Antisemitism; New Approach Methodologies; DARPA
BU IN DC
Mary Churchill of Wheelock College of Education & Human Development attended the Scholars Strategy Network National Leadership Convening and met with Congressional offices between June 22nd and June 24th.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ADVANCES EDUCATION BILLS
On Thursday, the House Education and the Workforce Committee approved several higher education bills focused on civil rights. The No Antisemitism in Education Act (H.R. 8476), which passed with a bipartisan 20-12 vote, would require colleges to address antisemitism “as vigorously” as they address other forms of discrimination. The committee also advanced bills to affirm students’ ability to form and join fraternities and sororities; to require specific procedures and disclosures when schools investigate potential civil rights violations; and to make schools that boycott Israel ineligible to distribute federal financial aid. Several of the measures have no counterparts in the U.S. Senate and have not been scheduled for consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives.
BUZZ BITS…
- Last week, the National Institutes of Health launched the Office of Research Innovation, Validation, and Application to advance New Approach Methodologies that reduce the use of animals in biomedical research. The office plans to develop new funding opportunities, research infrastructure, and training resources, and “coordinate a multi-agency effort to facilitate the evaluation and acceptance of new research methods.”
- President Donald J. Trump set in motion an update to the National Quantum Strategy by issuing an executive order on Monday entitled “Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Information.” The document instructs agencies, including the National Science Foundation, to create a five-year plan to advance quantum sensing and networking. It also establishes the Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science, a national effort to develop large-scale quantum computing capabilities at a Department of Energy facility.
- On Monday, the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) announced that Dr. Elizabeth Albro will lead the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER), while continuing her role as commissioner of the National Center for Education Research at IES. Albro replaces Dr. Nathan Jones, who announced his return to the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
DARPAConnect is hosting a live Virtual Pop-Up Event on July 9th between 2 and 4 p.m. that is open to individuals with ideas, technologies, or capabilities that can support national security. The interactive session is designed to give innovators, researchers, companies, academic teams, and prospective performers a clearer, faster starting point for engaging with DARPA. DARPA leadership, program managers, and staff have put together an accelerated “How to DARPA” session to help applicants navigate DARPA and take the next step toward engagement. Registrants will need to create a DARPAConnect account in order to register.
A Note To Our Readers: Beltway BUzz will temporarily pause publication in observance of July 4th. In the meantime, be sure to visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn.