The Society of Neuroscience (SfN) is the world’s largest scientific organization dedicated to advancing the understanding of the brain and nervous system. The society was founded in 1969 and today has nearly 35,000 members from over 95 countries. The society provides volunteer committees that provide expertise, project insight, and membership representation.
Farah Lubin, Ph.D., FAES, distinguished professor and Vice Chair of Trainee Engagement and Development, has been appointed to the committee of Government and Public Affairs (GPA) for a three-year term.
“I am honored to have been nominated to the Government and Public Affairs Committee of the Society for Neuroscience, an international organization of scientists and physicians dedicated to studying the brain and central nervous system,” says Lubin.
Advocating for neuroscience research
The GPA committee is responsible for overseeing and assessing the organization’s effort to advocate neuroscience research. The committee actively encourages their members to engage with policymakers to advocate for scientific knowledge, highlight implications for public policy, emphasize social benefits, and promote continued scientific progress.
“This appointment will allow me to actively support and advocate for policies that advance the society's mission of deepening our understanding of the brain and developing treatments for neurological disorders,” says Lubin.
The committee’s main responsibilities fall into six categories:
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Monitoring federal legislation affecting neuroscience and biomedical research funding.
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Advising the SfN Council on legislative or policy changes impacting neuroscience research and recommending strategies to increase federal funding for NIH, NSF, and other agencies.
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Representing the committee on boards of coalition partners like the Coalition for Life Sciences (CLS) and the American Brain Coalition (ABC) to influence policy discussions and plans to boost biomedical research funding.
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Managing advocacy activities, including organizing the annual Advocacy Forum, advocacy trainings, notifying members about key issues, participating in Hill Day, and leading collaborations with other organizations to support research expansion.
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Generating policy recommendations for public statements and legislative alerts on behalf of SfN for Council review.
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Coordinating and communicating with SfN and other Public Outreach Cluster committees to ensure relevant policy information is shared with SfN members.