News
The Ingredients of Unequal Aging: Housing, Income, and Health
How a lifetime of poverty and discrimination leads to unequal aging, and what will help us take care of the most vulnerable.
BU to Conduct Student Climate Survey on Sexual Misconduct
Going out to a random sampling of students, the survey will help the University get a clear picture of the campus environment and will inform policy and resource decisions.
New Career Development Director Plans to Expand Initiatives to Graduate Students
Stefan Koppi assumes role ahead of tomorrow’s Spring Career Fair.
Permanently Expanding the Child Tax Credit Can Make Generational Change
BU researchers argue a permanent expansion would protect families against economic shocks.
Opioid Hotline, Statelessness, Memories
NOTABLE ALUMNI
BU Alum Directs First State-Funded Hotline to Help Prevent Overdoses
Stephen Murray (SPH '22) blends his personal and professional experiences as an overdose survivor, paramedic, and now, director of the Massachusetts Overdose Prevention Helpline to challenge stigma and promote empathy for people who use drugs.
FACULTY EXPERT
The Global Problem of Statelessness
Amid a refugee crisis, Director of the BU Center on Forced Displacement Muhammad Zaman argues for a new approach to helping people not recognized by any country.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
How Do Memories Work?
On the new Explain This! podcast, BU neuroscientist Steve Ramirez explains how memories are created, stored, and recalled in the brain.Explain this!
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
BU School of Public Health Professor Amruta Nori-Sarma won a National Institutes of Health grant to study the impact of extreme heat on mental health... BU School of Law Professor Sarah Sherman-Stokes explains how immigration authorities use "digital cages" to track migrants...Olivia Chi and Meagan Comb of the BU Wheelock Education Policy Center discuss their research on the diversity of the Massachusetts teacher workforce in The Boston Globe... BU's GEAR UP program supports first-gen and low-income middle and high school students in East Boston prepare for college.
NAIRR, Harassment, Defense Medical Research
BU IN DC
Dean ad interim Elise Morgan of the College of Engineering attended the American Society of Engineering Education's Public Policy Colloquium between February 5th and 7th. She also discussed the College's federally-funded research with staff for the offices of Massachusetts Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and Representative Stephen Lynch.
CONGRESS, WHITE HOUSE CONTINUE FOCUS ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Witnesses testifying before two subcommittees of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on Tuesday urged lawmakers to provide robust and sustainable funding for the new National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) pilot launched in January by the National Science Foundation and ten federal science agencies. The NAIRR aims to create widely accessible shared artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure to drive responsible and secure AI innovations. The Committee also discussed the importance of attracting and retaining an AI workforce, a topic that was recently highlighted by the Biden Administration. The White House is promoting its National AI Talent Surge, which calls on experts in all stages of their careers to apply for short or long-term federal posts. Federal AI jobs are viewable at www.ai.gov/apply.
BUZZ BITS...
- Last week, leaders of the House Committee on Space, Science, and Technology called on the Biden Administration to fulfill its responsibilities under the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act signed into law last year. The lawmakers urged the Administration to quickly "develop an inventory and issue guidance on sexual harassment policies and procedures for all federal research agencies."
- On Wednesday, Democrats on the House Committee on Space, Science, and Technology rebuked an interim staff report by Republicans on the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government that alleged the National Science Foundation's support for misinformation research helped create tools to censor speech. Democrats on the Science Committee equated the "targeting and intimidating [of misinformation] scientists" to previous efforts to discredit climate scientists.
