de

National Academies Release COVID-19 Data Guide for Decision-Makers

The recently formed National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN), which connects social and behavioral science researchers with decision-makers leading the response to COVID-19, today released a rapid expert consultation to guide leaders using COVID-19 measurements like hospitalizations and reported confirmed cases to understand the spread of the disease in their communities.




de

Future Transportation Workforce Video Awarded Gold in Telly’s General Recruitment Category and Silvers in Craft Writing and General, Not-For-Profit

A video created as part of the Transportation Research Board’s centennial celebration has been named the winner of three 2020 Telly Awards, which annually showcase the best work created within television and across all types of video production.




de

New Executive Director of Division on Earth and Life Studies Appointed at National Academies

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced today that, following a national search, Elizabeth Eide has been named executive director of its Division on Earth and Life Studies (DELS).




de

Winners Selected for the 2019-2020 TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs

The Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) has selected winners for its annual University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs.




de

Understanding the Well-Being of LGBTQI+ Populations

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are currently conducting a study to review available data on the well-being of LGBTQI+ populations and future research needs for this community.




de

Prescribers Should Restrict the Use of Non-FDA-Approved Compounded Bioidentical Hormones, Except for Specific Medical Circumstances

The use of compounded bioidentical hormone therapies (cBHTs) — an increasingly popular approach to relieve symptoms of menopause and male hypogonadism — should be limited to the small number of patients who cannot benefit from an FDA-approved hormone therapy product, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




de

Dogs Necessary for Only a Few Areas of Research at Veterans Affairs - Agency Should Adopt Expanded Criteria for Using Dogs

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine says using laboratory dogs in research at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is scientifically necessary for only a few areas of current biomedical research.




de

Troubleshooting the Pandemic - Engineers Pitch Innovative Solutions to Help Address COVID-19

While the world waits for a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection, international and multigenerational teams of engineers have come together through the National Academy of Engineering’s COVID-19 Call for Engineering Action to find creative solutions to problems caused by the pandemic.




de

“A deep curiosity about the world”

The ocean may have something to teach us about the pandemic we’re grappling with, according to oceanographer and National Academy of Sciences member Jody Deming. Deming is a member of the Ocean Memory Project — a collaboration of scientists, artists, and others who are exploring how changes over time are encoded into ocean “memories.”




de

New Report Recommends National Framework to Strengthen Evidence on Effective Responses to Public Health Emergencies, Says Current Evidence Base Is Deficient

Research and funding priorities tend to shift from one disaster to the next, which has resulted in a sparse evidence base and hampers the nation’s ability to respond to public health emergencies in the most effective way, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




de

Schools Should Prioritize Reopening in Fall 2020, Especially for Grades K-5, While Weighing Risks and Benefits

Weighing the health risks of reopening K-12 schools in fall 2020 against the educational risks of providing no in-person instruction, school districts should prioritize reopening schools full time, especially for grades K-5 and students with special needs, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




de

National Academies Launch Study on Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine – First Meeting July 24

In response to a request from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) have formed a committee that will develop an overarching framework to assist policymakers in the U.S. and global health communities in planning for equitable allocation of vaccines against COVID-19. The committee will hold its first meeting on July 24.




de

Promising Strategies for Encouraging COVID-19 Protective Behaviors, Including Mask Wearing and Physical Distancing, Identified in New Guidance

A new rapid expert consultation from the Societal Experts Action Network identifies promising strategies to make the adoption of protective behaviors against COVID-19, such as wearing a mask or regularly washing your hands, more likely.




de

Staffing Considerations for Crisis Standards of Care Outlined in New Rapid Response to Government from National Academies Standing Committee

A new rapid expert consultation from a standing committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine outlines considerations for clinical staffing needs during the implementation of Crisis Standards of Care (CSC), including adjusting staff responsibilities, providing “hazard pay” to staff, ensuring adequate time off, offering child care and other benefits, and leveraging health care coalitions to ensure appropriate transfer of patients between hospitals.




de

Reopening U.S. Research Universities - Weathering the Pandemic, and Looking Beyond It

The COVID-19 pandemic is posing some entirely new challenges to U.S. research universities — the need to dramatically ramp up online education, for example, and to find ways to protect the health and safety of faculty, students, and staff.




de

National Academies Gulf Research Program Announces 2020 Class of Science Policy Fellows

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced the nine recipients of its 2020 Science Policy Fellowships.




de

As SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolves, Genomic Data Should Be Collected Alongside Patient and Public Health Data, Says New Report

