News
North Star Vision, Football Lessons, CTE and Dementia
ON THE CHARLES RIVER
President Melissa Gilliam Outlines Bold “North Star” Vision for Boston University’s Future
During her first Presidential Address, Gilliam called for BU to become a “global destination of discovery, education, and human connection” through convergent research and external partnerships.
FACULTY EXPERTS
The Patriots Went from Worst to First. Can Businesses and Organizations Turn Around Too?
Boston University professors teaching about team culture and sports psychology share their insights on replicating the Patriots’ success off the field.
Learn how to turn things around
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
CTE Can Cause Dementia, According to New Boston University Study
BU CTE Center researchers, with funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs, found that the advanced stage of the progressive brain disease increases the odds of dementia fourfold.
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
Jessica Silbey and Woodrow Hartzog of the BU School of Law share their concerns about AI and the threat to democracy with the San Francisco Examiner... Joshua Goodman of the BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development talks to NPR about whether snow days are bad for students... BU sociologist Japonica Brown-Saracino looks at the many forms of gentrification... Scientific American features Janet Freilich of BU School of Law, who details how states are filling in the gaps in federal public health data... Benjamin Sovacool of the BU Institute for Global Sustainability was selected to lead a major new United Nations report on climate change.
NIH Director; DOE Advisory Committee; NASA Policy
BU IN DC
President Melissa Gilliam participated in the Association of American Universities Summit on Research Universities and the Public Good on February 2nd.
Dolores Acevedo-Garcia of the School of Social Work served as a panelist at the Brookings Institution's "Pathways to Reduce Child Poverty: Impacts of Federal Tax Credits" briefing on February 5th.
SENATORS PRESS NIH DIRECTOR ON GRANTS, PERSONNEL
Members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee questioned National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya about the agency's support for scientists in non-coastal states, the Trump Administration's cancellation of NIH grants supporting clinical trials, federal funding for "gain of function" research, and his views on the safety of vaccines during a hearing on the future of NIH on Wednesday. In response to a question regarding the many vacancies on NIH institute and center advisory councils, Bhattacharya said he is working to quickly identify new members and "there will be no delay" in approving grant awards. He also said that he is making progress on filling at least two of the agency's 15 open institute director positions.
BUZZ BITS...
- President Donald J. Trump signed into law the spending bills that fund activities at the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and Department of Defense until September 30, 2026, thereby ending the partial government shutdown. The spending package rejected the Administration's proposed cuts to science activities and maintained funding for Pell Grant awards to low-income students.
- On Tuesday, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the members of a newly established DOE Office of Science Advisory Committee. The Committee replaces the Office's previous six advisory committees and will be chaired by Dr. Persis Drell, the former provost of Stanford University and director of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
- The Department of Defense (DOD) announced last week that it intends to merge the Defense Science Board and Defense Innovation Board into a new DOD Science, Technology and Innovation Board (STIB). The STIB will provide scientific and technical advice to the agency, but "is not considered official and cannot meet or take any action until its charter has been filed with the appropriate federal entities and published in the Federal Register." It will be led by Dr. Milan Nikolich, who previously oversaw DOD technology matters during the first Trump Administration.
HOUSE COMMITTEES ADVANCE NASA POLICY BILL, DISCUSS COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY
- On Wednesday, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee approved the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026, a policy bill that provides direction for the space agency in fields such as human exploration, earth and space science, aeronautics, heliophysics, space technology, and STEM engagement. The Senate is expected to introduce its own version of a NASA policy bill this spring. The two chambers will need to negotiate and approve a final measure before it becomes law.
- The House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled "Runaway College Spending Meets the Working Families Tax Cuts" on Wednesday. Members of the Subcommittee were united in sharing concerns with the cost of college and affordability, but disagreed about the impact of the graduate and professional student loan limits enacted in last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Accreditation; Language and Being Human; USDA
BUZZ BITS....
- Last Friday, President Donald J. Trump signed into law the spending bills that fund research activities at the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Energy, and National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities for fiscal year 2026. The new law rejects the Trump Administration's proposed spending cuts for these agencies, maintaining their budgets at a similar level to last year.
- The Department of Education (ED) announced this week that it has initiated the process to update the federal rules governing higher education accreditation through a negotiated rulemaking that will include an opportunity for public comment. ED's goals are to "simplify the Secretary’s recognition of emerging and existing accreditors; examine the extent to which accreditation contributes to rising higher education costs and credential inflation; safeguard against undue influence from related private trade associations; [and] eliminate standards or policies that discriminate on the basis of immutable characteristics."
- ED is inviting public comment on a proposal to restrict federal student aid options for certain degree programs following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which set maximum loan limits at $20,500 a year for graduate students and $50,000 a year for professional students. The proposal includes a new and narrow definition of "professional degree" program that only covers 11 fields of study. Comments are due within 30 days.
EVENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
On Wednesday, February 11th, the Office of Research will convene "Research on Tap: On Language and Being Human" at 4:00pm in the Kilachand Center Colloquium Room. The event, co-hosted by Wheelock College of Education & Human Development Professors Naomi Caselli and Christina Dobbs, will bring together BU faculty from across the university to explore how language influences how we communicate, learn, connect, advocate, and find meaning. "Research on Tap" events feature 10-12 BU scholars presenting a maximum of four slides and delivering a four-minute “elevator pitch” of their work, followed by refreshments and lively discussion that enable investigators to meet potential research collaborators.
