News
Higher Ed Compact; AI and Life Sciences; DARPA
BU IN DC
Brian Walsh of the College of Engineering met with Congressional offices during the Save NASA Science Day of Action, organized by the American Geophysical Union, The Planetary Society, and other organizations on October 6th.
Noel Vest of the School of Public Health spoke about substance use and mental health challenges among college students at Mobilize Recovery's event at Georgetown University on October 7th.
BUZZ BITS...
The federal government remains shut down, with lawmakers still far apart on a deal to enact the spending bills that keep federal agencies operational. However, activity still continues in Washington, DC.
- The White House recently invited nine colleges to sign a "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" that would require them to adopt certain admissions, hiring, and financial policies in exchange for "increased overhead payments where feasible, substantial and meaningful federal grants, and other federal partnerships." The schools were asked to provide feedback on the compact, which includes provisions for freezing tuition, capping international enrollment, and governing faculty speech, by October 20th.
- Science magazine reported that several leaders at the National Institutes of Health were fired last week. The directors of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and the National Institute of Nursing Research had been placed on administrative leave in the spring.
- On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Neil Jacobs as administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Dr. Jacobs was nominated to lead NOAA during the first Trump Administration, but did not receive Senate confirmation at that time. NOAA Chief of Staff Laura Grimm is currently the acting director of the agency.
- Last week, President Donald J. Trump nominated Dr. Arvind Raman to serve as director at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Dr. Raman is dean of engineering at Purdue University. Attorney Craig Burkhardt is the current acting director of NIST.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
The Office of Research will host "Research on Tap: AI for Life Sciences" on Wednesday, October 15th at 4:00 p.m. at the Kilachand Center. Advances in AI are impacting a wide range of scientific disciplines, including the life sciences. The emergence of large foundational models–including large language models and those trained on biological sequences–is unlocking new possibilities in synthetic biology, protein engineering, biomarker discovery, and more. The event, co-hosted by Diane Joseph-McCarthy of the College of Engineering and Ioannis Paschalidis of the Hariri Institute, will feature micro-talks from BU faculty who will share how AI is driving new discoveries in their research.
GRANT NEWS YOU CAN USE
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office released its research announcement for the fiscal year 2026 Young Faculty Award program, which identifies “rising stars in junior research positions” at higher education institutions who have not yet received DARPA funding. DARPA is seeking “innovative research proposals” that address newly identified topic areas across four of its offices. The agency expects to award multiple grants, each with a maximum funding amount of $500,000. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit executive summaries, which are due by Wednesday, October 15th at 4:00 p.m.
NIH Honors Two BU Researchers for Exceptionally Creative, High-Impact Science
The prestigious Director’s Awards will support work studying sexual health and stopping mosquito bites.
BU Leaders Submit Letter to Homeland Security Regarding Proposed Cap on International Students’ Time in the US
The four-year cap “would hurt our international students and scholars,” President Melissa Gilliam and Provost Gloria Waters write in a letter supporting BU’s international community.
You Are Why, Women’s Health, Autism
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
BU Launches "You Are Why" Campaign, Highlighting Impact of Research and Discovery
President Melissa Gilliam says the effort is designed to engage supporters, elected officials, and new partners to align behind research that solves problems of our time.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
BU to Help Early Career Scientists Pursue Women’s Health Research
With support from the National Institutes of Health's Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health program, senior BU faculty will mentor young investigators to advance research into addiction science, maternal and child health, and sex influences on health outcomes.
See how we are empowering future leaders
FACULTY EXPERT
BU Autism Expert Says Research Hasn’t Confirmed Tylenol Link
Professor Helen Tager-Flusberg discusses the Trump Administration's press conference urging pregnant women to avoid the pain medicine acetaminophen for themselves and their children.
Find out what the science says
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
BU urged the Administration to withdraw its proposal to limit the admission of international students and scholars into the United States... NASA launched a device created by BU students into space with the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory... BU College of Arts & Sciences Professor Robert M.G. Reinhart details why we remember some life moments, but not others... Cabo Verde Prime Minister José Ulisses de Pina Correia e Silva visited BU for the Small Island States in an Uncertain Global Economy event... The Wall Street Journal highlights BU's success at reducing the use of single-use coffee cups.
Shutdown; Visa Proposal; R&D Priorities
BU IN DC
Leslie Dietiker of Wheelock College of Education & Human Development participated in the American Educational Research Association Consortium of University and Research Institutions Fall Policy Conference from September 28th to 30th.
Karen Jacobs, Emily Rothman, and doctoral students from Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences met with multiple Congressional offices during the American Occupational Therapy Association's Hill Day on September 19th.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN
Federal agencies suspended most operations and furloughed employees on Wednesday after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on a short-term spending bill to keep the government operational. During the lapse in appropriations, the Department of Education will continue to disburse student aid and Grants.gov will remain open to accept electronic applications. Although federal agency officials will be unavailable to answer questions or conduct peer review activities, both the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation advise investigators to continue following posted grant submission deadlines. The White House and lawmakers from both parties remain far apart in their negotiating posture, making a quick resolution to the shutdown unlikely.
BU SUBMITS COMMENTS ON VISA PROPOSAL
The University submitted a comment letter last week urging the Trump Administration to withdraw a proposed rule that would establish a fixed length of stay of no more than four years for international students and scholars studying in the United States. The proposal would require F-1 and J-1 visa holders to apply for an extension to stay in the U.S. beyond a specific end date, replacing the current rule that allow them to remain for the duration of their academic program. BU's letter details the vital role that international students and scholars play and how the proposed rule would create uncertainty, restrict academic mobility, and harm the country’s global competitiveness. The Trump Administration is expected to issue a final rule after reviewing the nearly 22,000 comments it received.
BUZZ BITS...
- Last week, the White House released the annual memorandum on the Administration's research priorities. In fiscal year 2027, federal science agencies will prioritize supporting research that aligns with the themes identified in the document, including artificial intelligence, quantum science, biotechnology, and energy independence.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently announced several leadership changes. Dr. Anthony Letai is the new director of the National Cancer Institute; he previously served as an oncologist with Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. John Lorsch has been appointed NIH deputy director for extramural research, a position he has held in an acting capacity since April 2025. Lorsch previously led the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at NIH. Dr. Erica Brown will serve as acting director of NIGMS. Dr. Helene Langevin will retire as the director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) in November 2025. Dr. David Shurtleff, the current deputy director of NCCIH, will serve as acting director.
- Republicans on the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party released a new report asserting that students with links to Chinese defense universities are working on federally-funded science. The "From Ph.D. to PLA" report states that "China’s military-civil fusion system actively exploits open-source science, turning even basic [research] into weapons advancements."
Veterans More Likely than General Population to Use All Types of Tobacco Products, Including the Most Harmful
A new study is the first since 2015 to examine differences in tobacco use by product type among military veterans compared to civilians, finding that veterans disproportionately use all commercial tobacco product types, including cigars and cigarettes, which pose a range of serious health risks.
BU Launches “You Are Why” Campaign, Highlighting Impact of Research and Discovery
President Melissa Gilliam says effort is designed to engage supporters, elected officials, and new partners to align behind research that solves problems of our time.