[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68657-68658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19245]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Request for Information on the CHIPS and Science Act Section
10343. Research Ethics
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Request for Information.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent
federal agency that supports research at the frontiers of current
knowledge, across all fields of science, engineering and education in
all 50 states and U.S. territories. NSF is issuing this Request for
Information (RFI) to seek input to inform the development of the
agency's response to Section 10343. Research Ethics in the CHIPS and
Science Act of 2022. NSF welcomes feedback from interested parties.
This includes representatives from non-profit organizations,
philanthropies, industry, local, state, and tribal government offices/
agencies, K-12 schools and districts, institutions of higher education,
trade, and/or vocational schools.
DATES: Interested persons or organizations are invited to submit
comments on or before 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Friday, November 15, 2024.
ADDRESSES: To respond to this Request for Information, please use the
official submission form available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ResearchEthicsRFI.
Respondents only need to provide feedback on one or more questions
of interest or relevance to them. Each question is voluntary and
optional. The response to each question has a 4,000-character limit
including spaces.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, please direct
questions to Jason Borenstein through email: [email protected],
phone: 703-292-4207, or mail: 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA
22314, USA.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 10343 (``Research Ethics'') of the
CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (Pub. L. 117-167) directs NSF to
incorporate ethical, social, safety, and security considerations into
the merit review process that is used to evaluate research projects or
other activities for funding. Section 10343 notes that ``a number of
emerging areas of research have potential ethical, social, safety, and
security implications that might be apparent as early as the basic
research stage.'' In addition, Section 10343 states that ``the
incorporation of ethical, social, safety, and security considerations
into the research design and review process for Federal awards may help
mitigate potential harms before they happen.'' Moreover, Section 10343
states that ``The Foundation should continue to work with stakeholders
to promote best practices for governance of research in emerging
technologies at every stage of research.''
Through this Request for Information, NSF seeks input on ways to
incorporate ethical, social, safety, and security considerations into
the agency's merit review process and to develop strategies for
mitigating the potential harms of scientific research and amplifying
societal benefits from such research. Responses to one or more of the
[[Page 68658]]
questions listed below can be sent to NSF by using the official
submission form.
Ethical, Social, Safety, and Security Considerations
Question 1: Describe ethical, social, safety, and/or security risks
from current or emerging research activities that you believe might be
of concern to the community, profession, or organization with which you
are connected.
Question 2: Which products, technologies, and/or other outcomes
from research do you think could cause significant harm to the public
in the foreseeable future?
Question 3: Describe one or more approaches for identifying
ethical, social, safety, and/or security risks from research activities
and balancing such risks against potential benefits.
Question 4: Describe one or more strategies for encouraging
research teams to incorporate ethical, social, safety, and/or security
considerations into the design of their research approach. Also, how
might the strategy vary depending on research type (for example, basic
vs. applied) or setting (for example, academia or industry)?
NSF's Approach to Ethical, Social, Safety, and Security Considerations
Question 5: How might NSF work with stakeholders to promote best
practices for governance of research in emerging technologies at every
stage of research?
Question 6: How could ethical, social, safety, and/or security
considerations be incorporated into the instructions for proposers or
into NSF's merit review process? Also, what challenges could arise if
the merit review process is modified to include such considerations?
Question 7: What other measures could NSF consider as it seeks to
identify and mitigate ethical, social, safety, and/or security risks
from research projects or other activities that the agency supports?
NSF, at its discretion, will use the information submitted in
response to this RFI to help inform future program directions, new
initiatives, and potential funding opportunities. The information
provided will be analyzed, may appear in reports, and may be shared
publicly on agency websites. Respondents are advised that the
government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the
information or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any
information submitted. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or
sensitive information should be included in your response submission.
The government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical
information in any resultant solicitations, policies, or procedures.
(Authority: Public Law 117-167.)
Dated: August 22, 2024.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2024-19245 Filed 8-26-24; 8:45 am]
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