1

Enlisting Science and Technology in the Fight Against COVID-19 — and the Ongoing Struggle for Sustainable Development

As the number of cases of COVID-19 reached about 4.5 million worldwide last week, an international virtual conference explored how science, technology, and innovation (STI) can respond to the global crisis – and continue to drive progress toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.




1

With Summer Heat Waves, Hurricanes, and Flooding on the Horizon, Disaster Responders Grapple with Planning for Extreme Weather in the Time of COVID-19

This week the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted an above-normal 2020 hurricane season, with the possibility of three to six major hurricanes this summer looming over millions of Americans.




1

Facing a Future Shaped by COVID-19 - How Public Universities Are Handling the Crisis

Many U.S. colleges and universities responded to the COVID-19 pandemic this spring by swiftly moving courses online, but they now face a range of longer-term quandaries, from weighing how to safely reopen campuses to navigating new financial challenges.




1

Academies Study Will Give Guidance to K-12 Schools on How to Safely Reopen

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine began a study this week to provide states and school districts with guidance about whether and how to safely reopen schools.




1

National Academies Release COVID-19 Data Guide for Decision-Makers

The recently formed National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN), which connects social and behavioral science researchers with decision-makers leading the response to COVID-19, today released a rapid expert consultation to guide leaders using COVID-19 measurements like hospitalizations and reported confirmed cases to understand the spread of the disease in their communities.




1

The Search for a COVID-19 Vaccine — ‘There’s No One Winner’

It normally takes 15 to 20 years to develop a vaccine, but due to the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers are accelerating the vaccine development process.




1

Winners Selected for the 2019-2020 TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs

The Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) has selected winners for its annual University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs.




1

COVID-19 and Disabilities - Inclusive Disaster Planning Is Crucial for Vulnerable Populations

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives and routines of people with disabilities in countless ways, said panelists during a recent National Academies webinar.




1

Troubleshooting the Pandemic - Engineers Pitch Innovative Solutions to Help Address COVID-19

While the world waits for a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection, international and multigenerational teams of engineers have come together through the National Academy of Engineering’s COVID-19 Call for Engineering Action to find creative solutions to problems caused by the pandemic.




1

COVID-19 and Black Communities

Black Americans are getting sick and dying from COVID-19 at higher rates than white Americans — the most recent manifestation of racial disparities in health that have long been evident in the United States.




1

Historically Black Colleges and Universities Take Center Stage as the Nation Responds to COVID-19 and Systemic Racism

Most U.S. colleges and universities are struggling to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Historically Black Colleges and Universities — known as HBCUs — are facing their own unique challenges.




1

2021 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting Is Going Virtual

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) today announced the TRB 100th Annual Meeting (TRBAM), originally scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., will be conducted as a virtual event over a series of dates throughout January 2021.




1

Will COVID-19 Permanently Change Cancer Care?

COVID-19 cases are surging again in parts of the U.S., but that doesn’t mean other medical issues can be put on hold. Cancer care is particularly complex in the age of COVID-19, said panelists during a July 13 and 14 National Academies webinar, Opportunities and Challenges for Using Digital Health Applications in Oncology. It involves a spectrum of services — including screening, diagnostics, surgery, radiation, palliative care, and survivorship care.




1

National Academies Launch Study on Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine – First Meeting July 24

In response to a request from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) have formed a committee that will develop an overarching framework to assist policymakers in the U.S. and global health communities in planning for equitable allocation of vaccines against COVID-19. The committee will hold its first meeting on July 24.




1

Promising Strategies for Encouraging COVID-19 Protective Behaviors, Including Mask Wearing and Physical Distancing, Identified in New Guidance

A new rapid expert consultation from the Societal Experts Action Network identifies promising strategies to make the adoption of protective behaviors against COVID-19, such as wearing a mask or regularly washing your hands, more likely.




1

How Can Hospitals Overcome Staffing and Supply Shortages Amid COVID-19 Surges?

Six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals are still faced with staffing shortages due to the sheer volume of patients, staff illnesses, and non-COVID care that cannot be delayed.




1

Answering the Call - Engineers Continue to Pitch New Ideas to Help Address COVID-19

While progress toward developing a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection continues to dominate conversations about the pandemic, international and multigenerational teams of engineers have come together once again through the National Academy of Engineering’s COVID-19 Call for Engineering Action to find creative solutions to myriad pandemic-related problems. Their ideas aim to combat misinformation, help people most at risk, and prevent the spread of the virus.




