News
Preventing the Next Pandemic
New Zealand’s former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern joins the world’s leading infectious disease scientists and experts at BU to discuss how to prepare for future outbreaks.
Black Women’s Health, Veterans, Warfighter Readiness
COMMUNITY RESOURCE
Racism, Sexism, and the Crisis of Black Women's Health
For nearly 30 years, Boston University has led the largest and longest-running study of Black women's health, with funding from the National Institutes of Health.
FACULTY EXPERTS
They Served Their Country. Now, They're Serving Their Fellow Veterans
Two veterans turned BU researchers are studying PTSD to find better treatments for their former comrades.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
A Saliva Test for Soldiers, Athletes, and Others Aims to Predict Performance
BU engineer Alexander A. Green will lead a $17.7 million project for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency analyzing biomarkers to assess readiness for physically and mentally challenging tasks.
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
Christopher Robertson of the BU School of Law explains how to convince healthy people to get health insurance in STAT... Wendy Heiger-Bernays of the BU School of Public Health describes why PFAS are considered "forever chemicals" in Slate... Benjamin Sovacool of the BU Institute for Global Sustainability weighs in on geoengineering techniques to combat climate change in Reuters... Jorge Heine of the BU Pardee School of Global Studies talks about how the Gaza conflict exposes a growing divide between the West and Global South in The Conversation.
Atten-tion! Life in BU’s ROTC
Juniors Dharma Cooper and Audrey Soukup offer a glimpse into what it takes to be an Army ROTC cadet.
They Served Their Country. Now, They’re Serving Their Fellow Veterans.
Two veterans turned Boston University researchers are studying PTSD to find better treatments for their former comrades.
AI Executive Order, Energy Research, DC Rotations
BU IN DC
Vice President and Associate Provost for BU Virtual Wendy Colby spoke at the Online and Professional Education Association's Convergence conference on November 2nd.
School of Public Health Dean Sandro Galea met with staff in the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention on November 1st.
Nahid Bhadelia of the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research met with Biden Administration officials and Capitol Hill offices to discuss pandemic preparedness policy on November 1st and 2nd.
Senior Vice President and General Counsel Erika Geetter attended the Association of American Universities General Counsels meeting on October 30th and 31st.
Eleanor Murray of the School of Public Health addressed a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine webinar on the correlation and causation of life sciences systems on October 30th.
Kate Mellouk of Research Compliance and Gretchen Hartigan and Ryan Russell of Sponsored Programs attended a Council on Government Relations meeting on October 26th and 27th.
WHITE HOUSE, SENATE ADDRESS AI
On Monday, the White House issued an executive order outlining actions the Biden Administration will take to support the safe, ethical development of artificial intelligence (AI). The order directs research agencies to bolster investments in AI, streamlines visa processing for certain classes of international students and scholars trained in AI and related technologies, and encourages international collaboration on the technology's development and deployment. Following the White House announcement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) hosted the third and fourth forums in a bipartisan series leading to the development of comprehensive AI legislation next year. The first forum focused on AI's impacts on the workforce, with participants from technology companies and civil society raising concerns about AI's potential to replace large swaths of the workforce. The second looked at how to protect civil liberties when AI is used in sectors such as health care, financial services, and the justice system.
HOUSE TAKES UP ENERGY, ARTS & HUMANITIES SPENDING BILLS
The U.S. House of Representatives is poised to pass a spending bill today that would cut the budgets of the National Endowments for the Arts (NEA) and the Humanities (NEH) by $20.7 million each. Yesterday, the chamber rejected amendments to eliminate funding for both agencies. Today's action comes after the House restarted its stalled appropriations process last week by passing a bill that would fund the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science at its current fiscal year 2023 level. While the Senate Appropriations Committee has proposed an increase to the Office of Science budget and flat funding for the NEH and NEA, the full U.S. Senate has not yet voted on either measure. Lawmakers are rushing to pass more spending bills before government funding is set to expire on November 17th.
EVENTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
Would you like to share your expertise at the highest levels of government? Has a program officer urged you to consider a rotation in a federal agency? Join BU Federal Relations on November 15th at 2:00 p.m. for a virtual discussion with BU professors who have taken on temporary positions in federal agencies, ranging from the White House to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Learn about their motivations and experiences, what they learned about BU’s approval process for faculty considering this type of position, how their rotations influenced their research agendas, and more.
