Skip Navigation

  • join logo Join
  • give logo Give
  • advocate logo Advocate
  • publish logo Publish
Sign In
SfN 50th anniversary logo
  • Membership
    • Membership Overview
    • Member Benefits
      • Individual Member Benefits
      • Institutional Program Member Benefits
      • Sustaining Associate Member Benefits
    • Join or Renew
      • Automatic Renewals
      • Membership Dues by Category
    • Chapters
      • Resources for Chapters
      • Submit Annual Report
      • Start or Reactivate a Chapter
      • Chapter Directory
      • Chapter Video Challenge
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Member Directory
      • Sustaining Associate Member Directory
    • Professional Conduct
      • SfN Ethics Policy
      • Guidelines for Responsible Conduct Regarding Scientific Communication
      • Code of Conduct at SfN Events
      • Neuronline Digital Learning Community Guidelines
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Site Upgrade FAQ
    • Member Obituaries
  • Meetings
    • Meetings Overview
    • SfN Global Connectome: A Virtual Event
      • Abstracts
      • Exhibits
      • Registration
      • Sessions and Events
    • Virtual Events
      • Upcoming Virtual Events
      • Past Virtual Events
    • Past and Future Annual Meetings
      • Neuroscience 2019
      • Neuroscience 2018
      • Search Past Annual Meeting Abstracts
      • Attendance Statistics
    • Meeting Policies and Guidelines
      • Code of Conduct at SfN Events
      • Guidelines for Participating in SfN Events
      • Photography & Recording Policy
      • Presenter Guidelines and Policies for SfN Events
    • Calendar
    • Meeting Awards
      • Trainee Professional Development Award
      • FENS Member Awards to SfN Annual Meeting
      • IBRO Member Awards to SfN Annual Meeting
      • JNS Member Awards to SfN Annual Meeting
      • Science Journalism Student Award
      • FENS Forum Awards
      • IBRO World Congress Awards
      • JNS Meeting Awards
  • Careers
    • Careers Overview
    • NeuroJobs Career Center
      • Job Seekers
      • Employers
      • Virtual Career Fair
    • Neuroscience Training Program Directory
    • Virtual Graduate School and Career Fair
    • Career Tools and Resources
      • Neurobiology of Disease Workshop
      • Scientific Short Courses
      • Responsible Conduct of Research Short Courses
      • Global Funding Sources
    • Higher Education and Training
      • Core Competencies
      • Graduate School Fair
      • Neuroscience Training Program Survey
      • IP Affiliate Registration
    • Awards
      • Lifetime
      • Early Career
  • Initiatives
    • Initiatives Overview
    • Awards
    • Neuronline
    • Confronting COVID-19
      • SfN Zoom Backgrounds
    • Leadership Development Program
      • Trainee Professional Development Award
    • Diversity Initiatives
      • Neuroscience Scholars Program
      • Latin American Training Program
    • Women and Neuroscience
      • Increasing Women in Neuroscience (IWiN) Courses & Toolkit
      • Celebration of Women in Neuroscience Event
      • Awards
    • Animals in Research
      • Support for Members and Institutions
      • Tools and Resources
      • Resources for Medical Students
    • Public Education Programs
      • Resources for Educators
      • Brain Awareness Video Contest
  • Advocacy
    • Advocacy Overview
    • Advocacy Network
      • The NeuroAdvocate Challenge
      • Advocacy Action Center
      • Advocacy Best Practices
      • Advocacy Network Newsletter
      • Advocacy Training Seminars
    • US Advocacy Programs
      • Capitol Hill Day
      • Connect with Policymakers
      • Early Career Policy Ambassadors
      • Partner with a Local Chapter
      • Engage the Media
    • Global Advocacy Programs
      • Global Neuroscience Initiatives
      • Global Funding
      • North American Programs
    • Science Funding
      • Advocacy Videos
      • Advocacy Resources
      • US Neuroscience Initiatives
      • Funding Priorities and Processes
    • Policy Positions
      • Statements and Testimony
      • Sign-On Letters
  • Outreach
    • Outreach Overview
    • BrainFacts.org
    • Find a Neuroscientist
    • Brain Awareness Campaign
      • Webinar: The ABC's of BAW
      • How to Get Involved
    • Awards
      • Award for Education in Neuroscience
      • Next Generation Award
      • Science Educator Award
  • Publications
    • Publications Overview
    • SfN News
    • JNeurosci
    • eNeuro
    • SfN Nexus
    • Neuroscience Quarterly
    • Annual Report
    • History of Neuroscience Autobiographical Chapters
  • About
    • About Overview
    • Mission and Strategic Plan
    • What We Do
      • Annual Report
      • Professional Conduct
      • Bylaws
      • Resolutions to the Bylaws
      • Strategic Partners
    • SfN 50th Anniversary Celebration
    • History of SfN
    • Environmental Commitment
    • Volunteer Leadership
      • SfN Presidents
      • Committees
      • Elections
    • History of Neuroscience
      • Autobiographical Chapters
      • Autobiographical Videos of Prominent Neuroscientists
      • Classic Papers
      • Neuroscience History Resources
      • Robert Doty's Chapter on Neuroscience
    • Careers and Staff
      • Staff List
  1. Advocacy
  2. Advocacy Network
  3. Advocacy Network Newsletter

Advocacy Network Newsletter

Sign up for the monthly Advocacy Network Newsletter to receive the latest science policy developments, advocacy engagement opportunities, and advance advocacy resources right to your inbox.

