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Engineering Responses to Climate Change

How can engineers help the nation mitigate and adapt to climate change? In advance of the National Academy of Engineering’s annual meeting — which will explore that question — NAE President John L. Anderson sat down to discuss the contributions engineering can make.




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National Academies Release New Videos and Illustrated Stories to Help Kids and Teens Manage Mental Health and Emotions During COVID-19

Social distancing, disrupted routines, and a lost sense of security and safety have made some kids and teens vulnerable to stress, anxiety, and depression during the pandemic. A new set of tools from the National Academies helps kids and adults build skills to cope with stress.




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Reports & Events Monthly Calendar - October 2021

“Reports & Events” is a monthly tip sheet for the news media that highlights selected meetings of interest and reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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How College and University Leaders Are Getting Their Campuses Vaccinated

For the first time since the pandemic struck, many colleges and universities are bringing students back to campus at full capacity. Their administrators are turning to new strategies and incentives to get students vaccinated against COVID-19.




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Gulf Research Program Awards Eight Early-Career Research Fellows in Environmental Protection and Stewardship

Eight scientists have been selected for the Gulf Research Program’s Environmental Protection and Stewardship track of the 2021 Early-Career Research Fellowship (ECRF), announced the Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today.




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Ford and Wilson to Lead Transportation Research Board Executive Committee in 2022

Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. and Shawn Wilson have been appointed as chair and vice chair, respectively, of the 2022 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Executive Committee by Marcia McNutt, president of the National Academy of Sciences and chair of the National Research Council.




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Driverless Motor Vehicles - Not Yet Ready for Prime Time

Read a new NAE Perspective by Christopher A. Hart, former chair of the National Transportation Safety Board and the founder of Hart Solutions LLC, on whether the time is right for driverless motor vehicles.




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Climate Change and ‘A New Normal of Extremes’

A recent discussion hosted by the National Academies examined the extreme weather events that are becoming more frequent as the climate changes, and how the nation can better prepare for them.




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Guidance for Measuring Sexual Harassment Prevalence Using Campus Climate Surveys

This Guidance Document is a product of the National Academies’ Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education, which presents information and identifies guidance based on existing research literature.




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Gulf Research Program Launches Gulf Scholars — Its First Initiative Focused on Undergraduate Education

The Gulf Research Program has launched its first undergraduate education initiative, the Gulf Scholars Program. The five-year, $12.7 million pilot program will prepare undergraduates to address the Gulf of Mexico’s most pressing environmental, health, resilience, and infrastructure challenges.




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Science and Engineering Education Needs to Be Prioritized Through Fifth Grade, Says New Report

State policymakers should prioritize science and engineering education from preschool through fifth grade, and ensure it is taught comprehensively, frequently, and consistently.




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Report Identifies New Approach for Some NASA Missions to Prevent Contaminating Mars with Earth-Based Microbes

Some of NASA’s robotic missions to Mars could be subject to less stringent bioburden requirements, which are designed to prevent the unintentional transport of Earth-based microbes, without interfering with searches for indigenous life on the planet.




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Confronting a ‘Triple Existential Threat’ — NAM President Victor Dzau Discusses How Health and Medicine Can Respond to Current Crises

In advance of the National Academy of Medicine’s annual meeting on Oct. 17-18, NAM President Victor Dzau sat down to talk about the compounding crises of COVID-19, climate change, and systemic racism — and how health and medicine can help respond to these threats.




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When Talking to Parents About COVID-19 Vaccines for Children, Emphasize Safety, Encourage Speaking with Family Doctor, and Leverage Social Connections, Says New Expert Consultation

When communicating with parents about getting their children vaccinated against COVID-19, emphasize the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, encourage them to talk with their family doctor, and leverage parents’ social networks.




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Combating Antimicrobial Resistance Globally Requires Maintaining Safety of Available Antibiotics and a Robust Pipeline - Animal and Environmental Health Strategies Also Needed

Safe, effective antimicrobial medicines are essential to modern medical procedures and pandemic preparedness. A new National Academies report recommends a range of policy, regulatory, and financial actions to tackle antimicrobial resistance, spanning human, animal, and environmental health.




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Planning Committee Named for the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing

A multidisciplinary committee representing 11 nations will plan the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing, to be held in London March 7-9, 2022. The NAS and NAM join other international partners in organizing the summit, which will build upon previous events held in Washington, D.C. and Hong Kong.