GRANT NEWS YOU CAN USE
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) recently released the annual AFRI Education and Workforce Development (EWD) program solicitation. The program supports training opportunities for all levels of students and educators, from K-12 to postdoctoral scholars. A new Program Area Priority called the "Education and Workforce Development Workshop Grants” is available this year. It provides funding for applicants to host workshops that grow agricultural literacy, train agricultural workers, develop pathways for experiential learning, and advance career development for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Applicants across all Program Area Priorities are encouraged to develop projects that integrate foundational knowledge and skills in artificial intelligence.
President Melissa Gilliam Outlines Bold “North Star” Vision for Boston University’s Future
During her first Presidential Address, Gilliam called for BU to become a “global destination of discovery, education, and human connection”.
CTE Can Cause Dementia, According to New Boston University Study
BU CTE Center researchers found advanced stage of the progressive brain disease increases odds of dementia fourfold.
Fossil Fuel Infrastructure, Edu-Influencers, Davos
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT
More Than 46 Million in the US Live Within a Mile of Fossil Fuel Infrastructure
New Boston University study suggests urban residents are disproportionately exposed to potentially harmful energy supply chain infrastructure.
COMMUNITY RESOURCE
Four Faculty Rated Top Educational Policy Influencers
BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development faculty Joshua Goodman, Anthony Abraham Jack, Marcus Winters, and David Chard were named among the top 200 most influential scholars in educational policy and practice in the 2026 Edu-Scholar Public Influence rankings.
FACULTY EXPERTS
BU at Davos
Boston University President Melissa Gilliam and Associate Provost for Computing & Data Sciences Azer Bestavros joined business, education, technology, political, environment, and healthcare leaders from around the world last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Check it out
THOUGHT LEADERS
In Case You Missed It...
You're invited to a Climate Conversations event at the National Academies on February 10th, moderated by BU College of Communication Dean Mariette diChristina... BU President Melissa L. Gilliam discusses her path to leadership on the New England Council's Inside the Corner Office podcast... BU School of Public Health Dean Adnan Hyder reflects on the United Nations declaration to reduce tobacco use, improve hypertension control, and expand access to mental health care by 2030... Joan Salge Blake of the BU Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences talks to CBS News about the new food pyramid and what it means for your diet... As the Food and Drug Administration works to publish a proposed rule, BU epidemiologist Lauren Wise discusses her research about the potential dangers posed by chemical hair straighteners with CNN.
NIH & Pell Grants; Quantum; NEA
HOUSE APPROVES NIH INCREASE, REJECTS PELL GRANT CUTS
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved fiscal year (FY) 2026 spending bills for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Education (ED), and Department of Defense (DOD) that reject the Trump Administration's proposal to significantly reduce federal investments in medical research and student aid. The package, negotiated by both chambers of Congress with the White House, would increase NIH funding by approximately one percent above current levels and maintain funding for both the maximum Pell Grant award and Federal Work-Study (FWS) at their current levels. In contrast, the President's Budget Request proposed to cut NIH funding by 40 percent, Pell Grant awards by nearly 25 percent, and FWS by 80 percent. The package would decrease basic research at the DOD by 4.2 percent compared to FY 2025, versus the eight percent proposed by the Administration. The bills now head to the U.S. Senate for a vote. The President is expected to sign the measures into law before the continuing resolution that funds the government expires on January 30th.
BUZZ BITS...
- The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing titled "Assessing U.S. Leadership in Quantum Science and Technology" on Thursday. Members of Congress highlighted the need for a renewed commitment to quantum science, discussed efforts to reauthorize the National Quantum Initiative Act, addressed competition with China, and expressed differing views on the role of international talent in the U.S. scientific enterprise.
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking public input on its draft NSF Strategic Plan for fiscal year 2026 to 2030. The plan identifies three key goals: advancing American innovation and national security, cultivating STEM talent, and modernizing the NSF's operations. Comments are due by January 27th.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced yesterday that "NIH funds will not be permitted for research using [human fetal tissue] from elective abortions." The announcement is effective immediately and reverses a previous NIH policy implemented in 2021. According to the agency, the NIH supported 77 projects utilizing human fetal tissue in fiscal year 2024.
GRANT NEWS YOU CAN USE
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) recently released two research funding opportunities: the Research Grants in the Arts "investigate the value and/or impact of the arts in American life" and the NEA Research Labs support long-term research projects that promote knowledge about the arts and their societal impacts. The agency is particularly interested in proposals that focus on how the arts can support artificial intelligence competency training; how art therapies can affect the health of veterans, children, and older Americans; and how art activities can benefit learners with intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder.
Video: Leaders Among Us—President Gilliam in Conversation with Merav Opher
Noted BU astronomer talks about her pioneering research and the qualities that make for a good leader.
A Solution to the Cocktail Party Problem—Hidden in the Brain
BU researchers are mixing neuroscience, photonics, and engineering to help people with hearing loss pick out sounds in noisy spaces.