Senator Collins Honored by Council of Scientific Society Presidents with 2019 CSSP Support of Science Award
WASHINGTON, DC – The Council of Scientific Society Presidents (CSSP) announced U.S. Senator Susan Collins as recipient of the 2019 Support of Science Award. Presentation of the award was given on 10 December during the CSSP Winter Leadership Workshop in Washington, DC. Senator Collins was nominated for this award by Dr. Deborah Bronk, the CEO of Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.
This award honors an individual who merits recognition for outstanding and dedicated support of U. S. science, free scientific communication, and support of basic research. Past recipients include President Barack Obama and science leaders in education, government, and industry.
Senator Collins has been a constant and strong supporter of science. Beginning with her work in Maine, she continues to be a recognized advocate, beneficial to science on a broader basis. Her interest in science extends to health care. She is the founder and co-chair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus and a founder and co-chair of the Alzheimer’s Task Force in the Senate. Senator Collins has led the effort to more than triple federal funding for diabetes research. Last year, she secured the largest funding increase for Alzheimer’s research in history, bringing the total to $2.34 billion. Additionally, Senator Collins’ commitment has been evidenced in removing a provision to tax tuition waivers and stipends for graduate students as income in a proposed tax bill.
“For more than four decades, the Council of Scientific Society Presidents has been bringing the scientific community together, helping to foster sound public policy to address such complex issues as climate change, cybersecurity, and health care. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have worked to secure vital increases in funding for biomedical research and key science programs. Additionally, I have championed policies that support the next generation of researchers,” said Senator Collins. “Investments in science are advancing knowledge, improving lives, and creating jobs of the future. The Council of Scientific Society Presidents is part of a great partnership that improves our understanding of the world around us and develops leaders who develop cutting-edge research and solutions to the challenges of the 21st century.”
First elected in 1996, Senator Collins has earned a national reputation as an effective legislator, working across party lines to seek consensus on important issues. She serves on several committees, including the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.
CSSP is committed to advancing leadership in science and technology and to establishing policies and programs that will ensure a bright future for 21st century science. Founded in 1973, the society has served as a center for national science leadership development, a strong voice in support of science in the nation’s capital, and the premier forum for national science policy development through open, substantive exchanges on current issues encompassing the full spectrum of science, engineering, and mathematics. CSSP represents the breadth of science and engineering research disciplines through its member societies and federations. CSSP-member societies are represented by their presidents, presidents-elect, and past-presidents with combined membership that has historically approached nearly a million scientists.
The CSSP Spring 2020 Leadership Workshop will take place at the American Chemical Society, 1155 16th Street NW in Washington, DC, over the dates of 2-5 May. For more information about the workshop or CSSP, please contact info@sciencepresidents.org.
