News
Boston Landmark, New Birth Control, Optimism
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
A New Landmark for BU, a Dramatic Addition to the Boston Skyline
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hailed Thursday's opening of the distinctive, fossil fuel-free BU Center for Computing & Data Sciences.
Celebrate the new arrival
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
A New Breed of Nonhormonal Birth Control
With a $7.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, BU's Contraceptive Research Center is developing a dissolvable patch that uses antibodies grown from tobacco plants and could prevent unwanted pregnancies and HIV.
Glimpse the contraception of the future
FACULTY EXPERT
Is Optimism the Secret to a Long Life?
BU clinical psychologist and stress researcher Lewina O. Lee discusses the research on the health benefits of positive thinking, dealing with grief, and aging well.
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
Julia Dahlstrom of the BU Immigrants' Rights & Human Trafficking Program tells GBH that federal policies are making it harder for human trafficking victims to legally stay in the United States... Deborah Carr of the BU College of Arts & Sciences says that policies have not adapted to help older adults without familyin The New York Times... Kevin Gallagher of the BU Global Development Policy Center spoke with CNBC about a correction to the globalization "bubble"... Monica Wang of the BU School of Public Health explains how racism is a public health crisis in The Emancipator... Nazli Kibria of the BU College of Arts & Sciences describes the challenges of caring for a child with profound autism to WBUR.
Fogarty, Financial Aid Offers, Artificial Intelligence
BU IN DC
Benjamin Sovacool of the Institute for Global Sustainability was a panelist on a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine webinar on the role of the private sector in U.S. climate mitigation efforts on December 2nd.
Madison Condon of the School of Law spoke at an American Enterprise Institute panel discussion on proposed rules for climate-related disclosure for investors on December 7th.
Kevin Outterson of CARB-X and the School of Law joined a coalition of advocates on Capitol Hill who discussed antimicrobial resistance with Members of Congress on December 7th.
BUZZ BITS...
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently announced the creation of a working group to examine NIH's support of postdoctoral researchers. The group will review NIH's current practices and support systems for postdocs and recommend how the agency can improve the sector's research experiences.
- Dr. Roger I. Glass announced Wednesday that he will step down as the director of the NIH Fogarty International Center and associate director for international research at the NIH in January 2023. Dr. Glass has led the Fogarty for nearly 17 years, overseeing its partnerships with universities addressing global health. Deputy Director Peter H. Kilmarx will serve as acting director while a national search is conducted.
- The National Counterintelligence and Security Center recently released a Safeguarding Science toolkit. The resource is intended to help the scientific community guard against theft or exploitation of federally funded research by sharing the best security practices from academia and government.
WATCHDOG URGES CONGRESS TO REQUIRE UNIFORM AID LETTERS
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on Monday criticizing how colleges and universities explain financial aid packages to prospective students. The report found that the letters schools send to applicants are unnecessarily confusing and unclear, making it difficult for students to compare financial aid offers across institutions or understand the true cost of attending college. For example, "GAO found that an estimated 91 percent of colleges do not include or understate the net price in their aid offers." After reviewing aid letters from 176 colleges, GAO recommends that Congress enact legislation that would mandate uniform and clear financial aid offers.
GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a major topic of interest for Congress and the Biden Administration, with research agencies looking to grow investments in the technology. To assist researchers in navigating these developments, Lewis-Burke Associates has compiled a new digest outlining the current landscape of AI and machine learning (ML) initiatives across the federal government; it is now available on the Federal Relations website. The document provides detailed information on AI/ML priorities for the Biden Administration and Congress as well as research priorities and major funding opportunities across federal agencies.
BU Unveils Dramatic, Fossil Fuel–Free Center for Computing & Data Sciences
Mayor Wu hails collaborative relationship with BU at ribbon cutting, says new building should be a model for other cities across the country.
A Most Unusual School Year
In mid-March 2020, as COVID-19 began to spread exponentially throughout the country, school doors across Massachusetts suddenly closed, creating disruptions and uncertainty for both teachers and students.
