WHY SOCIAL SCIENCE?

WENDY NAUS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MARCH 3, 2017

About

Advocacy for the shared policy interests of all fields of social & behavioral science

Audiences: Congress, Executive Branch, scientific & higher edcommunities, and the general public

Formed in 1981

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MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONSAcademy of Criminal Justice Sciences American Association of Geographers American Council of Learned SocietiesAmerican Evaluation Association American Historical AssociationAmerican Psychosomatic Society Association for Asian Studies Association for Behavioral and Cognitive TherapiesAssociation for Public Policy Analysis and Management Association of Academic Survey Research Organizations Association of Research Libraries Council on Social Work Education Economic History Association History of Science Society Midwest Sociological Society National Association of Social Workers North American Regional Science Council Rural Sociological Society Social Science History Association Society for Research on Adolescence Society for Social Work and Research Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Society of Behavioral Medicine Southern Political Science Association Southern Sociological Society Southwestern Social Science Association

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIESArizona State University Boston University Brown University

Carnegie Mellon University Clark University Columbia University Cornell University Duke University Fielding Graduate University George Mason University Georgetown University Harvard University Howard University Indiana University John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY Johns Hopkins University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Michigan State University New York University North Carolina State University Northwestern University Pennsylvania State University Princeton University Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Stanford University Texas A&M University The George Washington University The Ohio State University University of California, Berkeley University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Santa Barbara University of Colorado, BoulderUniversity of Chicago University of Illinois University of Iowa

University of Maryland University of Michigan University of Minnesota University of MissouriUniversity of Nebraska, Lincoln University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill University of Oklahoma University of Pennsylvania University of South Carolina University of Texas, Austin University of Texas, San Antonio University of Virginia University of Washington University of Wisconsin, Madison Virginia TechWest Virginia University Yale University

CENTERS & INSTITUTESAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences American Academy of Political and Social Science Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research Council of Colleges of Arts & SciencesInstitute for Social Research, University of Michigan Institute for Social Science Research, University of

Massachusetts, AmherstNORC at the University of Chicago Owens Institute for Behavioral Research, University of

GeorgiaRTI International Social Science Research Council

Non-Governing Members

COSSA’s Mission: To promote the value of social and behavioral science research to policymakers and the public with the goal of enhancing

federal support.

Public Engage-

ment

Member Engage-

mentDirect

Lobbying

Direct Lobbying

Centerpiece of COSSA’s activities

Staff of four registered lobbyists

Provide a constant presence for social science in the Washington policymaking process

Allow our community to respond quickly to legislative/policy developments

Serve as a resource to policymakers and a bridge to the SBS community

Invest in champion development

COSSA Member Engagement Membership is broad, diverse, and represents the best scholars in the social sciences

Since 2014, provide resources for members wishing to get involved:o Annual Social Science Advocacy Dayo Action alertso Advocacy Handbooko Talking Pointso State funding fact sheetso Advocacy training program o Webinars, etc.

Public Engagement

Partnerships with key constituencies – other sciences, practitioners, industry, other non-academics, etc.

Social Media

March for Science, April 22

Why Social Science?

Changing the Conversation New public-facing website launched in January

Main feature – Twice monthly blogs

So far:◦ COSSA kick-off, January 17◦ National Institutes of Health, January 31◦ American Anthropological Association, February 14◦ Society for Personality and Social Psychology, February 28

Coming up: ◦ National Academy of Sciences◦ National Science Foundation◦ Industry

www.whysocialscience.com

Drafting Guidance1,000 words max

Answer the question “why social science?”

Framing questions:

oWhy is social science important?

oWhy should the public care about social science?

oWhy is U.S. federal government support for this science needed?

oWhat are some notable successes that have made the world better (e.g. healthier, safer, more prosperous, etc.)?

oAre there any misperceptions about social science that you can clarify?

www.whysocialscience.com

Finally…Looking to incorporate other content into the site

Using the Why Social Science? branding in our other activitieso Congressional briefing series launching this

year – Save the Date for April 18

o Social Media - #whysocialscience

www.whysocialscience.com

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Wendy Naus, Executive Director

Email: wnaus@cossa.org

Web: www.cossa.org and www.whysocialscience.com

@COSSADC • #WhySocialScience