News
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav Tells BU Graduates to Pursue Their Passion, amidst Protests over Hollywood Writers Strike
President Brown is praised at his final Commencement for leading by example, bettering the student experience.
NIH Director, DOD Research Priorities, Climate Research
BU IN DC
Deborah Carr of the College of Arts & Sciences participated in a symposium on rethinking healthy aging on May 11th. She also spoke at a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine seminar on kinlessness and living alone at older ages on May 15th.
Gerald Denis of the Chobanian & AvedisianSchool of Medicine spoke with staff in the offices of Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) about the importance of investing in the National Institutes of Health as part of the American Association of Immunologists annual meeting from May 11th through 15th.
Lara Merling, Rishikesh Ram Bhandary, Marilou Uy, and Timon Foster of the Global Development Policy Center hosted the Taskforce on Climate, Development and the International Monetary Fund at the Federal Relations office on May 12th.
BIDEN NOMINATES BERTAGNOLLI AS NIH DIRECTOR
On Monday, President Joe Biden announced he would nominate Dr. Monica Bertagnolli as the next director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Bertagnolli is a surgical oncologist who leads the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a role she has held since October 2022. The nomination will now move to the U.S. Senate for approval. If confirmed by the Senate, Dr. Bertagnolli would replace Dr. Lawrence Tabak, who has been acting NIH director since the resignation of Dr. Francis Collins in December 2021. Bertagnolli was previously affiliated with Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
BUZZ BITS...
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced on Tuesday that Susan Marqusee will serve as the next leader of the NSF Biological Sciences Directorate. Dr. Marqusee, a biophysical chemist at the University of California, Berkeley, will assume her new role on June 20th.
- Last week, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) released its National Defense Science and Technology Strategy, laying out its vision for research and development to support the national defense enterprise. The strategy highlights 14 critical technology areas, including quantum science, trusted artificial intelligence, and space technology. DOD also pledges to invest in information systems and analyses that will better determine scientific priorities, accelerate commercialization, expand communication with external stakeholders, and cultivate its scientific workforce.
- The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Colleen Shogan as the next archivist of the United States on May 10th. Dr. Shogan, who previously worked for the White House Historical Association and the Library of Congress, is the first woman to permanently lead the National Archives and Records Administration.
GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
A new overview of federal priorities and funding opportunities in environment, climate, and sustainability research is now available on the Federal Relations web site. Created by the team at Lewis-Burke Associates, the overview includes thematic priorities across federal agencies related to clean energy technology; resilient infrastructure and national security; water, oceans, and coasts; climate and human health; environmental justice; and fundamental climate research and education. The compendium also highlights major climate provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act that Congress enacted last year, as well as a compilation of environment-related federal funding opportunities. Federal Relations is available to discuss any of the opportunities highlighted within the report.
Jason Campbell-Foster Appointed BU Dean of Students
He assumes the role he’s held on an interim basis since July 2022 and aims to be an innovative leader for Terriers.
My Reflections after 18 Years as BU President
“Our plan is working,” President Robert A. Brown writes in his departing words.
Rachel Levine, Mental Health & Trauma, Allergies
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
Washington Leaders Set to Deliver Convocation Addresses to BU Graduates
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Assistant Secretary of Health Rachel Levine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky, and National Science Foundation Assistant Director for Engineering Susan Margulies are just a few of the speakers who will be addressing BU graduates at convocations during the University's Commencement activities this week.
COMMUNITY RESOURCE
BU School of Public Health Launches Center for Trauma and Mental Health
Led by BU epidemiologist Jaimie Gradus, the Center will research and develop public health strategies to address the health consequence of stress and trauma.
Learn about their vision for a healthier future
FACULTY EXPERT
No, You're Not Imagining It: Seasonal Allergies Are Getting Worse
BU allergist Fred Little explains what is contributing to allergy spikes, including less rain in the spring and summer to tamp down airborne pollen. Find relief
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
The BU Center for Antiracist Research submitted comments to the Office of Management of Budget on how to update the federal government's collection of race and ethnicity statistics... Xin Zhang of the BU College of Engineering won the STAT Madness 2023 All-Star Award for her futuristic helmet that could make brain scans easier...Patricia Cortes of the BU Questrom School of Business describes behaviors that can contribute to gender wage disparities in The Huffington Post... Deborah Carr of the BU College of Arts & Sciences shares the characteristics of the "zillennial" generation with CNN ... Mark Williams of the BU Questrom School of Business explains why Major League Baseball umpires are getting better in The Score.
Jean Morrison to Step Down as BU Provost July 1
President Brown says he will appoint interim person to the position; deans praise Morrison for her integrity, compassion.
Rochelle Walensky, NIH Budget, AI at NSF
BU IN DC
Kevin Outterson of the School of Law and CARB-X testified about the public health threat of antimicrobial resistance at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on April 28th.
Nahid Bhadelia of the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research headlined an alumni event for Washington-area Terriers on May 4th. Vice President for Alumni Engagement Erika Jordan and Katherine Hargadon of Development and Alumni Relations were in attendance.
BUZZ BITS...
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky will step down on June 30th, she announced last week. Dr. Walensky, formerly the chief of the division of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, oversaw the CDC for the first half of the Biden Administration. An interim CDC director has not yet been announced.
- The White House announced that Neera Tanden will serve as the President's domestic policy advisor when current advisor Susan Rice steps down next month. Tanden is the former president of the Center for American Progress and had been serving as a senior adviser and staff secretary at the White House.
- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that James Reuter will step down as head of the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate at the end of June. Reuter has led the directorate since 2018 and has been with NASA for forty years. The agency plans to conduct a national search to find his successor.
SENATORS REVIEW PROPOSED NIH BUDGET
Last week, a subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing to examine the Biden Administration's proposed budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year 2024. Senators voiced bipartisan interest in growing the NIH budget above the President's proposed 1.7% increase and mentioned research in Alzheimer's disease, substance use, and mental health as priorities for their constituents. Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) expressed concerns about an NIH-funded researcher who was able to transfer his grants to a new institution after leaving a previous university in the wake of sexual harassment allegations. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) criticized the NIH FIRST initiative, which aims to support universities as they create environments that promote "inclusive excellence" through their faculty recruiting.
GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
As part of the Biden Administration's growing focus on artificial intelligence (AI), the National Science Foundation (NSF) recently released three funding and engagement opportunities in support of AI research, education, and workforce development:
- A Dear Colleague letter inviting proposals to the Rapid Response Research (RAPID) program focused on research on the use and teaching of AI in K-12 education. One-page concept papers for the RAPID program will be accepted by NSF on a rolling basis and applicants can request up to $200,000 for a one-year project period.
- A Request for Information (RFI) on the ability of universities to produce graduates with AI training. The agency is seeking information on colleges' current AI programs, AI-related courses, faculty expertise in AI, and current AI research, as well as information on what can be done to increase the number of graduates with expertise in AI.
- An RFI focused on the opportunities and challenges of creating science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pathways in emerging technology areas. The document identifies career paths in AI, advanced manufacturing, advanced wireless, biotechnology, semiconductors, microelectronics, and quantum information science as priorities. Responses for both RFIs, which serve as a mechanism to inform NSF activities and potential investments related to AI, are due June 21st.
BU Appoints Kenneth Freeman Interim University President as Search Continues
Former Questrom dean brings deep experience from both business and academia to the temporary leadership role, which he’ll assume August 1.
BU in DC: An Evening with Dr. Nahid Bhadelia
BU alumni and friends gathered for an evening with Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, an expert in global pandemic response on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at the University Club in Washington, DC.