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Evolutionary Medicine Needs Engineering Expertise

Projects that bring engineering expertise to bear on the questions addressed by evolutionary medicine promise major advances. In a new NAE Perspective, Randolph M. Nesse discusses how applications of evolutionary biology to medicine are giving rise to new opportunities for engineering to enhance understanding of disease.




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‘We Can’t Wait Any Longer’ — As COP26 Approaches, NAS President Marcia McNutt Discusses Science and Solutions to Climate Change

National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt discusses science and solutions to climate change ahead of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), which begins Oct. 31, 2021.




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Violence Against Health Workers During War

Despite legal protections for health care workers in combat zones, attacks on them are a continuing problem. From 2016 to 2020 there were more than 4,000 violent incidents against health care workers and facilities. A recent webinar explored what’s driving the violence and steps that should be taken to stop it.




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Reports & Events Monthly Calendar - November 2021

“Reports & Events” is a monthly tip sheet for the news media that highlights selected meetings of interest and reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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COP26 Presents Historic Opportunity for a More Sustainable Future, Say Presidents of U.S. National Academies

The presidents of the U.S. National Academies said in a statement that the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) presents a historic global opportunity to agree on emissions reduction targets to avoid the most intolerable impacts of climate change.




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Rebalancing Power to Combat Sexual Harassment

In many university departments, graduate students may be wholly dependent on their advisers for funding and academic support — a difference in power that raises the risk of sexual harassment. At a recent summit of the Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education, speakers explored how to diffuse those power differences.




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HHS’s Medical Countermeasures Enterprise Should Be Re-envisioned Post-COVID-19

Using lessons learned from COVID-19, a new report outlines recommendations to strengthen the U.S. Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) to better protect the nation from future threats, and ensure it can deliver the vaccines, medicines, and personal protective equipment needed during a public health emergency.




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New Report Charts Path for Next Decade of Astronomy and Astrophysics - Recommends Future Ground and Space Telescopes, Scientific Priorities, Investments in Scientific Community

A new decadal survey presents a visionary plan for the fields of astronomy and astrophysics, identifying scientific priorities and opportunities, and recommending an ambitious program of investment to strengthen the profession and achieve new capabilities.




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National Academies Statement in Support of Findings and Conclusions of 2019 Report on Child Poverty

In 2019 the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty, a landmark consensus study report that analyzes various policy solutions to help address child poverty in the United States.




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Preventing Another Oil Spill Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico - Offshore Situation Room Convenes Experts to Share Lessons, Future Actions

Eleven years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the Gulf Research Program’s Offshore Situation Room event examined how to make sure another offshore oil spill doesn’t happen — and how we can be better prepared if it does.




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Preparing for the Next Influenza Pandemic by Leveraging Lessons from COVID-19 Is Focus of Four New Reports from the National Academy of Medicine

Seasonal influenza and the next influenza pandemic could emerge at any time. Four new reports examine lessons learned from COVID-19 that can improve preparedness for an influenza pandemic, including vaccine R&D, supply chain resilience, and non-vaccine public health measures.




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Transparency in Federal Agency Statistics — New Report

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine makes recommendations for how federal agencies can improve the transparency and reproducibility of federal statistics — such as education, labor, health, income, and justice statistics.




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New Report Recommends Changes to Handbook for EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System Assessments

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should make changes to its integrated risk information system (IRIS) assessments handbook to ensure it provides clear operational instructions for those conducting assessments, and transparency regarding the assessment process, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Reports & Events Monthly Calendar - December 2021

“Reports & Events” is a monthly tip sheet for the news media that highlights selected meetings of interest and reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Ceremonial Presentations of Nobel Prizes to be Held at U.S. National Academy of Sciences Locations in Washington and Irvine – Dec. 6 and 8

During Nobel Week 2021, ceremonial presentations of Nobel Prize medals and diplomas to 2021 laureates who are based in the United States will take place at the National Academy of Sciences.




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U.S. Should Create National Strategy by End of 2022 to Reduce Its Increasing Contribution to Global Ocean Plastic Waste, Says New Report

The United States should create a national strategy by end of 2022 to reduce its outsized and increasing contribution to plastic waste in the world’s oceans.




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Lessons from COVID-19 on Executing Communications and Engagement at the Community Level During a Health Crisis

On May 20, 2021, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a virtual convening of public health and communications practitioners to examine the challenges, opportunities, and lessons they saw while executing effective communications and community engagement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.