1

New Guidance Says Decision-Makers Can Offer Incentives and Partner with Trusted Sources, Among Other Strategies, to Encourage Cooperation in COVID-19 Contact Tracing

A new rapid expert consultation from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Societal Experts Action Network says strategies such as giving advance notice, partnering with trusted sources, and offering incentives can encourage individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to respond to health department contact tracing and share information about people they may have exposed to the virus.




1

National Academies to Seek Public Comment, Hold Listening Session on Draft Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine – Week of Aug. 31

A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee tasked with developing an overarching framework to assist policymakers in planning for equitable allocation of a vaccine against COVID-19 will issue a discussion draft of the preliminary framework for public comment on Sept. 1.




1

National Academies Release Draft Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine, Seek Public Comment

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today released for public comment a discussion draft of a preliminary framework to assist policymakers in planning for equitable allocation of a vaccine against COVID-19.




1

Academies Study Will Examine COVID-19 in Correctional Facilities and Strategies for Decarceration

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine started work on a new study last month that will provide advice to policymakers, corrections officials, and public health officials on best practices for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in correctional facilities through large-scale release and decarceration efforts.




1

An Update on Our Response to COVID-19 - A Message from the Presidents of the NAS, NAE, and NAM

In a matter of months, the coronavirus pandemic has triggered a global health, economic, and societal crisis of staggering proportions.




1

Anthony Fauci Receives Lienhard Award From National Academy of Medicine for Decades of Work Improving Public Health and Leadership in Shaping COVID-19 Pandemic Response

For his role as a leader of federal research and policy on infectious diseases and, in particular, for his deft, scientifically grounded leadership in shaping an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Academy of Medicine today announced Anthony S. Fauci is the recipient of the 2020 Gustav O. Lienhard Award for Advancement of Health Care.




1

Engineering a Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

National Academy of Engineering (NAE) President John Anderson sat down to talk about some of the engineering challenges posed by the pandemic and how engineers — and the NAE in particular — are working to meet them.




1

In Fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic, Disease Surveillance, Testing, and Contact Tracing Likely Here to Stay

Disease surveillance, testing, and contact tracing are among the best public health tools available to protect ourselves and our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, said panelists during a recent COVID-19 Conversations webinar, hosted by the National Academy of Medicine and American Public Health Association.




1

Shaheen and Ford to Lead Transportation Research Board Executive Committee in 2021

Susan Shaheen and Nathaniel Ford have been appointed as chair and vice chair, respectively, of the 2021 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Executive Committee by Marcia McNutt, president of the National Academy of Sciences and chair of the National Research Council. Their terms will begin in January 2021 during the virtual TRB Annual Meeting.




1

TRB Announces 25 Minority Student Fellows for 2021

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) today announced the 2021 class of Minority Student Fellows.




1

How Sports Logos on Masks and Better Signage Can Help Prevent COVID-19, According to Social Science

By now, we’ve all heard the official COVID-19 prevention guidance - wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay 6 feet away from other people. But hearing information, and turning it into an everyday habit, are two very different things.




1

TRB Announces 12 Awardees for the 2020-2021 Airport Cooperative Research Program Graduate Research Awards

The Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) today announced winners of its annual Graduate Research Awards.




1

National Academies Release Framework for Equitable Allocation of a COVID-19 Vaccine for Adoption by HHS, State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Authorities

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today released the final report of a consensus study recommending a four-phased equitable allocation framework that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) authorities should adopt in the development of national and local guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine allocation.




1

Fishing for Answers - Genomes of Some Ocean Creatures May Reveal How We Could Live to Be 100

What Can Lobsters, Clams, and Rockfish Tell Us About Human Aging? Some species of rockfish only live to age 7. Others live over 200 years while maintaining the necessary functions to find food, mate, resist disease, and evade predators.




1

To Adhere to Public Health Guidelines and Mitigate COVID-19, Officials Should Use Their Discretion to Minimize Incarceration, Says New Report

Where needed to adhere to public health guidelines and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, authorities should use their discretion to minimize incarceration in prisons and jails — and facilitate testing, quarantine, social supports, and individualized reentry plans for those released, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




1

National Academy of Sciences Enlists Gaming Community to Boost Public Understanding of COVID-19

LabX, a creative engagement outreach program of the National Academy of Sciences, announced the winners of a competition to create games designed to help build public understanding of COVID-19.




1

Airborne Transmission of COVID-19 - Q&A with Jonathan Samet

This summer, as COVID-19 continued its spread across the U.S., the National Academies brought together engineers, virologists, public health experts, and others for a meeting to dive into the rapidly evolving science of COVID-19 airborne transmission.




