne Castor (D - 11) 202-225-3376 202-225-5652

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Senator Bill Nelson (D- FL) 202-224-5274 202-228-2183

http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Senator Mel Martinez (R- FL) 202-224-3041 202-228-5171

http://martinez.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.ContactForm

Tags: