News
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.
How Is the Conversation around Mental Health Changing among College Students?
Question of the Week Podcast.
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.
Boston University Virtual, a New Department, Will Chart BU’s Online Learning Future
Wendy Colby, BU’s first associate provost in charge of online learning, talks about what comes next for Terriers.
BU Alum Wins, NSF EDU, Early Career Webinar
BU IN DC
While Beltway BUzz took a break for the Congressional District Work Period, BU faculty and staff were busy in Washington. Visitors included:
- Benjamin Sovacool of the Institute for Global Sustainability spoke at a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine event.
- Associate Provost for Computing & Data Sciences Azer Bestavros, Mayank Varia of the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences, Ran Canettiof the College of Arts & Sciences, and Stacey Dogan and Andrew Sellarsof the School of Law spoke at a symposium.
- Joshua Semeter of the College of Engineering was appointed to a NASA study team on unidentified aerial phenomena.
- College of Communication Dean Mariette DiChristina moderated a session at a National Academy of Medicine event.
- Jennifer Gomez of the School of Social Work spoke on a panel at the Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education.
- Christina Lee of the School of Social Work presented at a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism conference.
- Pnina Lahav of the School of Law gave a presentation on her new book.
- Patricia Fabian of the School of Public Health attended a White House summit on indoor air quality.
- Cornelius Hurley of the School of Law testified at a Federal Housing Finance Agency listening session.
BU ALUMNA HEADED TO CONGRESS; PARTY CONTROL STILL UNCLEAR
As votes from Tuesday's midterm elections continue to be counted, control of both chambers of Congress remains uncertain. In BU news, Republican Virginia State Senator Jen Kiggans (PAR '93) defeated Democratic Congresswoman Elaine Luria (D-VA), paving the way for the BU alumna to represent Virginia Beach in Congress. She will join fellow Terriers Ayanna Pressley (Hon '21) (D-MA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (CAS '11) (D-NY), and Lois Frankel (CAS '70) (D-FL), all of whom easily won reelection, in the U.S. House of Representatives in January.
Democrats will continue their nearly unanimous control of the New England Congressional delegation, with a few new candidates replacing retiring Members. Congressman Peter Welch (D-VT) will now represent Vermont in the Senate, while president pro tempore of the Vermont State Senate Becca Balint (D-VT) will become the state's first female House member. Rhode Island state treasurer Seth Magaziner (D-RI) will represent Providence in the House.
BU Federal Relations will provide additional election updates, including what the new Congress will mean for higher education and research, when they are available.
BUZZ BITS...
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) has changed the name of its Education and Human Resources Directorate to the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU). NSF made the change to better reflect the breadth of research interests the Directorate addresses.
- President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint 14 members to the National Board of Education Sciences (NBES). The Board advises the Institute of Education Sciences, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Education. NBES has operated without a full roster since 2016.
- The National Institutes of Health announced that Dr. Joni L. Rutter will serve as director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences(NCATS). Dr. Rutter, an expert in human genetics, has served as NCATS acting director since early 2021.
- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected Dr. Regina Rameika as associate director of high energy physics within the DOE Office of Science. Dr. Rameika is a physicist who has worked at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory for most of her career.
EVENTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
Young investigator awards provide critical support to early career faculty, often serving as a funding bridge between the postdoctoral years and fully independent investigator status. To give BU's junior investigators valuable insights about how to secure these grants, the Office of Research, Federal Relations, and Foundation Relations are hosting a webinar featuring early career funding program managers from the American Association for Cancer Research, the Rita Allen Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the National Science Foundation on Wednesday, December 1st at 3 p.m. The panelists will answer questions such as the right time to apply, the types of projects funders are looking for, ways to stand out in a large group of applicants, and resources available for grant-seekers at BU.
A Note to Our Readers: Beltway BUzz will pause regular publishing until Congress returns from its District Work Period, unless there is breaking Washington news to share. Please continue to visit our web site and follow us on Twitter.
Why Veterans Remain at Greater Risk of Homelessness
One way to stand up for former service personnel is to advocate for more affordable housing, says BU researcher.
Serving Those Who Have Served in Uniform
As Special Assistant to the President for Veterans Affairs, Terri Tanielian (CAS’90) is working to support former military service members and their families.
Black Women Voters, COVID Researcher, Genocide Major
FACULTY EXPERT
Among African American Women Voters, Optimism Is Its Own Superpower
According to BU political scientist Christine Slaughter, Black women are driven to vote by their belief society can be improved even though they're skeptical the changes will benefit them.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Focus Shifts to Virus Research Rules After False Stories About NEIDL's COVID Work
BU responds to NIH funding clarification request: confirms University funded headline-making study and will update paper citations.
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
BU Launches New Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Major
The interdisciplinary program will examine humanity's darkest moments, with a human rights focus.
Preview what students will learn
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
Research conducted by Paul Shafer, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, and Julia Raifman of the BU School of Public Health found that food insufficiency in the U.S. jumped 25% after child care tax credits expired... Julie Dahlstrom of the BU School of Law explains how to make visas for trafficked immigrants work better to WBUR... Katherine Levine Einstein and Maxwell Palmer of the BU College of Arts & Sciences suggest increased access to subsidized housing may improve Boston's failing housing grade... Patients in BU's Aphasia Resource Center talk about how their lives changed when they lost their ability to communicate clearly with PBS NewsHour.