News

Genesis Mission; Education Roundtable; NSF Broader Impacts

BU in DC

Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) joined the BU Wheelock Center for Future Readiness for their webinar announcing a new partnership with the American Veterans Arts Collective on December 2nd.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ANNOUNCES REORGANIZATION, GENESIS MISSION

Last week, the White House and the Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Genesis Mission to "unleash a new age of AI-accelerated innovation and discovery.” Its core objectives include doubling the productivity and impact of U.S. science within a decade, advancing energy dominance -- including fusion, nuclear, and grid modernization -- and strengthening national security through AI-enabled research. DOE Under Secretary for Science Dario Gil issued an open letter to the research community outlining the Genesis plan. The launch followed a recent reorganization of the agency that includes the closure of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the creation of new science offices. Under the auspices of the Under Secretary of Science, DOE established offices of Artificial Intelligence and Quantum and Fusion alongside the existing Office of Science.

BUZZ BITS...

• On Wednesday, the White House hosted a roundtable titled "Biased Professors, Woke Administrators, and the End of Free Inquiry on U.S. Campuses," featuring Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and several college students and administrators. McMahon called on university leaders "to join me in a golden age of academe -- committed to reason, not racial preferences." The meeting was the second installment in a planned three-event series on higher education at the White House.
• The Senate Appropriations Committee released its proposed spending bill for the Department of Energy (DOE) last week. The Committee-released bill proposes to fund the Office of Science at $8.25 billion in fiscal year 2026, a slight increase over its current funding level and a rejection of the President's proposed $1.15 billion reduction in science activities. The Senate has not yet scheduled a vote on the bill.
• The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted to advance the nomination of Mary Anne Carter as the chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) by a 14 to 9 vote on Wednesday. Carter served as NEA Chair during the first Trump Administration.

EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE

On Thursday, December 11th, the Office of Research will host "National Science Foundation (NSF) Broader Impacts in a Different Climate" via Zoom at 12:00 pm. The interactive panel discussion will focus on how NSF reviewers are approaching broader impacts in today’s shifting funding climate. BU colleagues who have recently served as NSF reviewers will share what they’ve learned from the review process and offer concrete, actionable tips for crafting compelling broader impacts sections -- particularly in light of evolving expectations and priorities. Participants will also learn how Research Development can support you in developing broader impact strategies for large, complex, and center-scale proposals.

RSVP today

ED Restructuring; Government Reopening; Defense Research

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANNOUNCES STRUCTURAL CHANGES

As part of its plan to "dismantle" the Department of Education (ED), the Trump Administration announced on Tuesday it would use interagency agreements to move oversight of certain ED activities to other federal agencies. Among other changes, the Department of Labor (DOL) would assume responsibility for college preparatory programs like TRIO and GEAR UP, and the Department of State would oversee work currently performed by ED's International and Foreign Language Education office. Federal law prohibits the elimination of the Department of Education; however, interagency agreements may allow the Administration to functionally reduce the size of the agency without eradicating its programs. Earlier this year, the Administration used an interagency agreement to move career and technical education programs from ED to DOL.

Learn more

BUZZ BITS...

• Following the reopening of the federal government last week, the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation shared their plans to resume operations, reschedule peer review activities, and revise submission deadlines.
• On Monday, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering announced the Department of Defense will prioritize six critical technology areas: Applied Artificial Intelligence, Biomanufacturing, Contested Logistics Technologies, Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance, Scaled Directed Energy, and Scaled Hypersonics.
• The House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing this week on "The Future of College: Harnessing Innovation to Improve Outcomes and Lower Costs." Lawmakers and witnesses discussed the role of artificial intelligence, the flexibility offered by online programs, the importance of partnering with employers to meet workforce needs, the value of research investments at the Institute of Education Sciences, efforts to address students' basic needs, and the issue of college affordability.

EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE

Slides and a recording are now available from the “Strategies for Pursuing Department of Defense (DOD) Funding” webinar hosted by the Office of Research and Federal Relations earlier this month. Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm, provided an overview of key DOD funding opportunities, guidance on building relationships with program managers, strategies for demonstrating the national security relevance of your research, and practical steps for successfully pursuing DOD funding. Faculty Alexander Green of the College of Engineering, Maria Kamenetska of the College of Arts & Sciences, and Jennifer Schlezinger of the School of Public Health shared insights learned from their experiences successfully securing DOD research grants.

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A Note to Our Readers: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, Beltway BUzz will temporarily pause publication. We wish you a joyous holiday! Be sure to visit our website, follow us on LinkedIn, or check the University's Federal Actions page for updates.