Philip Rubin, Ph.D.<[email protected]>
CEO and Vice President, Haskins Laboratories;
Professor Adjunct, Department of Surgery, OtolaryngologyYale University School of Medicine;
Research Affiliate, Department of Psychology, Yale University
Cognitive Science and Public Policy:observations of a former NSF administrator
Some public policy issues related to cognitive science
• Basic vs. applied science• Allocation of funds across the disciplines• Policy informed by cognitive science• Political intrusion into the scientific process• National priorities, including national security• Protection of research participants• Earmarking (i.e. directed funding)• The role of professional societies and other organizations in advocacy and policy
National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation (2000-2003)
• Director, Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Science
New or reconceptualized programs in BCS:• Cognitive Neuroscience• Children’s Research Initiative• Perception, Action and Cognition• Developmental and Learning Sciences• HOMINID: Human Origins• Documenting Endangered Languages
• Priority area: Human and Social Dynamics• Science and Technology Centers• Science of Learning Centers• Cyberinfrastructure• Computational Neuroscience• Human Subjects (chair of interagency group, EOP)
Advocacy, policy and cognitive science• National Academies / National Research Council (NAS/NRC)
www.nationalacademies.org
• Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA)www.cossa.org
• The Federation of Behavioral, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences (FBPCS)www.thefederationonline.org
• American Psychological Association (APA)www.apa.org
• Association for Psychological Science (APS)www.psychologicalscience.org
• Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDOP)www.psych.wfu.edu/cogdop/
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)www.aaas.org
• Decade of Behaviorwww.decadeofbehavior.org
Some public policy issues related to cognitive science
• Basic vs. applied science• Allocation of funds across the disciplines• Policy informed by cognitive science• Political intrusion into the scientific process• National priorities, including national security• Protection of research participants• Earmarking (i.e. directed funding)• The role of professional societies and other organizations in advocacy and policy
