Category Archives: best practices
Debate Continues on Criteria for Awarding Grants by NSF
While the debate continues over how grants are awarded by NSF, it appears the peer review process itself is not the target. In an era of tight budgets, the question seems to be is there need for an additional criterion … Continue reading
Filed under balance, best practices, NSF, principles, process, standards
EPA to Publish Information on Peer Reviewers – Transparency, Free Advertising, Deterrent?
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has improved its conflict of interest review process for contractor-managed peer reviews by ensuring that the public has the opportunity to review and comment on a peer review panel’s composition when … Continue reading
Filed under best practices, conflict of interest, EPA, principles, public review, transparency
FY14 NSF Budget Calls for Increased Use of Virtual Merit Review
TheFY2014 President’s Budget for the National Science Foundation(NSF) proposes $4.09 million for “Improving the operational execution of the Merit Review Process, an essential step to address the extraordinary pressures the Foundation faces due to a growing number of proposals and … Continue reading
Filed under best practices, cost savings, NSF, virtual meetings
Italian Review of Scientists and Research Institutions Sparks Protest
Critics say a government review of scientists and research institutions coordinated by the National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes (ANVUR) is using flawed criteria and will do little to reward the best Italian scientists. For researchers … Continue reading
Filed under best practices, international, process, standards
World Science Academies Release Report to Promote Research Integrity
To encourage researchers around the world to adhere to universal science values and ethical behavior, a new report on responsible science was issued October 17th by the InterAcademy Council and the IAP – the global network of science academies. The … Continue reading
Filed under best practices, bias, international, NAS, principles, process, standards
State Department Initiative to Facilitate Access to US Scientific Peer Review Processes
The US Department of State has increased its efforts to promote international cooperation in science and engineering, including best practices in scientific peer review. According to the SciDev.Net report, an outreach initiative known as ‘Networks of Diasporas in Engineering and … Continue reading
Filed under AAAS, best practices, international, NAS
Rigorous Peer Review Urged for A Safer Nuclear Enterprise
Sidney D. Drell et al. in Science 8 June 2012 Policy Forum (subscription required) write that strong regulation and peer review are needed, particularly in nations new to nuclear power and weapons. “…Independent peer review should be incorporated into all … Continue reading
Filed under best practices, nuclear safety
New Posts, and Spam
Apologies for the recent notifications of spam postings. We have reset default permissions so that new posts require approval by an administrator before publishing. Once a post has been determined to be valid, it will be published and that contributor’s permissions … Continue reading
Filed under best practices
Global Summit Releases Merit Review Principles
From National Science Foundation: Leaders from a two-day inaugural Global Summit on Merit Review, hosted by the National Science Foundation (NSF), released a set of merit review principles and established a Global Research Council. Heads of research councils from about … Continue reading
Filed under best practices, principles, standards
Global Standard for Peer Review?
From ScienceInsider: Increasing collaboration between U.S. scientists and their counterparts in other countries has been a priority for Subra Suresh since he became director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in October 2010. But one thing about negotiating such bilateral … Continue reading
Filed under best practices, standards