News
Could Twisting Beams of Light Make the Internet Faster—and Greener?
BU engineer Siddharth Ramachandran is developing a technology that could cut the power needed to transmit data—and maybe one day improve brain imaging.
NIH Nominee; NASA Nominee; NIA Feedback
BU IN DC
Senior Vice President for Strategy & Innovation Kenneth Olliff attended the Council on Competitiveness 2024 Gala Dinner and National Competitiveness Forum on December 2nd and 3rd.
TRANSITION UPDATES: TRUMP PICKS NOMINEES FOR NIH AND NASA
President-elect Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Jared Isaacman as the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Bhattacharya will oversee NIH's nearly $48 billion budget and Isaacman will manage NASA's $25 billion budget.
Dr. Bhattacharya is a physician and health economist at Stanford University and is known for co-authoring the Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter that critiqued COVID-19 lockdowns and promoted herd immunity. Isaacman is a billionaire entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, a payment processing company. He has flown on two commercial SpaceX missions.
NIH SEEKS FEEDBACK ON MINORITY HEALTH AND AGING RESEARCH PRIORITIES
Two institutes of the National Institutes of Health are seeking feedback from stakeholders about their plans for future research investments. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) has launched the process for providing input on the NIMHD strategic plan for 2026 - 2030. The agency is asking the public "to identify the most pressing concerns in minority health and health disparities for the next five years" and submit comments prior to December 31, 2024. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is requesting comments on NIA's Strategic Directions for Research, 2026 - 2030 by January 31, 2025. The plan includes ten goals related to topics such as the biology of aging, tools and technologies to study aging, and the infrastructure to support aging research.
BUZZ BITS...
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the forthcoming retirement of NIH's Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity, Dr. Marie Bernard. Dr. Bernard co-led the agency's UNITE Initiative to address racial equity. She previously served as deputy director of the National Institute on Aging.
- The Biden Administration released the Federal Strategic Plan for Advancing STEM Education and Cultivating STEM Talent. The plan details federal goals for enhancing engagement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); improving teaching and learning; addressing workforce needs; building research and innovation capacity; and creating better learning environments by improving retention.
- Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar recently spoke with School of Public Health Dean Sandro Galea about using science to improve health outcomes, health care in America, and the Biden Cancer Moonshot.
BU Students Find Hope at COP29 UN Climate Summit
CAS’ Pamela Templer, Climate Leaders Academy students attended the conference in Baku.
BUMC Provost Workshop with Federal Relations
On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine held a campus workshop on how to effectively connect with federal lawmakers with Jennifer Grodsky, Vice President of BU Federal Relations. Participants gained insights into the culture of Congress, effective communication practices and logistics of meeting with legislators, advocating for evidence-based policies, and developing relationships with government officials.
AI @ BU—A to Z
Every day, BU faculty employ artificial intelligence and machine learning in their classrooms and in their research. But AI is still new, and it can be puzzling to many of us. We reached out to a variety of profs to produce an alphabetical dive into the good, the bad, and the future of AI.
Women’s Health, Independent View, Sustainability
FACULTY EXPERTS
Women’s Health Is Chronically Understudied, but These Engineers Are Charging Forward
Professors Catherine M. Klapperich and Joyce Y. Wong are pioneering research into reproductive health issues, from uterine fibroids to preeclampsia to hormone monitoring.
NOTABLE ALUMNI
An Independent’s View from Inside the Nation’s Partisan Storm
Matthew Felling, communications chief for Senator Angus King (I-ME), discusses the urgency of communicating bipartisan cooperation and the government’s positive impact.
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
BU Sustainability Milestones
Celebrate 16 years of success with BU sustainability initiatives, including the Center for Computing & Data Sciences building -- the largest carbon-neutral, fossil fuel-free building in the city of Boston; matching electricity demand with a wind farm in South Dakota; and a recycling and composting rate that has increased by more than 716%.
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
BU President Melissa Gilliam talks about her plans for the University and optimistic leadership style with Boston Magazine... BU School of Public Health Dean Sandro Galea hosted a conversation with Dr. Arati Prabhakar, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy... BU School of Law Dean Angela Onwuachi-Willig writes about the long and winding road from Shirley Chisholm to Kamala Harris in BU Today... Mohsan Saeed of the BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine researches mosquito-borne viruses at the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories to prevent the spread of disease... Research on youth tobacco use conducted by BU College of Communication Professor Traci Hong was included in a new Surgeon General report on tobacco-related disparities.
McMahon; FAFSA Deadline; Clean Energy
BU IN DC
Mary Churchill of the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development attended the American Educational Research Association - Consortium of University and Research Institutions Fall Policy meeting from November 17th through November 19th.
Vice President for Government & Community Affairs Jake Sullivan joined Massachusetts elected officials at the White House to celebrate the 2024 NBA Champion Boston Celtics on November 21st.
TRANSITION UPDATES: TRUMP PICKS LINDA MCMAHON FOR EDUCATION SECRETARY
This week, President-elect Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education. McMahon led the Small Business Administration in Trump's first term and was previously CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment. McMahon's educational experience includes service on both the Connecticut State Board of Education and the board of Sacred Heart University, a private religious institution in Connecticut. Earlier this year, she wrote an op-ed in support of expanding Pell Grants to short-term, career-focused programs. McMahon's daughter, Stephanie McMahon (COM '98), received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Communication in 2013. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, McMahon would head an agency President-elect Trump pledged to eliminate.
BUZZ BITS...
- The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the FAFSA Deadline Act on Wednesday, sending the bill to the President. The legislation would change the statutory deadline for releasing the federal financial aid application used by college students from January 1st to October 1st. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the measure.
- The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing with National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Monica Bertagnolli on Tuesday. Several subcommittee members expressed concerns about public trust in the agency and how NIH oversees grantee spending.
- On Monday, NASA announced Clayton P. Turner as the associate administrator of the Space Technology Mission Directorate. Turner has been acting head of the directorate since July; he previously led the NASA Langley Research Center. He has been with the agency for more than 30 years.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
Professors Cutler Cleveland and Emily Ryan will curate a Research on Tap event on Thursday, December 5th featuring BU researchers working on the problems of climate change and the energy system from multiple angles. Part of the popular series hosted by the BU Office of Research, the event will feature a series of microtalks from faculty who are studying how energy affects local air and water quality, the new technologies required to ensure affordable and efficient clean energy, the effects of climate change and the energy system on society, and the role that business can play in transitioning to clean energy. Following the event, BU scholars will have the opportunity to connect with potential research collaborators during a reception.
A Note to Our Readers: In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, Beltway BUzz will temporarily pause publication. We wish you a joyous holiday! Be sure to check our website and follow us on LinkedIn for updates.
An Independent’s View from Inside the Nation’s Partisan Storm
Matthew Felling (COM '95), communications chief for the independent Senator Angus King, discusses the urgency of communicating bipartisan cooperation and the government’s positive impact.
What Could Donald Trump’s Second Presidential Term Mean for Science, Scientists, and Research?
“Investments in science are not going away, period. The nation values the work of researchers,” says BU Federal Relations head.
Research That Matters: Insights from Community-Engaged Scholarship
On November 18, 2024, BU Wheelock professors discussed boosting the civic engagement of parents who have children with disabilities through legislative advocacy in special education during a webinar moderated by Jessica Wong, BU's Director for Federal Relations.
