Defense Policy; ED; Parkinson’s Disease
BU IN DC
Dean Natalie McKnight of the College of General Studies met with Washington-area alumni during an October 7th stop on her farewell tour.
Kevin Gallagher, Marina Zucker-Marques, Cecilia Springer, Gregory Chin, and Marilou Uy of the Global Development Policy Center hosted and attended a panel discussion, book launch, and other events during the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings from October 13th to 16th.
SENATE PASSES NATIONAL DEFENSE POLICY BILL
Last week, the U.S. Senate approved its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual defense policy bill, by a vote of 77-20. Among other provisions, the bill calls on the Department of Energy to establish a program to facilitate collaboration with universities, national laboratories, and industry to address national security technology challenges. The bill would also authorize a university-based “incubator” program to “accelerate the development and transition of innovative technologies to meet national security needs.” The House passed its NDAA in early September, and the two chambers will need to reconcile the differences in the bills before the final legislation is sent to the President’s desk.
NEW LEADERS, REDUCTIONS IN FORCE AT DEPT. OF EDUCATION
Last week, the U.S. Senate confirmed David Barker as Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education and Kimberly Richey as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. Barker will oversee the Office of Postsecondary Education, where more than 60 employees who oversee TRIO college preparatory programs and the nation’s Minority Serving Institutions were laid off on Friday as part of the Trump Administration’s reductions in force. Barker previously served on the Iowa Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s public universities. During the first Trump Administration, Richey served as the acting head of the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), which monitors educational institutions’ compliance with federal civil rights laws. Last week’s reduction in force resulted in the elimination of more than 130 employees within the OCR.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) will be the keynote speaker at “The Climate Crisis and the Future of Infectious Diseases” hosted by the Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases on Thursday, October 30th at the Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences between 4:30 and 6:45 p.m.
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The Office of Research will host “Research on Tap: Parkinson’s Disease: From Bench to Bedside and Beyond” on Thursday, October 23rd at 4:00 p.m. at the Kilachand Center. Parkinson’s disease affects over 10 million people globally and is rapidly becoming the world’s fastest-growing neurological disorder. The event, co-hosted by Terry Ellis of the Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Science and Marie-Helene Saint-Hilaire of the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, will feature micro-talks from BU faculty who are shaping the future of Parkinson’s research and care.
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