BUzz Bits
BU IN DC
Thea James of the School of Medicine testified at a Congressional hearing on ending hunger in America on April 28th.
Associate Provost for Computing & Data Sciences Azer Bestavros attended a virtual meeting of the National Science Foundation’s Computer & Information Science & Engineering Advisory Committee, of which he is a member, on May 5th and 6th.
BUZZ BITS…
- President Robert A. Brown urged Congress to support the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the Future Act (H.R. 2225) in a letter sent to Capitol Hill yesterday. The bill would be the first comprehensive reauthorization of the NSF in more than a decade, expanding support for graduate education and creating a new directorate focused on bringing scientific and engineering solutions to the public.
- The U.S. Department of Education announced on Monday that Richard Cordray would be the next chief operating officer of Federal Student Aid. Cordray led the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during the Obama Administration, and is expected to enact strict oversight of both the student lending industry and for-profit colleges.
- Former Senator Bill Nelson was sworn in as administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Monday. Nelson represented the state of Florida in the U.S. Senate for 17 years and traveled to the moon during his tenure in Congress.
NIH RELEASES MINORITY HEALTH RESEARCH PLAN
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently released its Minority Health and Health Disparities Strategic Plan for 2021-2025, in conjunction with the NIH UNITE diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative. It will drive many of the new research opportunities NIH plans to release on health disparities, minority health, and health equity. The plan contains several future initiatives that the NIH describes as its “Leap Forward” priorities, including reducing new HIV infections in minority communities by 75 percent and increasing the number of underrepresented biomedical scientists by 25 percent by 2030.
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GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
Are you struggling with the Broader Impacts statement in your National Science Foundation (NSF) grant applications? NSF recently shared advice for applicants who need help navigating this crucial section of the agency’s merit review process. The post details the difference between “broadening participation” in science and “broader impacts,” points to online resources for advancing research in society, explains the five criteria grant reviewers will measure your Broader Impacts statement against, and shares a recent Dear Colleague from the agency’s social science directorate on how to use a structured framework as you develop your Broader Impacts statement.