Research conference ‘in service of a greater public good’ addresses local challenges
When Kim Lucas went to the first annual conference of the Boston Area Research Initiative in 2017, the event’s 40 attendees posed for a photo together in Northeastern University’s Curry Student Center ballroom. Ten years later, the same ballroom was packed — standing-room only. More than 400 participants attended this year’s conference on May 8, which covered research on topics including local housing, transportation and climate change challenges.
At Health Commission summit, housing, economic stability are key to addressing mental health
When the Boston Public Health Commission hosted its mental health summit at Northeastern University on Oct. 21, the event drew mental health researchers and clinicians. It also brought together housing officials, economic development advocates and community members focused on decreasing inequity across the board.
New ordinance requires steps to protect workers from extreme heat
For some workers in the city of Boston, a new ordinance passed by the City Council will mean better protection against extreme heat next summer. That local legislation requires the city of Boston and its contractors to develop a heat illness prevention plan that would include providing employees with opportunities to access shade, water and rest as well as to receive training on heat-related illness and develop response plans in case of emergency.