INFORMS Open Forum

Good evening INFORMS –

There's a lot on my radar this week as Washington works through the fallout of the shutdown while the White House and federal agencies move forward on major science and technology priorities. 

Here are a few highlights:

From the White House

• The administration launched the Genesis Mission, a new Executive Order aimed at accelerating AI for scientific discovery.

Across the Agencies

• Dr. Darío Gil, Under Secretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy, issued an open letter about AI, quantum, and high-performance computing.
• The National Science Foundation issued information about the resumption of operations following the end of the federal government shutdown.
• The National Institutes of Health similarly issued information about its resumption of extramural activities.
• The National Science Foundation Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) recently published a Roadmap for Workforce Development: Building Pathways and Innovations for the Critical and Emerging Technology Workforce (Workforce Development Roadmap) that aims to offer an actionable agenda to invigorate and empower the ambition of all Americans to join the workforce in critical and emerging technology sectors, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology and quantum technology, or related jobs. NSF TIP is seeking community input by January 15, 2026 on the Workforce Development Roadmap.

In the News

·      Federal News Network reported on the administration's rapid elimination of expert advisory panels.

·      Science highlighted concerns about proposed changes to NIH grant decision-making, as well as new reporting on AI's expanding role in accelerating scientific research.

·      AIP FYI covered the launch of the Genesis Mission and the backlogs federal agencies are confronting after the record-long shutdown.

·      Washington Post (subscription required): Commentary on mounting challenges in retaining scientific talent under current federal conditions.

What I'm Watching

The federal government shutdown may be over, but agencies are now contending with backlogs, staffing disruptions, and shifting advisory structures at the same time the administration is launching a major new AI initiative.

Over the next several weeks, we'll begin to see how quickly federal science operations stabilize and how the Genesis Mission reshapes priorities for NSF, NIH, DOE, and the broader research community. We'll also be watching as Congress wrestles with a number of priorities, particularly around federal appropriations and the effort to avoid another government shutdown in early 2026.

Best,

Jeff

Reminder – INFORMS members make a difference in Washington and in the media. Please reach out to me at jcohen@informs.org if you are interested in learning about how you can get involved in INFORMS' advocacy and media efforts.

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Jeffrey M. Cohen, MBA | PhD Candidate
Chief Strategy Officer
INFORMS
jcohen@informs.org
linkedin.com/in/jmcsc
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