State of the Union, Alondra Nelson, Writing Op-Eds
BU IN DC
College of Engineering Dean Kenneth Lutchen met with Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) and staff for Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) as part of the annual American Society for Engineering Education Public Policy Colloquium between February 6th and 8th.
Con Hurley of the BU School of Law moderated a panel during a forum on the future of the Federal Home Loan Bank system cohosted with the Brookings Institution today.
BIDEN PLEDGES TO “FINISH THE JOB” ON PELL, ARPA-H IN STATE OF THE UNION
President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday night. The President focused on his Cancer Moonshot, which aims to cut the cancer death rate in half, and urged lawmakers to support the new Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health (ARPA-H) to catalyze critical medical breakthroughs. He also touted the success of the CHIPS + Science Act signed into law last summer, lauding the law’s support for American manufacturing and innovation. Biden signaled he will continue to push for a proposal to provide two years of free community college, building on the Administration’s overhaul of the student loan repayment programs and on recent increases to the Pell Grant financial aid award for low-income students. While discussing immigration, Biden urged lawmakers to provide legal status for Dreamer students brought to the United States without documentation as children.
BUZZ BITS…
- Dr. Alondra Nelson announced on Sunday that she would step down as the deputy director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) after two years in the role. Dr. Nelson led OSTP’s work to create an artificial intelligence “bill of rights” for the ethical use of AI, as well as overseeing the rollout of the Administration’s open access and scientific integrity initiatives. Nelson has returned to the Institute for Advanced Study, which she led before joining the Biden Administration.
- The White House released a new report on the Biden Administration’s priorities for mental health research, part of its wider strategy to address the nation’s mental health crisis. The report identifies research priorities such as understanding and leveraging digital mental health interventions, advancing equity in mental health research, and supporting youth mental health.
- Multiple news sources have reported that U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh will be leaving the Biden Administration to lead the National Hockey League Players’ Association. Walsh, the former mayor of Boston, will be the first statutory member of the Biden Cabinet to depart.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
The Office of Research and Public Relations are hosting a virtual, interactive workshop with the Scholars Strategy Network entitled a Guide to Op-Eds: How to Improve your Writing, Editing, and Pitching. Participants will learn how to write and pitch compelling, research-based op-eds, identify and incorporate timely news hooks, signal their unique and relevant expertise, and pitch to different media outlets. The workshop will take place online at 3 p.m. on Thursday, February 16th.
The Office of Research, Global Development Policy Center, and Center for the Study of Asia will cohost a Research on Tap on the theme of China and the World on February 27th at 4 p.m. BU faculty will deliver microtalks about their research that addresses Chinese policy through the lenses of the humanities, social sciences, data sciences, and other disciplines. A reception will follow to allow scholars across multiple fields to make connections and help inform research and teaching on this major global power.
A Note To Our Readers: Due to the forthcoming Congressional District Work Period, Beltway BUzz will take a temporary break. We will be back with more news when Congress returns.