1

Putting Games to Work in the Battle Against COVID-19

While video games often give us a way to explore other worlds, they can also help us learn more about our own — including how to navigate a pandemic. That was the premise underlying “Jamming the Curve,” a competition that enlisted over 400 independent video game developers around the world to develop concepts for games that reflect the real-world dynamics of COVID-19.




1

Advantages and Trade-offs of COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests, National Testing Strategies Examined in New Rapid Response to Government

A new rapid expert consultation from a standing committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examines four topics related to the use and interpretation of COVID-19 diagnostic tests.




1

National Academies Launch New COVID-19 Strategic Science Initiative

To help decision-makers navigate through this ongoing crisis and take actions toward a strong and sustained recovery, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have launched a new strategic science initiative to provide rapid, scenario-based analyses aimed at protecting critical societal functions, avoiding worst outcomes, and building upon potential opportunities.




1

COVID-19 Pandemic Underscores Importance of Investment in Public Health - 2012 National Academies Report Has Lasting Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a harsh light on the consequences of chronic underinvestment in public health, and the limited recognition of its role. Unless there is a crisis, it is not always obvious that public health is “always on,” working quietly in the background on chronic disease prevention, vital statistics, sanitation, safe water, safe food, occupational diseases and injury, and infection control.




1

National Academies Offer Guidance on Student Behavior and COVID-19 Testing for College Administrators Ahead of 2021 Spring Semester

Two new rapid expert consultations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offer lessons learned from the 2020 fall semester regarding COVID-19 testing and guidance on student behavior, as college administrators plan for the 2021 spring semester.




1

Methods to Track Health Care Worker Deaths, Burnout from COVID-19 Examined in New Rapid Response to Government

A new rapid expert consultation from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examines methods to better track and evaluate deaths and mental health consequences among health care workers (HCWs) due to COVID-19.




1

Gulf Research Program’s 2021 Early-Career Research Fellowship Program Introduces New Track on Health Equity

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced it has redesigned its Early-Career Research Fellowship (ECRF) to include three tracks - Human Health and Community Resilience, Environmental Protection and Stewardship, and Offshore Energy Safety.




1

National Academies’ Gulf Research Program Opens Applications for 2021 Science Policy Fellowship

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced it is accepting applications for the 2021-2022 Science Policy Fellowship.




1

National Academy of Medicine Joins Several Organizations in Calling for Action to Implement Crisis Standards of Care During COVID-19 Surge

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) today joined eight other national organizations to call for governors, health departments, hospitals, and other health care sector partners to take immediate action to save lives and fairly allocate limited resources by implementing crisis standards of care (CSC) during the current COVID-19 surge.




1

Continuing to Innovate - Engineers Come Together to Help Address COVID-19

While the world awaits the distribution of newly developed vaccines to prevent COVID-19 infection, international and multigenerational teams of engineers have again come together through the National Academy of Engineering’s COVID-19 Call for Engineering Action to find creative solutions to the many pandemic-related problems.




1

Reports & Events Monthly Calendar - January 2021

“Reports & Events” is a monthly tip sheet for the news media that highlights selected meetings of interest and reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




1

Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Path to Recovery

As the new year begins, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the United States and in other parts of the world.  Scientists have worked at record speed to develop new vaccines, and the nation is now embarking on an unprecedented effort to scale up vaccine manufacturing, production, allocation, and distribution.




1

Reports & Events Monthly Calendar - February 2021

“Reports & Events” is a monthly tip sheet for the news media that highlights selected meetings of interest and reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




1

Strategies to Allocate Scarce COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Treatments to Eligible Patients Examined in New Rapid Response to Government

Despite a scarce supply, a substantial amount of COVID-19 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment courses remain unused, says a new rapid expert consultation from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




1

To Increase Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines, Decision-Makers Need to Showcase Public Support, Leverage Endorsements, Focus on Hesitant Individuals, and Engage Communities

Decision-makers leading COVID-19 vaccine rollouts need to begin communicating with the public immediately if they have not already — emphasizing public support for vaccinations, leveraging celebrity and community champion endorsements, and focusing on those who are skeptical or hesitant of the vaccines rather than firmly opposed — to ensure demand and promote uptake, says a new rapid expert consultation from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




1

New Rapid Expert Consultation Offers Strategies for Navigating Disaster Response, Evacuation, and Sheltering Complicated by COVID-19

A new rapid expert consultation from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine identifies strategies for emergency planners and decision-makers to consider as they update their disaster plans for evacuation, sheltering, and mass care amid COVID-19.