U.S. Congressman Brian Baird, Ph.D. (D-WA) experiences Virtual Iraq.	H. Elliott Albers, Ph.D. and U.S. Congressman Bobby Etheridge (D-NC).

On the evening of June 26th, the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF) held its 13th annual Capitol Hill Exhibition and Reception, featuring the work of a selection of scientists currently funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).  The Federation hosted Elliott Albers, PhD, the Director of the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, an NSF Science and Technology Center, headquartered from Georgia State University and involving numerous universities in the Atlanta metro area. As part of Dr. Albers’ booth, a virtual reality demonstration called “Virtual Iraq” was presented. Virtual Iraq is a ground-breaking approach to the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder through the use of virtual reality exposure treatments.  This research is an example of the many innovative, collaborative efforts sponsored by the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience. For more information about Dr. Albers’ and the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, please view the links at the bottom of this page.

The CNSF Exhibit is an important and popular event on Capitol Hill each year that attracts Members of Congress, congressional staff, and leading figures from the National Science Foundation, to name a few.  This year there was an extremely large crowd of almost 500 people, beating the record of prior years.  Notable individuals who visited Dr. Albers’ booth included: Congressman Brian Baird, Ph.D. (D-WA), Congressman Bobby Etheridge (D-NC), Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC), Arden Bement, PhD (Director, National Science Foundation), Kathie Olsen, PhD (Deputy Director, National Science Foundation), James Turner (Chief Counsel (Majority), House Committee on Science), Felice Levine, PhD (Executive Director, American Educational Research Association), Thomas Insel, MD, PhD (Director, National Institute of Mental Health), Cora Marrett, PhD (Assistant Director for Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation), Gerald Sroufe, PhD (Director, Government Relations, American Educational Research Association), David Lightfoot, PhD (Assistant Director for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, National Science Foundation), Tom Wallsten, PhD (President, Federation of Behavioral, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences), Howard Silver, PhD (Executive Director, Consortium of Social Science Associations), and James Collins, PhD (Assistant Director of Biological Sciences, National Science Foundation).

There were 34 exhibitors ranging from engineering to biology, from geology to computer science and beyond. Two other Federation societies showcased research in the behavioral sciences, including the American Psychological Association who hosted Hillary Angler Elfenbein, PhD, and presented Recognizing Emotion Across Cultures: Implications for National Security and Conflict Negotiation and the American Educational Research Association who hosted William F. Tate, PhD, and presented Supporting the Advancement of Science Education with Geospatial Mapping.
 
Earlier in the day, Dr. Albers and Federation staff met with Capitol Hill staff from the House Science Committee, as well as Congressman David Wu’s office. Congressman Wu is the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation. Dr. Albers helped to showcase the importance of continued federal funding to the behavioral and brain sciences. Both offices were interested in the collaborative efforts Dr. Albers’ Center for Behavioral Neuroscience demonstrates. 

To learn more about CNSF, visit: www.cnsfweb.org.

One Page Summary:
-- H. Elliott Albers, Ph.D., NSF Collaboratories Transform Neuroscience Research and Education
-- Poster
-- Photo Gallery