BU Spark! Speaks to Policymakers
BU IN DC
Christine Montecillo Leider of the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development attended the National Professional Development Project Directors meeting sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition on November 13.
BU SPARK! SPEAKS TO POLICYMAKERS
On Tuesday, Boston University joined the Women’s High Tech Coalition and Bloomberg Government to host a Congressional briefing highlighting innovative ways to diversify science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Ziba Cranmer from BU Spark!, alumna Fiona Whittington, and other staff from the BU-supported TechTogether spoke to more than 50 Congressional staff, technology policymakers, and journalists about how their all-female hackathon provides a pathway for young women and non-binary individuals to enter technology fields. During a question-and-answer session with BGOV reporter Rebecca Kern, they provided advice on how policymakers can replicate their efforts and discussed the challenges faced by underrepresented minorities and women pursuing a STEM career.
SUPREME COURT HEARS DACA CASE
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments over the legality of the Trump Administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA permits undocumented immigrants who were brought into the United States as children to work and attend school. Over 40 higher education associations, including the Association of American Universities and the American Council on Education, filed an amicus brief in the case emphasizing the value of “Dreamers” and arguing that rescinding DACA would signal to international students that they are not welcome in the United States. A final ruling is expected by June 2020.
GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Biological and Environmental Research program is soliciting applications for new observational and experimental studies to improve Earth system models. DOE is focused on three separate types of environments—terrestrial, watershed, and subsurface. DOE plans to make between five and 18 awards ranging from $300,00 to $1 million for one-, two-, or three-year projects. Pre-applications are due by December 5.