News
Title IX Turns 50: It Changed Society—but Now It Must Go Further
In 1972, women comprised 15 percent of all student athletes, now it’s 44 percent, women were less than 10 percent of doctors and lawyers, today it’s more than 50 percent.
Juneteenth, Pell Grants, Climate Workforce
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
What Juneteenth Means To Me
In a photo essay, the BU community reflects on the significance of the holiday. Graduate student Tomeka Frieson (SPH'23) says, "Juneteenth, for me, then, is equal parts celebration and remembrance."
STUDENT LIFE
Pell Grant 50th Anniversary: BU Students Share How It Changed Their Lives
It "transformed the trajectory of my career by allowing me to fulfill my full potential," says Angela Wang (COM'23, Pardee'23).
BU IN DC
Building a Diverse, Strong Climate Workforce
Climate leaders from Boston University and around the country hosted Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) for a Congressional briefing on how they are working to train the next generation for careers solving the climate crisis.
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
BU political scientist Katherine Levine Einstein tells WBUR that decisions by local land use boards may be skewed because they are dominated by white, male homeowners... Joshua Goodman of BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development explains how air conditioning in schools can improve academic performance to Marketplace... Spencer Piston of the BU College of Arts & Sciences highlights steps policymakers can take to close the racial wealth gap in The Hill... BU historian Bruce Schulman discusses how Watergate contributed to a decline in trust in public institutions in The Washington Post... Wendy Heiger-Bernays of the BU School of Public Health says that certain pesticides may be more harmful than we realize in Scientific American.
Building a Diverse, Strong Climate Workforce
Climate leaders from Boston University and around the country briefed Congressional staff on how they are working to train the next generation for careers solving the climate crisis.
BU on the Hill, ARPA-H, EPA Research
BU IN DC
Kevin Outterson of the School of Law and CARB-X joined Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA) for a virtual panel discussion on antibiotic resistance on May 24th.
Sarah Hokanson of Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs presented at the 2022 Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Summit on June 2nd.
Mary Churchill and Ryan Lovell of Wheelock College of Education & Human Development attended the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education's annual advocacy meeting from June 5th through the 8th.
BU URBAN HOSTS CAPITOL HILL BRIEFING
On Thursday, the BU Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health (URBAN) hosted a virtual briefing for Congressional offices on how to build and diversify a future climate workforce. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) provided opening remarks, highlighting the actions Congress has already taken to support climate mitigation and support federal research. Professor Pamela Templer and doctoral student Yasmin Romitti described how BU URBAN, a National Science Foundation-supported program, prepares graduate students across disciplines for a range of careers that can address the impacts of climate change. Dr. Pam Padilla of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) highlighted the society's educational tools. Shawn Jones of BlueWave Solar discussed how programs like URBAN help train the leaders who can guide the industry in achieving carbon-reduction goals.
ADMINISTRATION LAUNCHES ARPA-H
On May 25th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) formally established the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health (ARPA-H), a new federal agency to support high-risk, high-reward biomedical breakthroughs, as an entity within the National Institutes of Health. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra named Dr. Adam Russell as the acting deputy director for ARPA-H. Dr. Russell currently serves as chief scientist at the University of Maryland's Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security and previously served as a program manager for both the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Congress is still considering legislative proposals that may alter the agency's trajectory.
BUZZ BITS...
- The U.S. Senate recently confirmed Dr. Christopher Frey as assistant administrator for research and development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dr. Frey is a mechanical engineer who served on the faculty of North Carolina State University before joining the EPA. His confirmation fills a position that has lacked a permanent director since 2012.
- The Partnership for Public Service is seeking applicants for its federal fellowship for racial equity, which allows academic professionals with expertise in racial equity to serve at a federal government agency for up to two years. The fellowship was created in response to President Joe Biden’s executive order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, issued his first day in office.
- A Congressionally-mandated advisory panel recently presented its recommendations for how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) can better integrate behavioral and social sciences research. The panel recommended identifying strategies to increase behavioral research applications at certain institutes and centers and ensuring that NIH advisory councils follow the agency's policy that they have at least two members with behavioral or public health expertise.
Building the Next Generation Climate Workforce
Innovative Solutions from Around the Country
Thursday, June 9, 2022, 12:00 - 1:00 PM ET on Zoom
As climate change accelerates, the United States will face unprecedented challenges in the years ahead, from elevated levels of air and water pollution to extreme weather events such as heatwaves and storm surges. We need a workforce equipped with both technical and policy expertise to solve these complex challenges and to plan for more sustainable communities, particularly among populations most impacted by environmental change.
