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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Biodiversity — the rich variety of living things that support and sustain life on Earth — is facing grave threats. A new booklet provides an easy-to-read overview, examining the causes of biodiversity loss and presenting actions that can be taken to stop this decline.

COVID-19 has offered several lessons about improving diagnosis — from expanding testing availability, to making at-home testing easier, to empowering people with data. At a recent workshop, experts discussed how to apply these lessons to the diagnosis of other health conditions.

Experts discuss the future of ocean-based approaches to carbon dioxide removal — including the ethics of investigating proposed strategies, how research can respond to public concerns, and what we need to know to make informed climate decisions.

“The Creative Mind” has spent the last decade bringing heightened visibility to the contributions and stories of trailblazing African Americans in science, engineering, and medicine — such as mathematical engineer Christine Darden, astronaut Mae Jemison, zoologist Shirley Malcom, and many others.

A new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns the increasingly numerous and widespread impacts of climate change may soon overcome our ability to adapt, unless action is taken to reduce emissions.

A presidential commission on bioethics has not been appointed since 2017. The Biden administration should reinstate a presidential bioethics advisory commission to help inform policy decisions that have bioethical implications, urge the NAS and NAM presidents and other experts.

The emergence of biological physics as a field has had an impact on artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, the global response to COVID-19, and more. A new report outlines research directions and recommends ways federal agencies and universities can help strengthen the field’s future.

With a $1 million donation, the Breakthrough Prize Foundation joins a growing number of individuals and institutions that are supporting an NAS effort to help displaced Ukrainian researchers relocate, continue their work, and stay connected to the international scientific community.

Assessing the success of ecological restoration efforts since the Deepwater Horizon platform explosion and oil spill in 2010 will require continued improvements in data analysis and coordination across the Gulf of Mexico region.

A new decadal survey presents a comprehensive plan for the fields of planetary science and astrobiology, identifying priority missions, planetary defense efforts, strategic technology and infrastructure investments, and ways to support the profession.

This description of practice summarizes the development and implementation of a policy by the University of Wisconsin (UW) System to prevent “passing the harasser,” a term that denotes a known harasser transitioning from one institution to another without (1) the new employer’s knowledge of previous violations of sexual harassment policy or ongoing investigations of such violations, and/or (2) facing disciplinary action.

The description of practice below summarizes the development and implementation of a policy by the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) to prevent “passing the harasser,” a term that denotes a known harasser transitioning from one institution to another without (1) the new employer’s knowledge of previous violations of sexual harassment policy or ongoing investigations of such violations, and/or (2) facing disciplinary action.

Recidivism is an inadequate measurement of a person’s success after release from prison. Researchers should develop supplementary measures that evaluate multiple areas of a person’s life — including employment, housing, health, social support, and personal well-being — and that examine interactions with the criminal justice system with more nuance.

Automated research workflows — which integrate computation, laboratory automation, and tools from artificial intelligence — have the potential to increase the speed of research activities and accelerate scientific discovery. A new report recommends ways to advance their development.

To enhance and coordinate its research on autoimmune diseases, the National Institutes of Health should create an Office of Autoimmune Disease/Autoimmunity Research and a plan that spans all institutes and centers to provide an overall NIH strategy for autoimmune disease research.

The Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced grant awards totaling $8.6 million for 11 new projects supporting health equity and community resilience.

Lack of representation in research is compounding disparities in health outcomes, with serious consequences for underrepresented groups and the nation as a whole. Urgent actions are needed by NIH, FDA, and others to boost representation of racial and ethnic minority groups and other underrepresented populations in clinical trials and research.

To meet its diversity and inclusion goals for competed mission leadership, NASA should invest in STEM career pathways, partner with historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions, and expand training and mentorship opportunities, among other actions.

Ensuring that populations globally are actively engaged in society while living longer, healthier lives will require a multisector, all-of-society approach. A new NAM report provides a roadmap with recommendations for addressing the needs of older people in the next five years and other actions to improve healthy longevity by 2050.

The CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine should create an effective and innovative quarantine station model to confront new challenges in preventing the spread of infectious diseases in the U.S., and requires new investment and regulatory reforms to do so.

In a statement, National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt and National Academy of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau said that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade “will likely make it even more difficult for women to access high-quality health care in this country.”