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New Report Assesses the Feasibility, Cost, and Potential Impacts of Ocean-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal Approaches - Recommends U.S. Research Program

The U.S. should undertake a new research program to better understand the potential risks and benefits of ocean-based interventions to remove or sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and learn how these methods could be used to mitigate the impacts of climate change.




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Actions Needed by Higher Education Institutions, Technology Companies, Federal Agencies to Increase Representation of Women of Color in Tech

A range of organizations across the tech ecosystem — tech companies, colleges and universities, professional societies, and government agencies — should take steps to improve the representation of women of color in tech fields and careers.




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U.S. Nobel Prize Laureates Receive Medals at NAS Ceremonies

The National Academy of Sciences is hosting celebrations for the winners of 2021 Nobel Prizes who are based in the United States, joining in ceremonies and events being held around the world this week to celebrate laureates unable to travel to Stockholm this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.




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U.S. Coast Guard Should Issue Guidance for Improving Safety of ‘Duck Boats’ Used for Commercial Passenger Service, Says New Report

The U.S. Coast Guard should issue a range of new guidelines and requirements to ensure the safety of passengers and crew on DUKWs or “duck boats”— those familiar amphibious vehicles often used for touring the streets and waters of many cities.




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Reports & Events Monthly Calendar - January 2022

“Reports & Events” is a monthly tip sheet for the news media that highlights selected meetings of interest and reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Transportation Research Board Convenes Annual Gathering of Government, Industry, and Research Professionals

Industry leaders, policymakers, administrators, and researchers will gather in person from Jan. 9 to 13 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., for the 101st annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB).




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Pandemic Isolation and the Elderly - A Doctor Reflects on the Impacts

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many older Americans experienced social isolation or loneliness, which can impact both mental and physical health. Carla Perissinotto, a geriatrician who served on a National Academies study committee that examined the topic, reflected on her patients’ experiences during the pandemic and what we’ve learned.




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Mitigating the Effects of Pandemic on Early Child Care and Education Providers — New Consultation

A new National Academies consultation outlines strategies that decision-makers could use to address long-standing challenges and mitigate the effects of COVID-19 in the early child care and education sector.




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Transportation Secretary Buttigieg Underscores Importance of Equity in Transportation, Addresses Supply Chain Issues During TRB Annual Meeting 2022

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed attendees of the Transportation Research Board’s 101st Annual Meeting, where he highlighted the importance of evidence-based science, along with economic strength, clean energy, road traffic safety, and infrastructure.




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Technoscientific Research - A Missing Term in R&D Discourse

In a new NAE Perspective, Venkatesh Narayanamurti reflects on the need for more effective R&D funding, especially in technoscientific research, a key engine of innovation.




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Promoting Health Equity in Cancer Care — ‘It’s Time to Declare Disparities Intolerable’

Equitable cancer care starts with prevention and reaching people well before they become patients. Panelists at a recent workshop discussed how cancer centers can weave health equity into everything they do, from creating jobs to helping survivors manage treatment side effects.




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Dr. Carlotta Arthur Named New Executive Director of Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education at National Academies

Following a national search, Carlotta M. Arthur will join the National Academies as the new executive director of the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education on Feb. 14.




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National Academies’ Gulf Research Program Announces Six Early-Career Research Fellows Focused on Offshore Energy Safety

Six scientists have been selected for the Offshore Energy Safety track of the Early-Career Research Fellowship (ECRF), announced the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Reports & Events Monthly Calendar - February 2022

“Reports & Events” is a monthly tip sheet for the news media that highlights selected meetings of interest and reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Safe Passage for Scientists - Evacuating Scientists and Engineers from Afghanistan

When the Taliban captured Kabul last year, a group of scientists and engineers with ties to the National Academies were desperately seeking a way out of Afghanistan. During a recent webinar, Vaughan Turekian recounted the effort to get these scientists and their families to safety.




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National Academies Partner with Chan Zuckerberg Initiative on New Grant Program to Recognize and Further Leadership by Biomedical Researchers Who Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The National Academies are partnering with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to administer a new funding opportunity that aims to recognize and further the leadership and scientific accomplishments of excellent biomedical researchers who — through outreach, mentoring, and teaching — have a record of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in their fields.




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New Report Reviews VA Monograph on Economic Impact and Cost-Effectiveness of Service and Emotional Support Dogs for Veterans with PTSD

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a final report today reviewing the second draft of a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) monograph, The Economic Impact and Cost Effectiveness of Service Dogs for Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which assesses the economic impact and cost-effectiveness of programs involving trained service dogs or emotional support dogs and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).