House Committee Endorses Changes to NSF and Dept. of Energy
BU IN DC
Michelle P. Durham of the School of Medicine testified about mental health care during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on June 15th.
College of Communication Dean Mariette DiChristina moderated a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine panel on the role of infrastructure in building a climate resilient future on June 17th.
Kevin Outterson, executive director of CARB-X and School of Law faculty, hosted a virtual policy briefing on combatting antibiotic resistance featuring Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and White House staff on June 23rd.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ENDORSES CHANGES TO NSF AND DEPT. OF ENERGY
On June 15th, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee approved the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the Future Act (H.R. 2225), which would establish a new science and engineering solutions directorate at NSF to focus on applied solutions to scientific problems. The bill, which BU President Robert A. Brown urged legislators to support, would also increase funding for graduate education and create opportunities for scholars at Minority Serving Institutions. The Committee also approved the Department of Energy (DOE) Science for the Future Act (H.R. 3593), which would authorize new and existing programs at the Office of Science and DOE national labs. The full U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bills this summer, and then negotiate differences between the House measures and similar legislation passed earlier this month by the U.S. Senate.
BUZZ BITS…
- The U.S. Department of Education affirmed last week that Title IX prohibits discrimination against students on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Department’s guidance is consistent with a 2020 Supreme Court ruling, and reverses the Trump Administration’s policies on transgender students.
- The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) cannot limit payments to college athletes that are related to their education, such as scholarships for post-graduate education, study abroad opportunities, or academic awards. The narrow ruling did not discuss whether the NCAA may set limits on compensation related to the athletes’ sports endeavors.
- Last week, President Joe Biden announced his intention to appoint BU alumna Dr. Cynthia Ann Telles (GRS ’76, ’82) as ambassador to Costa Rica. Dr. Telles is director of the UCLA Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center of Excellence and earned her Master’s and PhD in clinical psychology from BU.
GRANTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is requesting public comments on how the agency can broaden participation by underrepresented populations who interact with NASA, including in grant opportunities. The feedback will help the agency develop its new Mission Equity initiative, which seeks to rectify the barriers that underrepresented communities may face when engaging with the agency. The agency is soliciting feedback on:
- “Diversity and Equal Opportunity at NASA and in the STEM Community
- Opportunities for NASA to Leverage its Data, Expertise, and Missions to Help Underserved Communities
- Barriers/Gaps to Accessing Current NASA Grants, Programs, and Procurements
- Engagement and Outreach with Organizations and Individuals from Underserved and Underrepresented Communities”
NASA will be hosting a virtual stakeholder meeting on June 29th to further discuss the initiative and the request for information.