To better understand the evolution, transmission patterns, and disease progression of SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — genome sequence data should be integrated with patient clinical data and epidemiological data, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




de

Twenty Scientists Awarded 2020 Early-Career Research Fellowships by National Academies Gulf Research Program

The Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced the 20 recipients of its 2020 Early-Career Research Fellowships.




de

In Their Words - Youth Share Their Thoughts on National Academies Adolescent Health Report

Adolescents need to be heard to ensure that health programs that serve them are reaching them effectively, according to Promoting Positive Adolescent Health Behaviors and Outcomes, a report released last December by the National Academies.




de

Answering the Call - Engineers Continue to Pitch New Ideas to Help Address COVID-19

While progress toward developing a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection continues to dominate conversations about the pandemic, international and multigenerational teams of engineers have come together once again through the National Academy of Engineering’s COVID-19 Call for Engineering Action to find creative solutions to myriad pandemic-related problems. Their ideas aim to combat misinformation, help people most at risk, and prevent the spread of the virus.




de

To Reduce Food Waste Standardized Date Labeling, Behavior Change Campaign, and Marketing Changes Needed, Says New Report

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine identifies promising strategies for reducing consumer food waste nationwide, including a national campaign to change consumer behavior, federal standardization of food date labeling, and changes to retailer marketing and food service practices, among other measures.




de

New Guidance Says Decision-Makers Can Offer Incentives and Partner with Trusted Sources, Among Other Strategies, to Encourage Cooperation in COVID-19 Contact Tracing

A new rapid expert consultation from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Societal Experts Action Network says strategies such as giving advance notice, partnering with trusted sources, and offering incentives can encourage individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to respond to health department contact tracing and share information about people they may have exposed to the virus.




de

Disaster Resources from the National Academies

As Hurricane Laura bears down on parts of Louisiana and Texas, officials are dealing with the challenge of evacuating and sheltering people in the middle of a pandemic. A recent workshop examined how disaster preparedness teams must adapt to new realities as hurricanes, wildfires, and other extreme weather events coincide with COVID-19.




de

National Academies to Seek Public Comment, Hold Listening Session on Draft Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine – Week of Aug. 31

A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee tasked with developing an overarching framework to assist policymakers in planning for equitable allocation of a vaccine against COVID-19 will issue a discussion draft of the preliminary framework for public comment on Sept. 1.




de

The Challenge of Maintaining and Reopening Buildings During a Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses and government agencies to close or restructure to allow their employees to work remotely. However, the now-empty facilities still require some maintenance and engineering staff to remain on-site to ensure the basic operations of the buildings are running smoothly and safely. Keeping these employees safe during the pandemic so they can continue their essential duties is a priority.




de

Decoding the Unspoken Ways We Communicate

Ehsan Hoque, a National Academy of Medicine Emerging Leader, harnesses nonverbal cues to improve health and human connection




de

National Academies Release Draft Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine, Seek Public Comment

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today released for public comment a discussion draft of a preliminary framework to assist policymakers in planning for equitable allocation of a vaccine against COVID-19.




de

National Academy of Medicine Names Three NAM Fellows for 2020

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has selected three outstanding health professionals for the class of 2020 NAM Fellowships.




de

Federal Agencies Should Adopt Uniform Framework for Quantifying Disaster-Related Deaths, Illness, Says New Report

To more accurately quantify disaster-related deaths, injuries, and illnesses, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies supporting disaster response should adopt a uniform national framework of data collection approaches and methods for distinguishing direct from indirect disaster deaths, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




de

Academies Study Will Examine COVID-19 in Correctional Facilities and Strategies for Decarceration

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine started work on a new study last month that will provide advice to policymakers, corrections officials, and public health officials on best practices for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in correctional facilities through large-scale release and decarceration efforts.




de

Improving Health Outcomes for Sickle Cell Disease Care Requires Comprehensive Team-Based Care, New Payment Models, and Addressing Institutional Racism in Health

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provides a blueprint and eight overarching strategies for improving health care for the approximately 100,000 people in the United States living with sickle cell disease (SCD).




de

Experts Work to Better Understand Impact of More Frequent, Intense Wildfires

As wildfires tear across the Western U.S., officials are confronting the challenge of evacuating and sheltering people in the middle of a pandemic.




de

New Approaches Are Needed to Determine Whether Respiratory Health Problems Are Associated With Military Deployment to the Persian Gulf Region

Limitations in existing health studies have resulted in insufficient evidence to determine whether U.S. troops’ exposure to burn pit emissions and other airborne hazards in Southwest Asia are linked to adverse respiratory health outcomes, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




de

An Update on Our Response to COVID-19 - A Message from the Presidents of the NAS, NAE, and NAM

