News

NASA; Book Promotion; DOE Early Career

BU IN DC

Anthony Jack of the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development addressed the American Council on Education (ACE) annual meeting on February 27th.

Mary Churchill of the Wheelock College of Education & Human Developmentattended the ACE Women's Network Leadership Conference on February 27th and 28th.

Leslie Dietiker of the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development attended the LEARN Coalition spring meeting on March 3rd.

Christine Slaughter from the College of Arts & Sciences spoke at a Peopling Politics symposium on March 5th.

BUZZ BITS...

• The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee unanimously advanced bills to renew NASA and the weather research activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday. The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee previously passed similar bills and the two chambers will need to negotiate final versions before they can be sent to the President.
• On Friday, the Department of Education released a report on the future of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the research arm of the agency. The report recommends IES "focus on the most urgent education challenges that are informed by state and district leaders" and "prioritize multi-state awards to help scale the most promising interventions, resources, and policies." The Department's press release indicates it will review the recommendations and consider its next steps.
• Dr. Lindsey Criswell's appointment as director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases at the National Institutes of Health was not renewed. Criswell had served in the role since February 2021.

EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE

Are you ready to learn how to amplify a book launch and build a positive media presence? Join Kevin Anselmo from Experiential Communications on March 12th at 12 p.m. for a dynamic, remote 90-minute workshop where you’ll discover how to navigate both promoting an upcoming book and enhancing awareness of a book already in print. The event is part of the Strategic Communications series cosponsored by BU Public Relations | Social Media and the Office of Research. From podcasting to working with the media to building an online persona, these events allow BU’s research community to hone their communication skills and promote their work.

Register today

GRANT NEWS YOU CAN USE

The Department of Energy has released the 2026 solicitation for its Early Career Research Program, which provides grants of up to $875,000 over five years to exceptional scholars within ten years of earning their doctorate. The DOE supports research in fields such as computing, biological and environmental sciences, physics, and energy. Recent awardees include Boston University faculty with appointments in Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy. Mandatory pre-applications are due no later than March 24th.

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State of the Union; NSF Director; DARPA Biological Technologies Office

BU IN DC

Vice President and Associate Provost for Research Kenneth Lutchen, Roscoe Giles and Yannis Paschalidis of the College of Engineering, and Lloyd Munjanja of Research Development participated in the Department of Energy Genesis Mission Summit on February 18th.

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer Nicole Tirella attended the 2026 Summit on Higher Education Finance and the Economy on February 19th and 20th.

Noel Vest of the School of Public Health met with Congressional offices during the College on Problems of Drug Dependence Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill on February 17th.

Kevin Outterson of CARB-X discussed antimicrobial resistance with Congressional offices on February 25th.

STATE OF THE UNION HIGHLIGHTS AI, MEN'S HOCKEY

President Donald J. Trump delivered the annual State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday night, saying the "golden age of America is upon us." He highlighted the Presidential AI Challenge, which invites young people to develop AI-based solutions to address community problems, as well as the First Lady's leadership on AI safety. Trump also recognized the U.S. men's Olympic hockey team, which includes five Terriers, following their gold medal win. After the speech, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon released a statement touting the Department of Education's progress in "restoring accountability in education."

Watch the address

BUZZ BITS...

• The White House confirmed the President intends to nominate Jim O'Neill to serve as the director of the National Science Foundation. O’Neill is a health care venture capitalist who recently stepped down as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The nomination has not yet been sent to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) shared an update this week on the "core tenets" of the NIH Unified Funding Strategy: "scientific merit assessed during peer review, alignment with the NIH mission, program balance, career stage, geographic balance, and stewardship of available funds." The post reiterates that NIH's institutes and centers will not publish paylines and urges applicants to "connect with NIH program staff regularly about your research ideas."
• On Monday, the Department of Education (ED) announced that the Department of State will review foreign gifts and contracts to universities through a new interagency agreement. The State Department is expected to "review and assess [colleges'] compliance" with Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, which requires schools to report foreign gifts to ED.

EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE

Are you interested in doing research at the leading edge of science and technology? The Biological Technologies Office (BTO) within the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) leverages advances in biology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to develop technologies that protect warfighters, strengthen logistics and supply chains, and accelerate transformative science across the biological spectrum. In a virtual presentation to the BU research community on Thursday, March 5th at 11:00am, BTO Director Dr. Michael Koeris will provide an overview of DARPA and the BTO, and highlight BTO’s current research thrusts. Faculty will leave the talk with a better understanding of how to share their research with DARPA program managers and the types of research DARPA is interested in supporting.

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NEH Chair; Early Career Webinar; DOE Lighthouse Challenges

BU IN DC

Dean Elise Morgan of the College of Engineering participated in the 2026 Engineering Deans Council Public Policy Colloquium and met with Congressional offices between February 9th and February 11th.

BUZZ BITS...

• Last week, President Donald J. Trump nominated Michael McDonald to be the chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). McDonald is the agency's general counsel and has served as its acting chair since March 2025. His nomination will now await approval by the U.S. Senate.
• The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced this week that Dr. Joydip Kundu is leading the NSF Geosciences Directorate (GEO). He had been GEO's deputy assistant director since July and previously served as deputy assistant director for the Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate. Dr. Jennifer Mercer, formerly of the Office of Polar Programs, and Dr. Anne Johansen, previously of the Division of Atmosphere and Geospace Sciences, will serve as deputy directorate heads.
• On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing on "The Science of Reading." The discussion focused on how federal funding can promote evidence-based literacy instruction, the importance of research supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, and the need for strong professional development and standards for graduates of teacher preparation programs.

EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE

Seeking federal or foundation funding? Join Research Development, Foundation Relations, Federal Relations, and Washington-D.C.-based consulting firm Lewis-Burke Associates on Wednesday, February 18th at 3 p.m. for a webinar hosted by the Office of Research outlining key resources available to early-career BU faculty in today’s evolving funding landscape. This session will provide an overview of funding-related resources at Boston University and feature a panel discussion with BU faculty from different disciplinary backgrounds who have successfully secured external early-career funding. Panelists will share practical insights on identifying appropriate funders, timing applications strategically, and crafting compelling, funder-aligned narratives.

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ENERGY DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES LIGHTHOUSE CHALLENGES

The Department of Energy (DOE) announced 26 "Lighthouse Grand Challenge" topics for research stakeholders to address in order to advance scientific discovery, deploy energy technologies, and tackle national security challenges using artificial intelligence. The topics include scaling the biotechnology revolution; accelerating materials discovery, production, and qualification for strategic deterrence; and predicting U.S. water availability for energy. Within the next few months, DOE will issue a solicitation inviting multi-institutional teams of DOE national labs, research universities, and industry partners to propose solutions in these 26 topic areas.

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