A Note To Our Readers: Due to the University observance of Veterans Day, Beltway BUzz will not publish next week.
Racism, Sexism, and the Crisis of Black Women’s Health
For nearly 30 years, Boston University has led the largest and longest-running study of Black women’s health, shining a light on tragic disparities and showing women their lives matter.
A Saliva Test for Soldiers, Athletes, and Others Aims to Predict Performance
BU engineer to lead $17.7 million DARPA project analyzing biomarkers to assess readiness for physically and mentally challenging tasks.
Regulating AI, Forensic Evidence, Gentrification
FACULTY EXPERT
We Need Stronger Safeguards from Artificial Intelligence
BU law professor Woodrow Hartzog argues that current AI policies and oversights are far too weak, calling on Congress to move beyond what he calls "half measures".
See what he recommends
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Updating the Science of Bloodstain Analysis and Forensics
With support from the National Institute of Justice, BU engineers are changing the way blood evidence is interpreted at crime scenes.
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
Can We Stop the Gentrification of Cities?
The BU Initiative on Cities hosted an international conference, funded by the National Science Foundation, to examine displacement from cities and policies to counteract a growing global problem. The National Science Foundation provided support.
Meet the scholars tackling the problem
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
Joan Donovan of the BU College of Communication explains how misinformation is a form of warfare in Time... NBC shows how the BU Center for Computing & Data Sciences sets a standard for green construction in New England.... BU epidemiologist Kimberly Bertrand's study showing the increased risk of uterine cancer for Black women who use hair relaxers was featured in Fortune... Mary Churchill of the BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development discusses how dual-enrollment options can help more students graduate from high school and earn a college degree in The Conversation... Saturday Night Livehighlights research from the BU School of Public Health on rising vaccine hesitancy among dog owners.
House Speaker, AI Forum, ESG Research
BU IN DC
President ad interim Kenneth Freeman attended the fall membership meeting of the Association of American Universities from October 22nd through 24th.
Leslie Dietiker of the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development attended the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual meeting between October 25th and 28th.
Dennis Carlberg of BU Sustainability spoke about BU's decarbonization efforts during a panel discussion at the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers annual conference on October 26th and 27th. He also met with Congressional staff to discuss BU's climate action plan on October 26th.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS ELECT NEW SPEAKER
Almost three weeks after the removal of Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, House Republicans finally selected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) as the chamber's new leader on Wednesday. Speaker Johnson has represented Louisiana's 4th Congressional District since 2017. He previously chaired the conservative Republican Study Committee and served as vice chair of the Republican Conference. With a Speaker now in place, the chamber can proceed with legislative action. Johnson has said his first priority will be brokering a deal with the U.S. Senate and the White House to fund the federal government past November 17th, when the current continuing resolution expires.
BUZZ BITS...
- On Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee advanced the nomination of Dr. Monica Bertagnolli to be the next director of the National Institutes of Health by a vote of 15 - 6. HELP Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) took the unusual step of voting against Bertagnolli's nomination due to his unhappiness with the Biden Administration's unwillingness to negotiate cheaper drug prices. A final vote by the full Senate has not been scheduled.
- The Biden Administration issued new regulations to enhance consumer protections for college students on Tuesday. The accountability rules require colleges to include specific information in financial aid offer letters and prohibit schools from withholding transcripts from students with outstanding balances if they have received federal financial aid. The regulations will go into effect in July 2024.
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) hosted a second bipartisan Congressional artificial intelligence (AI) forum on Tuesday, focusing on how the technology can drive innovation. Lawmakers heard from venture capitalists, scholars, and civil society groups on the importance of sufficient federal funding for AI programs to maintain competitiveness. The forums are intended to educate lawmakers on AI in preparation for drafting bipartisan legislation next year to support and regulate the technology.
EVENTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
As climate change accelerates, we need better methods for measuring and talking about the social and environmental impact of businesses. Across BU’s campuses, researchers are working to develop metrics that better reflect and communicate this social and environmental impact. Come learn more about these projects and meet potential collaborators in person at the next Research on Tap on November 13th at 4:00 p.m. in the Kilachand Center. The event will feature micro talks on a wide range of pioneering research from BU faculty that is helping to move the needle on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics, followed by a networking reception.