- The Advanced Research Projects Agency - Health (ARPA-H) released its first strategic plan last month, detailing the agency's approach to investing in ideas, its objectives for the next two years, and the expected outcomes. The report reiterates that ARPA-H program managers will drive the agency's portfolio of research investments, with an eye to measurable outcomes and prioritizing equity in health care advances.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
Lewis-Burke Associates will be hosting an informational webinar with the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) on Thursday, March 7, 2024, from 2:00 to 3:30 pm. CDMRP funds biomedical research in specific fields that have the potential to improve the lives of members of the military and their families; a primer is available on the Federal Relations website. The webinar will include CDMRP leadership and program managers and feature an overview of CDMRP, including topical research programs and award mechanisms. A Microsoft Teams link will be sent via email calendar notice to all attendees who RSVP prior to the February 16th deadline.
A Note to Our Readers: Due to the Congressional District Work Period, Beltway BUzz will temporarily pause publication. Be sure to check our website and social media for updates.
Researchers Are One Step Closer to Diagnosing CTE during Life, Rather Than after Death
A new BU CTE Center paper connects cognitive and behavioral symptoms to protein buildup in the brain that marks the disease.
Professor Receives NIH Grant to Study Impact of Extreme Heat on Mental Health
With the new award, Amruta Nori-Sarma and colleagues aim to better understand the social, behavioral, and environmental factors that influence vulnerability to adverse mental health impacts of extreme heat.
Antisemitism, NSF AI Adviser, LinkedIn
BU IN DC
Kevin Gallagher of the Global Development Policy Center joined the Task Force on Climate, Development and the International Monetary Fund for strategy meetings and policy dialogue between January 29th and 31st.
Ibram X. Kendi of the Center for Antiracist Research delivered a book talk at the DC Public Library on January 24th.
David Carballo, Wendy Colby, Amie Grills, Laura Johnson, Sarah Hokanson, and Lynn O'Brien Hallstein of the Office of the Provost and Sarah Lipson of the School of Public Health spoke at the American Association of Colleges & Universities Annual Meeting on January 18th and 19th.
HOUSE COMMITTEE RAMPS UP WORK ON COLLEGE COSTS, ANTISEMITISM
The House Education and the Workforce Committee continued its focus on higher education in January, launching new investigations into campus antisemitism and advancing a bill that would restructure the federal student aid system.
- Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) has requested that Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania share documents and answer questions regarding disciplinary proceedings, internal deliberations, and policies related to the schools' approach to addressing antisemitism.
- On Wednesday, the committee passed the College Cost Reduction Act on a party-line vote following a contentious debate. The bill would cap the amount students can borrow based on the median cost of college, require colleges to repay a portion of their graduates' unpaid student loan balances, and repeal several consumer protections enacted by the Biden Administration. Committee Democrats said the bill would reduce access to higher education; the Senate has no plans to consider the bill.
BUZZ BITS...
- Last month, Congress further delayed consideration of the annual spending bills that determine the federal budget. The body gave itself new March deadlines to complete the spending bills, five months past the statutory deadline. Absent final bills, federal science agencies must continue to delay new programs and reduce grant awards.
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that Tess deBlanc-Knowles is special assistant to the NSF director for artificial intelligence (AI), effective December 12th. She is facilitating NSF's AI initiatives and its participation in the Biden Administration's executive order on AI. deBlanc-Knowles previously served in senior roles with the White House National AI Initiative office and the National Security Commission on AI.
- In December, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) working group on re-envisioning NIH-supported postdoctoral training recommended that the salary minimum for NIH-supported post-docs increase to $70,000, a $14,000 increase that the group noted would likely result in fewer post-docs. The group also recommended improved benefits and a five-year limit on support to encourage faster transition to the next career stage. NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli will decide how the agency will respond to the recommendations.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
The Strategic Communications series cohosted by BU Public Relations | Social Media and the Office of Research continues on February 15th at 3 p.m. with "Rock Your Profile: Strategies to Enhance Your LinkedIn Presence and Maximize Research Impact." The 60-minute online workshop will equip researchers with tools and insights to navigate LinkedIn professionally, with a focus on research excellence and impactful thought-leadership. LinkedIn's Client Solutions team will share practical tips to enhance key profile elements and highlight academic achievements, publications, and other research initiatives.