Current News From the National Academies
Futures Initiative Awards $1 Million for Bold Research Proposals
May 8 --
The National Academies have announced the recipients of its 2007 Futures grants for 15 projects ranging from engineering solutions to extend human healthspan to developing socially assistive robotics for physical and cognitive health. The grant recipients participated in the conference "The Future of Human Healthspan: Demography, Evolution, Medicine, and Bioengineering," held last November. A summary of the conference is available.
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Report Advises on Risk Assessments for Boston Lab
May 2 --
When developing additional risk assessment studies for the proposed biocontainment laboratory to be located in Boston, the National Institutes of Health should consider scenarios for a variety of agents with diverse transmission characteristics and utilize available data to develop probabilities for release consequences, using either qualitative approaches or quantitative models, says a new report from the National Research Council.
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Academy Elects 72 New Members
April 29 --
The National Academy of Sciences today announced the election of 72 new members and 18 foreign associates in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded a U.S. scientist or engineer. Those elected today bring the total number of active members to 2,041.
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Summit Gauges Progress on Math and Science Education, Competitiveness
April 29 --
At a national convocation today, leaders from government, business, and education will weigh how much progress has been made in bolstering math and science education and strengthening the nation's research enterprise since the National Academies released their 2005 report Rising Above the Gathering Storm.
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NAS President Delivers Speech on Energy
April 28 --
In his annual address to members of the Academy this morning, NAS President Ralph Cicerone said "we must change the trajectories of our energy usage and energy sources." Calling energy a pervasive issue, Cicerone added, "a great deal of innovative and determined work is needed by scientists and engineers in the years ahead" to meet energy challenges.
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Norman Neureiter Receives Public Welfare Medal
April 28 --
During a ceremony at the 145th annual meeting of the National Academy of Sciences, Norman Neureiter was honored for "successfully integrating science and technology into U.S. foreign policy." NAS also honored 12 other individuals for their outstanding scientific achievements.
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National Discussion Needed on Antiviral Drug Distribution During a Flu Pandemic
April 25 --
Uncertainties about availability and effectiveness of antiviral drugs against the next pandemic strain of flu virus require officials to begin a national discussion about the difficult choices they may be forced to make about the drugs' distribution in the event of an outbreak, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.
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Desalination Could Boost U.S. Water Supplies
April 24 --
Recent technological advances have made removing salt from seawater and groundwater a realistic option for increasing water supplies in some parts of the U.S., and desalination will likely have a niche in meeting the nation's future water needs, says a new report from the National Research Council. A federally coordinated research effort is needed to understand and lessen desalination's environmental impacts and further lower its costs.
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Link Between Ozone Pollution and Premature Death Confirmed
April 22 --
In many areas, short-term exposure to current levels of ozone, a key component of smog, is likely to contribute to premature deaths, and deaths are more likely among individuals with pre-existing diseases or other susceptibility factors, says a new National Research Council report. Future research should examine whether longer-term exposure -- weeks to years -- is also associated with premature death.
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Efforts Needed to Expand Health Care Work Force for Aging Nation
April 14 --
Aging Americans will face a health care work force that is too small and woefully unprepared to meet their specific health needs unless efforts start now to ensure all health care providers know how to treat the common conditions associated with aging and to boost recruitment and retention of geriatric specialists and direct-care aides, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.
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