AIBS Recommendations for Next Coronavirus Economic Stimulus

AIBS has shared ideas and recommendations related to scientific research and education for future coronavirus related stimulus packages with the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The panel requested ideas for research, development, and innovation funding and policies, including research infrastructure for any future economic measures developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Future actions and needs proposed by AIBS include: Additional R&D funding for a “large-scale and coordinated effort to conduct a global biodiversity survey to collect specimens and associated data from around the world to identify which species serve as reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2 and closely related viruses, as well as other pathogens that pose a risk to humans, pets, and livestock.” In terms of near-term response to COVID-19 impacts on research, AIBS recommended emergency relief grants to non-profit scientific societies that have suffered economic loss from the cancellation of scientific conferences; a National Science Foundation (NSF)-led effort to develop and evaluate online educational resources; increased funding to “expedite the capture and mobilization of digital biological data”; a partnership between the federal Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections and representatives from non-federal collections serving organizations to identify strategies for increasing data access, integration, and sharing; targeted economic assistance for ...
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news