Strategic Plan Videos
Priority One: Improve the Synergy of Basic and Applied Behavioral and Social Sciences Research.
Summer Institute on Randomized Behavioral Clinical Trials
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Summer Institute on Randomized Behavioral Clinical Trials provides an advanced course in planning, designing, and conducting high-impact randomized controlled trials of health-related behavioral interventions. The program emphasizes programmatic research and prepares fellows to lead or collaborate on systematic efforts to develop and improve health-related behavioral interventions and conduct rigorous, high-impact behavioral trials.
Coordination and Collaboration
One of the charges from Congress when the OBSSR was created was “to coordinate research conducted and supported by the agencies of the National Institutes of Health.” The OBSSR coordinates the behavioral and social sciences among the NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs). This coordination prioritizes important research areas or initiatives that affect multiple ICs and would be challenging or inefficient for one or two ICs to address on their own.
Training
Training Supported by the OBSSR
The OBSSR recognizes the importance of scientific stewardship, particularly in developing the scientific talent and skills needed to advance health-related behavioral and social sciences. With our NIH Institute and Center partners, the OBSSR supports a number of in-person training efforts.
Promoting Inclusion of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Across the NIH: OBSSR 2000–2003
As we celebrate 25 years of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), we have asked the former Directors to reflect on their time at the OBSSR. This guest blog was authored by OBSSR’s second Director, Raynard Kington, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A.
Virtual NIH Matilda White Riley Behavioral and Social Sciences Honors on June 8
This year marks OBSSR’s 25th anniversary and also the first year that we will conduct the Matilda White Riley Honors virtually due to the social distancing necessities of the COVID-19 pandemic.
OBSSR Seeks Research Community Input for Next Strategic Plan by March 29, 2020
How time flies! The OBSSR released its third strategic plan in September 2017, and we are already halfway through this 5-year plan. The OBSSR has organized its functions and activities to achieve the objectives of this strategic plan and has made significant progress on these objectives. Internally, the OBSSR is performing a mid-course evaluation to assess what has been accomplished and what remains to be accomplished under the current strategic plan, but in parallel we have also begun planning for the next strategic plan, and we want your input.
How to Help People Do What They Need to Do to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19
“You tell me what you need people to do, and I’ll tell you how to help them do it.” Although a simplification, this statement by social and behavioral scientists to our infectious disease colleagues illustrates the nature of our collaboration during an infectious disease outbreak like the current COVID-19 outbreak. Without this collaboration, we risk that people will not do what we are telling them to do.
Building a Strong Foundation: The Early Years of the OBSSR (1995–2000)
As we celebrate 25 years of the OBSSR, we have asked the former Directors to reflect on their time at the OBSSR. This guest blog was authored by OBSSR’s first Director, Norman B. Anderson, Ph.D.
NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Turns 25
This year, 2020, marks the 25th anniversary of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) at the National Institutes of Health. OBSSR was enacted by Congress in 1993 and established two years later in July, 1995.