Learn how universities, the private sector, and communities are addressing climate change through solutions-oriented graduate education and workforce training that combines science, management, policy, communication, and governance fields, and what Congress can do to support these efforts.
OPENING REMARKS
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
MODERATOR
Melissa Varga, Science Network Community & Partnerships Manager, Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)
PRESENTATIONS & RESOURCES
Shawn Jones, Head of Energy Storage Development, BlueWave Solar
Dr. Pamela Templer, Director & Yasmin Romitti, PhD Student - Boston University URBAN Program
The BRINK | Building a Diverse, Strong Climate Workforce
WEBINAR VIDEO
Climate Workforce, First-Gen Grads, Green Spaces & Dementia
BU IN DC
Building The Next Generation Climate Workforce with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici
On June 9th, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and experts in solutions-oriented graduate education and workforce training will share how policymakers can support programs that empower leaders from diverse backgrounds to solve complex climate challenges.
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
For These First-Gen Students, Graduation is Moment of Pride and Achievement
Members of the BU chapter of First-Generation Low Income Partnership reflect on their journey and what their legacy will be.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
Living Near Greenery Could Give You a Brain Boost—and Reduce Dementia Risk
A BU School of Public Health-led study finds that middle-aged women exposed to more green space may benefit from higher cognitive function, slower mental decline, and reduced depression.
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
City of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu appointed BU School of Public Health DeanSandro Galea as chair of the Boston Public Health Commission... BU Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore is leaving BU to become president of Dean College... Scott Solberg of BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development says a lack of workforce training programs has led to an economic crisis in Politico... Emily Rothman of BU Sargent College explains how celebrity cases of dating violence influence the public discourse about abuse in Time... Arianne Chernock of the BU College of Arts & Sciences discusses why Americans are tuning in to Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in The Conversation.
Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore Leaving BU to Become President of Dean College
Whether leaping into the Charles River or comforting a grieving family, he’s been the face of BU for the student body for two decades.
The Quest for a Heart Attack Cure
A BU-led team is engineering small patches of cardiac muscle that could repair the heart, treat heart disease, and speed drug development.
Antibiotic Resistance: A Looming Public Health Crisis
BU Prof. Kevin Outterson joined Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and others for a Capitol Hill briefing to discuss tackling the growing threat of antibiotic resistance on May 24, 2022 at 1:00 PM (ET).
Speakers:
- Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Member, Senate Agriculture Committee
- Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Member, Ways and Means Committee
- Dawn O’Connell, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response, Dept. of Health & Human Services
- Lilian Abbo, MD, Professor of Infectious Diseases, University of Miami; Board of Directors, Infectious Diseases Society of America
- Christopher Burns, PhD, Founder, President & CEO, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals
- Brandon Noble, Survivor & former NFL Player
- Kevin Outterson, Executive Director, CARB-X; Professor of Law, Boston University
Sponsor Perspective:
- David Hyun, MD, Director, Antibiotic Resistance Project, The Pew Charitable Trusts
Moderator:
- Bob Cusack, Editor-in-Chief, The Hill
Climate Workforce, Commencement, Antimicrobial Resistance
BU IN DC
Building The Next-Generation Climate Workforce
Join us for a virtual briefing on June 9th to learn how policymakers can support solutions-oriented graduate education and workforce training that equips leaders from diverse backgrounds to solve complex climate challenges.
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
Journalist and Author Bob Woodward Tells BU Grads: Mistakes Are Life's Best Guide
Addressing the Class of 2022, Woodward tells graduates, "Don’t be in a hurry to do what may be the wrong thing in your life... Stay engaged.…Play a part, either small or large. Pitch in in some way."
FACULTY EXPERT
Can We Prevent Antibiotic Resistance?
Antibiotics are losing effectiveness—and millions are dying as a result. CARB-X, a BU-based partnership that aims to solve antimicrobial resistance, has been given up to $370 million in new funding from the US government and charitable foundation Wellcome.
See how we're solving the problem
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
Kevin Outterson of the BU School of Law will join Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA) tomorrow for a virtual panel discussion on antibiotic resistance hosted by The Hill... The White House cited data from the BU Initiative on Cities Menino Survey of Mayors that indicates more than a quarter of the nation's mayors anticipate making significant cuts to their police budgets and services... BU College of Fine Arts Dean Harvey Young writes that the recent shooting in Buffalo exposes his hometown's history of segregation in The Chicago Tribune... Astraea Augsberger and Mary Elizabeth Collins of the BU School of Social Work explain how persistent childhood poverty is overwhelming the child welfare system in The Conversation... Mayank Varia of the Hariri Institute for Computing discusses how cryptographic research can inform public policy.