BUzz Bits
BUZZ BITS…
- Last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Michael Griffin to serve as undersecretary for research and engineering at the Department of Defense (DOD). Mr. Griffin, who led the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during the latter half of George W. Bush’s presidency, will helm the newly-created office overseeing DOD’s science enterprise.
- In a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives, more than 35 higher education groups expressed opposition to the PROSPER Act, a proposal to renew the Higher Education Act and reduce federal student aid.
- At a congressional hearing last week, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar stated that the agency was “in the science business and the evidence-generating business” and would be proactive on conducting gun violence research.
GRANT NEWS YOU CAN USE
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) released a special program announcement, “Advancing Artificial Intelligence for the Naval Domain,” that seeks proposals on the integration of domain knowledge and machine learning, artificial intelligence in support of collaborative, complex decision-making, and decentralized perception and planning in dynamic environments. White papers are strongly encouraged and due by March 22, and full proposals are due by May 11. ONR anticipates multiple awards in each topic area, and each award would not exceed $2 million over a four-year period.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
The Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that its 50th anniversary symposium will be held on May 1, 2018, on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The day-long event will feature panel discussions concerning AIDS, noncommunicable diseases, global mental health, and the role of trainees. Participants can attend in person or via webcast, and registration is required for the in-person option.