February 2021

Year in Wrap

SfN advocates and the biomedical research community had success in 2020, with increases to NIH and NSF in the FY 21 appropriations bills for the sixth consecutive year. SfN members played a significant part in legislative efforts, participating in 81 legislative meetings during Hill Day and sending nearly 2,000 messages. SfN acknowledges that measures taken to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic have made in-person lab tours and other advocacy efforts difficult. Despite this challenge, SfN has worked with advocates to continue their work through new avenues, particularly the NeuroAdvocate Challenge.

SfN staff conducted advocacy training seminars for more than 107 NeuroAdvocates in person and virtually, and successfully recruited advocates to participate in the NeuroAdvocate Challenge. SfN will continue its work to highlight neuroscience research as a critical investment with Congress. The Society thanks all who have supported and joined our advocacy efforts and looks forward to a constructive 2021.

Find Your Congressperson, Introduce Yourself, And Make Sure They Join the Congressional Neuroscience Caucus

The 117th Congress is newly sworn in. SfN provides you the tools to find out who your representatives and senators are so you can begin forging personal relationships with them. Send your Representative and Senators a message introducing yourself via SfN’s Advocacy Action Center.

Federal News Roundup

The RISE Act has been introduced by Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA), Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) in the Senate, and by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO-01) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI-6) in the House. This bipartisan bill would authorize $26 billion in funding to restart research and repair damages induced by the pandemic across the research ecosystem. $10 billion would be specifically designated for NIH to address the setbacks the Institutes have faced since the outbreak of COVID-19.

SfN Global Connectome

In January, the world's largest neuroscience community gathered for SfN Global Connectome: A Virtual Event. This brand-new, cross-cutting digital neuroscience event was designed to facilitate scientific exchange around the globe and across the field, providing scientists at all career stages, of all disciplines, with opportunities to learn, collaborate, and connect. SfN Global Connectome is now over, but you can still register and discover unique sessions and events. All sessions will be available to view on demand until April 13, 2021, and digital posters will be available to view until February 13, 2021.

NeuroAdvocate Challenge Winners Announced

The winners of SfN’s 50th Anniversary NeuroAdvocate Challenge are Christin Godale of the University of Cincinnati, and Rachel Haake of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Together, both have reported back 200 advocacy activities since Neuroscience 2019 — ranging from work progressing their local science policy organizations to involvement in various online advocacy activities — on top of most of SfN’s recommended challenge activities. Learn more about the challenge and check out the other top NeuroAdvocates. Congratulations to both winners!

AMP Releases New Video Highlighting the Importance of Animal Models in Research

The latest video in AMP’s COVID-19 series explains how animals are helping to defeat the novel coronavirus. The video, titled “How Animal Research Led to Two COVID-19 Vaccines in Record Time”, tells the story of how researchers were able to create multiple vaccines for a novel virus safely and quickly. This progress would have been impossible without animal models, and this video hopes to explain to the public how important the entirety of scientific research is.

NSF RFI: Interdisciplinary Frontiers of Understanding the Brain

Exciting new opportunities at the interface of neuroscience and other sciences and engineering disciplines, catalyzed by transformative new discoveries and technologies, are poised to reshape brain research and its applications. The National Science Foundation seeks community input that illuminates these interdisciplinary opportunities, from theory to applications, and points to how they might best be realized. Deadline for submission is March 31, 2021.

International News Headlines

  • 25 leading researchers join EU-funded actions to teach students about trustworthy science.
  • Japan, UK, Philippines push for sustainable development through funding of researchers.
  • 55 scientists funded to explore their research’s commercial potential.
  • New science policy draft in India focuses on enhanced funding in science and technology.

SfN Advocacy Resources

  • Introduce yourself to the new Congress via the Advocacy Action Center.
  • Watch the Neuroscientist’s Guide to Advocacy series to understand the tools you need to help advance the field.
  • Learn how to engage your members of Congress and persuasively advocate for science with SfN's Advocacy Best Practices.
  • Get involved in global advocacy.
  • Talk to the public about the importance of animal research.
  • Reach out to advocacy@sfn.org for assistance in preparing for your next advocacy effort at home or on Capitol Hill.

Past Issues

2021

  • February

2020

  • December
  • November
  • October
  • September
  • August
  • July
  • June
  • May
  • April
  • March
  • February
  • January

2019

  • December
  • November
  • October
  • September
  • August
  • July
  • June
  • May
  • April 
  • March
  • February
  • January









To have the newsletter delivered to your inbox each month, sign in to your member account and opt in to the Advocacy Network.

Advocates pose in front of the US Capitol

Join the Advocacy Network

Stay informed and take action on issues that affect your research

Join Now

Contact us if you have questions

Email advocacy@sfn.org or call (202) 962-4000

Featured

  • site upgrade completed
    Reset Your Password
  • Congratulations to the New Class of ECPAs
  • SfN Global Connectme: A Virtual Event logo on scientific image; January 11-13
    Check Out Global Connectome's Diverse Speaker List
SfN Websites
  • BrainFacts.org logo
  • eNeuro logo
  • JNeurosci logo
  • Neuronline logo
Engage with SfN
  • join Join
  • give Give
  • advocate Advocate
  • publish Publish
Quick Links
  • SfN News
  • For Press
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Code of Conduct
  • Jobs at SfN
Follow SfN
  • Facebook logo
  • Twitter logo
  • Instagram logo
  • LinkedIn logo
  • YouTube logo
  • RSS feed logo
SfN 50th Anniversary logo stating "Society for Neuroscience, celebrating 50 years. 1969-2019"
1121 14th Street NW, Suite 1010, Washington, D.C. 20005
(202) 962-4000
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Copyright ©

Society for Neuroscience