News
How the National Science Foundation Is Advancing Computer and Information Science Research
Margaret Martonosi, head of NSF’s Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, to speak at BU on what the future holds for everything from computer development to artificial intelligence to funding new research.
Georgetown Africa Scholar Named New Dean of Pardee School of Global Studies
Scott Taylor brings record of program-building, stellar scholarship, commitment to diversity.
FYSOP Returns in Person after Two Years of Virtual or Hybrid Programming
This year’s volunteer service program offers first-year students a kaleidoscope of community service opportunities.
How Racism and Bias Influence Substance Use and Addiction Treatment
Christina Lee calls substance use treatment a social justice issue and is helping healthcare providers see the connection between discrimination and drinking.
New MED Curriculum Will Drive Patient-Centered, Equitable Care
Team-based learning launches in new Learning Center.
How Copyrights, Patents, and Trademarks May Stifle Creativity and Progress
Intellectual property scholar Jessica Silbey argues laws haven’t kept pace with the digital era and are enriching individuals and corporations at the expense of society, equality, and innovation.
BU Today Close-Up
Provost Jean Morrison Weighs in on CHIPS and Science Act.
Why Is the Cuban Immigrant Story in the US So Different from Others
Cold War politics led to special policies and domestic political power.
CHIPS, Science Budgets, Biden Science Priorities
BU IN DC
Mayank Varia of the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences attended a meetingof the Advisory Committee on Data for Evidence Building, of which he is a member, on July 22nd.
Joshua Goodman of the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development announced he will start a year-long position next week as a senior economist with the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
Eve Manz of the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development moderated a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine panel on integrating science and engineering in preschool and elementary school on July 28th.
CONGRESS SENDS MAJOR SCIENCE BILL TO THE PRESIDENT
Congress passed a massive science bill and sent it to the President this week, paving the way for his approval of legislation that increases the funding targets for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. The science bill included in the CHIPS+ Act (H.R. 4346) directs the NSF and DOE to award more grants to institutions in states that historically have not successfully competed for significant federal research funding, requires grantees to alert federal science agencies when research personnel are found to have engaged in sex-based harassment, asks grantees to disclose more information on their collaborations with international partners, and creates new programs to broaden participation in the sciences by underrepresented populations. President Joe Biden is expected to quickly sign the bill into law.
SENATE PROPOSES RESEARCH, STUDENT AID INCREASES
On Thursday, Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee unveiled their proposed funding levels for government operations in fiscal year 2023. The bills released by the Committee would increase several science and student aid accounts, including a proposed 6% increase for the National Institutes of Health, 17% increase for the National Science Foundation, and 7% increase for the Pell Grant award for low-income students. Senate Republicans have not yet agreed to the funding levels, which would also need to be reconciled with the proposals put forward by the U.S. House of Representatives. A final spending agreement is not expected before the expiration of the current fiscal year on September 30th, necessitating a continuing resolution to keep the government operating this fall.
BUZZ BITS...
- Last week, the White House released a memorandum identifying the Biden Administration's scientific priorities for fiscal year 2024. The plan includes reducing the cancer death rate by half and cultivating an equitable STEM ecosystem, as well as previously-stated priorities such as preparing for and preventing pandemics and tackling climate change.
- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that Dr. Mark Clampin will become the next astrophysics division director within the agency's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) on August 15th. Dr. Clampin, who currently oversees science programs at Goddard Space Flight Center, will replace Dr. Paul Hertz, who will become a senior adviser to SMD after leading the astrophysics division for ten years.
- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that Maria Duaime Robinson will serve as director of DOE's Grid Deployment Office. Ms. Robinson previously served as the first Korean American elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
A Note To Our Readers: Beltway BUzz will not publish in August due to the Congressional District Work period. In the meantime, you can find updates on Twitter and our website. See you in September!
White House COVID Response, Urban Heat Islands, BU Astronaut
BU IN DC
BU's Nahid Bhadelia Joins White House COVID-19 Response Team
Bhadelia, an infectious diseases physician and global leader in pandemic preparedness, was named senior policy advisor for global COVID response.
FACULTY EXPERT
Amid Climate Change, BU Researchers Study Chelsea's "Heat Island"
BU environmental health scholars Madeleine Scammell and Patricia Fabian study ways to cool down one of the hottest spots in Massachusetts, where temperatures can reach 140 degrees.
Learn how to turn down the heat
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
Live From Space, BU Alum and Astronaut Bob Hines Talks Gravity, Lasagna, and NASA Careers
The university hosted a live downlink on campus that allowed Boston high school students to ask questions of the astronauts on the International Space Station.
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
President Joe Biden nominated Martha Guzman (LAW '92) to serve on the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts; she would be the first Hispanic judge to serve on the Court... Joshua Goodman of the BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development hopes schools rethink their COVID protocols this school year in The Boston Globe... Deborah Carr of the BU College of Arts & Sciences explains how women decide whether to change their last names when they marry in CNN... Hyeouk Chris Hahm of the BU School of Social Work discusses the pressures Asian American women face on NPR... Kevin Gallagher of the BU Global Development Policy Center says the world economy is in a "rudderless moment" in Reuters.