An Iconic Building Rises: Photo Gallery Traces Construction of BU’s Center for Computing & Data Sciences
Nearly 40 images of highlights from the three-year project.
No Gas. No Fuels. No Emissions. BU’s Greenest Building Ever
The six key features that make the Center for Computing & Data Sciences so environmentally unique.
Positioned to Lead in a 21st-Century Data-Driven World
Azer Bestavros explains his vision to position BU at the forefront of a computing and data science world.
ARPA-H, Social Sciences, Sustainable Technologies
BU IN DC
Wheelock College of Education & Human Development Dean David Chardattended a meeting of deans of education for schools in the Association of American Universities on November 17th.
College of Communication Dean Mariette DiChristina moderated a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conversation on climate resilience in south and east Asia on November 17th.
Julie Wickstrom of Financial Assistance attended a meeting of the Higher Education Loan Coalition and discussed federal student aid with Congressional and Biden Administration staff on November 14th and 15th.
School of Law Dean Angela Onwuachi-Willig hosted a session of the school's Barbara Jordan Speaker Series on women and the law at the Information Technology Industry Council on November 10th.
Katharine Lusk of the Initiative on Cities attended a meeting of the MetroLab Network board, of which she is a member, on November 1st and 2nd.
BUZZ BITS...
- The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health (ARPA-H) is inviting researchers to engage with ARPA-H via its new web site. The site identifies key focus areas for future funding opportunities and includes an application for individuals interested in serving as a program manager.
- National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) CommissionerJoan McLaughlin announced last week that she would retire from the Institute of Education Sciences at the end of the year. Dr. McLaughlin has served as NCSER commissioner since 2013.
- On Wednesday, House Democrats elected Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) as Democratic whip for the upcoming 118th Congress. Clark will be House Democrats' second highest leader, tasked with counting votes for her party. The Congresswoman has represented Framingham, Waltham, and Malden in Congress since 2013; she has been Assistant Speaker of the House since 2020.
GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
Are you searching for funding for work in the behavioral and social sciences, arts, or humanities? Federal Relations has recently posted a newly updated overview of federal funding in those fields from Lewis-Burke Associates. The guide both lists specific grant opportunities and provides useful information on the current priorities of agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Institute of Justice, among others.
EVENTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
The BU Office of Research will host its last Research on Tap of the semester on Wednesday, December 7th at 4 p.m. in the Kilachand Center. Faculty affiliated with the Institute for Global Sustainability, College of Engineering, and College of Arts & Sciences will give microtalks on their research regarding "Developing Technologies for a Sustainable Future." A networking reception will follow to allow researchers to make connections with potential collaborators.
Early Career Workshop
BU Federal Relations and Foundation Relations hosted a workshop featuring early career program officers on Thursday, December 1, 2022.
UFOs, Terri Tanielian, First Generation
FACULTY EXPERT
BU Astrophysicist Joins NASA Team to Study UFOs
Over the next nine months, Joshua Semeter will study footage of unidentified flying objects to help figure out their origin.
NOTABLE ALUMNI
Serving Those Who Have Served in Uniform
As Special Assistant to the President for Veterans Affairs, Terri Tanielian (CAS’90) is working at the White House to support former military service members and their families.
STUDENT LIFE
My First-Gen Story: In Search of a "Better Future, a Better Life"
BU Posse Scholar Teresa Miguel (Sargent '25) shares her journey from rural Georgia to urban Boston as a first generation college student.
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
Linda C. McClain and Nicole Huberfeld of the BU School of Law explain that voters chose to protect abortion rights in the midterm elections in The Conversation... MarketWatch featured research from BU economist Laurence Kotlikoff indicating that Social Security recipients are missing out by claiming benefits too early... Adil Najam of the BU Pardee School of Global Studies declares we have now entered the era of adaption to climate change in The Boston Globe... Moshe Cohen of the BU Questrom School of Business tells Forbesthat Nancy Pelosi's leadership style "demonstrates the importance of responding strategically rather than emotionally"... Benjamin Sovacool of the BU Institute for Global Sustainability will moderate a virtual panel discussion on Friday on the contributions of the private sector to climate change mitigation.