Workshop: Impacts of Sexual Harassment in Academia

Thu, 20 Jun 2017 12:00 EDT

The National Academies are conducting a study on the influence of sexual harassment in academia on the career advancement of women in the scientific, technical, and medical workforce. The study committee will convene a workshop in Irvine, Calif., on June 20 where scholars, educators, professional society leaders, and policy experts will discuss the prevalence, nature, and impacts of sexual harassment, as well as policies, strategies, and practices for addressing sexual harassment in academia. Agenda | Video webcast beginning at 9 a.m. PDT/noon EDT

New Report Finds EPA's Science to Achieve Results Grants Program Provides Numerous Public Benefits

Thu, 15 Jun 2017 11:00 EDT

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's primary extramural grants program – Science to Achieve Results (STAR) – has played an integral role in addressing environmental and human health research priorities that help improve air and drinking water quality and protect children's health, among other outcomes, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. EPA should continue to use the program to respond to the nation's emerging environmental and health challenges, the report recommends. Read More

ARPA-E Making Progress Toward Its Mission

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 11:00 EDT

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is making progress toward achieving its statutory mission and goals, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. ARPA-E has funded research that no other funding source was supporting at the time, and the results of some of these projects have received follow-on funding from private and other public sources for various technologies, the report says. Read More

Keck Futures Initiative and the Gulf Research Program Award $1.55 Million for 21 Projects

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 11:00 EDT

The National Academies Keck Futures Initiative (NAKFI) and the Gulf Research Program -- programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine -- are pleased to announce recipients of 21 interdisciplinary seed grants, totaling $1.55 million. These competitive grants support collaborations and investigations resulting from Discovering the Deep Blue Sea: Research, Innovation, Social Engagement, the 14th annual Futures conference, held last November.

New Report Calls for NSF to Develop Strategic Plan Specifying Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Research Priorities

Fri, 09 Jun 2017 11:00 EDT

The social, behavioral, and economic (SBE) sciences make significant contributions to the National Science Foundation's mission to advance health, prosperity and welfare, national defense, and progress in science, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. NSF should undertake a systematic and transparent strategic planning process that defines SBE research priorities, the required resources, and how success in addressing SBE priorities will be evaluated over time. Although it is commendable that NSF consults with advisory groups and the broader scientific community to identify needs and opportunities in the SBE sciences, such as those outlined in its "Rebuilding the Mosaic" document, in the absence of a strategic plan, it is unclear how this input is combined and integrated in the agency's SBE research priorities. Read More

New Report Calls on Federal and State Collaboration to Address Brucellosis Transmission From Elk

Wed, 31 May 2017 10:00 EDT

Efforts to control brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Area should focus on reducing the risk of transmission from elk, which are now viewed as the primary source of the infection in new cases occurring in cattle and domestic bison, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Federal, state, and tribal groups should work in a coordinated and transparent manner to address brucellosis in multiple areas and jurisdictions. Read More

National Academies' Presidents Comment on Proposal for New Questions for Visa Applicants

Fri, 19 May 2017 17:15 EDT

In a letter to the U.S. Department of State, the presidents of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Medicine expressed concern that a proposal to add supplemental questions for visa applicants, published in the Federal Register on May 4, "will have significant negative unintended consequences on the nation's international leadership in research, innovation, and education." The presidents warned that the proposal could discourage leading researchers from coming to the U.S. and could lead science, engineering, and medical societies to hold meetings elsewhere. International collaborations in science, engineering, and medicine have increased dramatically in the last two decades and are critical to the U.S. research enterprise, the presidents wrote. They also emphasized the important contributions of foreign students studying and working in laboratories here, who they fear may no longer see the United States as "a welcoming country." Approximately 25 percent of the members of NAS, NAE, and NAM who are U.S. citizens were born outside the country, the letter notes.

Actions Needed to Strengthen U.S. Skilled Technical Workforce

Wed, 17 May 2017, 11:00 EDT

Policymakers, employers, and educational institutions should take steps to strengthen the nation's skilled technical workforce, says a new report. Action is needed to support students in completing education and training programs and workers in upgrading their skills throughout their lives. Evidence suggests that as a nation, the United States is not adequately developing and sustaining a workforce with the skills needed to compete in the 21st century. Read More

New Report Recommends Priority Actions to Achieve Global Health Security, Protect U.S. Position as Global Health Leader, and Safeguard Billions of Dollars in Health Investments

Mon, 15 May 2017, 11:00 EDT

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine identifies global health priorities in light of current and emerging health challenges and makes recommendations to address these challenges, while maintaining U.S. status as a world leader in global health. Prioritization of resources for each issue or disease is necessary, and it is also essential to embrace a systems-focused approach to capacity building and partnership to achieve results more comprehensively. The committee that wrote the report identified four priority areas encompassing 14 recommendations for global health action: achieve global health security, maintain a sustained response to the continuous threats of communicable diseases, save and improve the lives of women and children, and promote cardiovascular health and prevent cancer. Read More

Gulf Research Program Awards $3.2 Million in Capacity-Building Grants to Benefit Coastal Communities

Thu, 11 May 2017, 14:30 EDT

The Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced today the recipients of 12 capacity-building grants, totaling almost $3.2 million. These competitive grants support community organizations as they conduct science-based projects designed to benefit their coastal communities from the Gulf of Mexico to Maine to Alaska.