In a matter of months, the coronavirus pandemic has triggered a global health, economic, and societal crisis of staggering proportions.




de

Stephen Hinshaw Receives National Academy of Medicine’s Sarnat Award for Contributions to Understanding and Treating Mental Health Conditions in Childhood and Adolescence and Stigma Prevention Efforts

The National Academy of Medicine today announced Stephen P. Hinshaw is the recipient of the 2020 Rhoda and Bernard Sarnat International Prize in Mental Health, for basic and applied research on individuals with externalizing disorders, and for efforts to reduce mental illness stigma through youth-based programs and the promotion of humanization.




de

Anthony Fauci Receives Lienhard Award From National Academy of Medicine for Decades of Work Improving Public Health and Leadership in Shaping COVID-19 Pandemic Response

For his role as a leader of federal research and policy on infectious diseases and, in particular, for his deft, scientifically grounded leadership in shaping an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Academy of Medicine today announced Anthony S. Fauci is the recipient of the 2020 Gustav O. Lienhard Award for Advancement of Health Care.




de

Engineering a Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

National Academy of Engineering (NAE) President John Anderson sat down to talk about some of the engineering challenges posed by the pandemic and how engineers — and the NAE in particular — are working to meet them.




de

In Fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic, Disease Surveillance, Testing, and Contact Tracing Likely Here to Stay

Disease surveillance, testing, and contact tracing are among the best public health tools available to protect ourselves and our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, said panelists during a recent COVID-19 Conversations webinar, hosted by the National Academy of Medicine and American Public Health Association.




de

NAS and NAM Presidents Alarmed By Political Interference in Science Amid Pandemic

As advisers to the nation on all matters of science, medicine, and public health, we are compelled to underscore the value of science-based decision-making at all levels of government.




de

TRB Announces 25 Minority Student Fellows for 2021

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) today announced the 2021 class of Minority Student Fellows.




de

TRB Announces 12 Awardees for the 2020-2021 Airport Cooperative Research Program Graduate Research Awards

The Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) today announced winners of its annual Graduate Research Awards.




de

National Academies Release Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine for Adoption by HHS, State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Authorities

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today released the final report of a consensus study recommending a four-phased equitable allocation framework that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) authorities should adopt in the development of national and local guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine allocation.




de

Preparing for Future Pandemics - Using lessons from the current crisis to improve future responses

As many nations around the world have struggled with high rates of infections and deaths from COVID-19, Taiwan has kept the number of deaths from the disease to less than 10 — by drawing upon its previous experience with SARS, said chemical engineer Pam Cheng, speaking at last week’s annual meeting of the National Academy of Engineering.




de

This Medical Student Wants to Start an AmeriCorps for Elder Care

Many high school seniors are rethinking their plans after they graduate because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students are hesitant to commit to colleges if it means e-learning instead of the traditional classroom and on-campus experience.




de

To Adhere to Public Health Guidelines and Mitigate COVID-19, Officials Should Use Their Discretion to Minimize Incarceration, Says New Report

Where needed to adhere to public health guidelines and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, authorities should use their discretion to minimize incarceration in prisons and jails — and facilitate testing, quarantine, social supports, and individualized reentry plans for those released, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




de

National Academy of Sciences Enlists Gaming Community to Boost Public Understanding of COVID-19

LabX, a creative engagement outreach program of the National Academy of Sciences, announced the winners of a competition to create games designed to help build public understanding of COVID-19.




de

How an Implantable Dialysis Device May Extend Life for People with Kidney Failure

A few years ago, Nikhil Shah and Hiep Nguyen were touring the German Aerospace Center after giving a presentation about the future of surgery. One of the in-house researchers showed off a model of an implantable heart, and they thought — Why can’t we do that with a kidney?




de

Advantages and Trade-offs of COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests, National Testing Strategies Examined in New Rapid Response to Government

A new rapid expert consultation from a standing committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examines four topics related to the use and interpretation of COVID-19 diagnostic tests.




de

National Academies’ Gulf Research Program Awards $5.27 Million to Enhance Understanding of Gulf Ecosystems and Their Interactions with Natural Processes and Human Activities

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced grant awards totaling $5.27 million for six new projects. These projects, planned to span two to three years, aim to improve understanding of how natural processes and human activities interact to affect coastal ecosystems in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.




de

National Academies Launch New COVID-19 Strategic Science Initiative

To help decision-makers navigate through this ongoing crisis and take actions toward a strong and sustained recovery, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have launched a new strategic science initiative to provide rapid, scenario-based analyses aimed at protecting critical societal functions, avoiding worst outcomes, and building upon potential opportunities.