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced $4.6 million in awards to support three project teams undertaking research to improve the forecasting of sea level rise along the Gulf Coast of the United States.

Testing for exposure to PFAS — chemicals used in a broad range of consumer products for decades — should be offered to patients who are likely to have a history of elevated exposure. A new report provides advice to the CDC on how clinicians can interpret test results and deliver follow-up care.

EPA should conduct an ecological risk assessment of ultraviolet filters used in sunscreens, given the evidence that aquatic ecosystems in the U.S. and possibly endangered species are exposed to these UV filters, and given the importance of these ingredients in skin cancer prevention.

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced $200,000 in planning grant awards for two historically Black universities as part of a partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to understand how data on social determinants of health can transform public health data systems in the Gulf of Mexico region.

Historic legislation has been enacted to boost U.S. competitiveness and security, spur innovation, and make real progress on climate change and human health, said the National Academies’ presidents in a statement. “The National Academies stand ready to mobilize the broader science, engineering, and medical and health communities to help inform and implement solutions.”

Emission reduction goals, changing transportation patterns caused by COVID, an influx of infrastructure investments, and the need to support mobility for all residents together present a challenge for planners. A recent webinar explored how cities can support a transition to more equitable, lower-emissions urban transportation systems.

Among the many parts of the U.S. public health system strained by the COVID-19 pandemic were the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine and its network of quarantine stations. A recent report explored how to improve these stations based on lessons learned during the pandemic.

In an interview, NAE President John Anderson discusses the national and global transition to net-zero carbon emissions and how engineers — and NAE in particular — can support that shift. Energy Transitions is the theme of NAE’s annual meeting this year, taking place Oct. 2-3.

Maria Spiropulu and Michael Turner — co-chairs of a National Academies study underway to assess key science questions that will drive research in the field of elementary particle physics for the next decade and beyond — discuss the study, community engagement, and the field’s relevance to everyday life.

Coeur d’Alene Lake in northern Idaho is beginning to recover from nearly a century of mining in its watershed. A new report finds metal concentrations are slowly declining and the lake is not currently at risk of anoxia.

Hurricane Ian has caused catastrophic damage to life, property, and infrastructure across Florida, and it is headed toward Georgia and the Carolinas. The National Academies have many resources aimed at better understanding hurricanes, how climate change may be affecting their intensity and frequency, and how communities can become more resilient to extreme events.

As the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP27) approaches, a new report recommends steps to improve the accuracy and usability of greenhouse gas emissions information for decision-makers, including creating a global information clearinghouse.

The theme of the National Academy of Medicine’s 52nd Annual Meeting, taking place Oct. 16-17, is “Revolutionizing the Biomedical and Health Sciences.” NAM President Victor Dzau discusses challenges and opportunities for the health and medicine research enterprise in the decades ahead.

For decades the National Academies have provided objective, expert advice to help the nation understand issues related to maternal and reproductive health, unintended pregnancy, prenatal care, racial and ethnic disparities in health care, and abortion.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry should be optimized to be a user-friendly resource and focus on improving health care quality and access for veterans and providing two-way communication between veterans who participate and the VA.

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced awards totaling $3.4 million to support four projects that reduce the burden of disaster-related mental health consequences with a focus on acute disasters.

Life cycle assessments of low-carbon transportation fuels — such as electricity, biofuels, or hydrogen — are valuable tools for measuring environmental impacts, but uncertainties remain in the models that are currently used, and further research should be conducted to strengthen their reliability.

Congress should take action to facilitate the participation of all land-grant colleges and universities in multistate research projects, says a new report. Funding disparities have prevented many historically Black and tribal colleges and universities from fully collaborating with other land-grant institutions.

The presidents of the U.S. National Academies warn that the Taliban’s decision to prevent Afghan women and girls from participating in higher education or attending secondary school ignores the scientific evidence on the benefits of education for women and could have “potentially disastrous consequences” for the future of Afghanistan.

Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took the stage at the 2023 annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board to discuss the federal government’s plan to reach “net-zero” carbon emissions in the U.S. transportation sector by 2050.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater surveillance has provided advance indications of community-level outbreaks, sometimes weeks before other indicators. A new report says that wastewater surveillance is worthy of investment and outlines a vision for the future of a national system.