Since its inception, OBSSR has been a leader in advancing behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), championing science that improves health outcomes and reduces disparities. This year was no exception.

I vividly remember attending my first scientific conference as a graduate student. A $150 travel award enabled me to book a discounted flight and hotel room, and a generous senior colleague gave me a ticket to the opening night gala! Gaining access to the field’s leaders, hearing cutting-edge talks, and connecting with fellow graduate students during poster sessions energized my commitment to research.

I’m proud to introduce the OBSSR Strategic Plan 2025–2029—OBSSR’s fourth strategic plan and my first as OBSSR Director. This update reflects a systematic 3-year planning process of assessing accomplishments, evaluating future directions, and collecting input from the research community, NIH staff, and federal and community partners.

We all know it is easier to experiment with a new behavior than it is to develop a regular practice or a life-long habit. I have experienced this for myself, being unable to consistently engage in mindfulness meditation or curb my sweet tooth!

In 2016, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a policy establishing an expectation that all NIH-funded investigators and staff involved in conducting, overseeing, or managing clinical trials should be trained in Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and should refresh their training at least every three years. The purpose of GCP is to ensure the safety, integrity, and quality of clinical trials.

Delivering effective policies and programs that benefit all Americans means using every tool at our disposal. Specifically, integrating social and behavioral sciences is critical for federal policies and programs to achieve their intended outcomes.

It has been more than four years since the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. With massive disruptions in virtually every aspect of society, the epidemic challenged all of us, impacting our psychological well-being as well as our physical health.

In March 2024, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order directing the most comprehensive set of executive actions ever to expand and improve women’s health.

The NIH Director’s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series, colloquially known as WALS, is the highest-profile lecture program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The speakers are some of the most prominent biomedical and behavioral scientists and are nominated by staff from across the National Institutes of Health.

Thanks to digital technologies, we live in an era of unprecedented connectivity. Yet, paradoxically, data indicate about one in four adults in America report experiencing loneliness. The COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated trends that were already in place, with young adults, people earning lower incomes, and people from groups that have been economically and socially marginalized more likely to experience loneliness.