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Engineering the Transition to Net-Zero Carbon Emissions

In an interview, NAE President John Anderson discusses the national and global transition to net-zero carbon emissions and how engineers — and NAE in particular — can support that shift. Energy Transitions is the theme of NAE’s annual meeting this year, taking place Oct. 2-3.




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Exploring the Progress and Promise of Particle Physics

Maria Spiropulu and Michael Turner — co-chairs of a National Academies study underway to assess key science questions that will drive research in the field of elementary particle physics for the next decade and beyond — discuss the study, community engagement, and the field’s relevance to everyday life.




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Maintaining U.S. Global Leadership in Science and Technology Requires Greater Focus on Strengthening Innovation, Not Solely on Restricting Access to Specific Technologies

To maintain U.S. global leadership in science and technology, federal agencies should pursue a coordinated risk-management approach that protects the United States’ own capacity to innovate, rather than emphasizing the protection of specific technologies from access by competitor nations.




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Coeur d’Alene Lake Recovering After Century of Mining, Not Currently at Risk of Anoxia, Says New Report

Coeur d’Alene Lake in northern Idaho is beginning to recover from nearly a century of mining in its watershed. A new report finds metal concentrations are slowly declining and the lake is not currently at risk of anoxia.




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Historic Damage in Wake of Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian has caused catastrophic damage to life, property, and infrastructure across Florida, and it is headed toward Georgia and the Carolinas. The National Academies have many resources aimed at better understanding hurricanes, how climate change may be affecting their intensity and frequency, and how communities can become more resilient to extreme events.




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As COP27 Approaches, Report Recommends New Global Emissions Information Clearinghouse, Steps to Improve Accuracy and Usability of Information

As the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP27) approaches, a new report recommends steps to improve the accuracy and usability of greenhouse gas emissions information for decision-makers, including creating a global information clearinghouse.




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Exploring Sanctions and Early Interventions for Faculty Sexual Harassment in Higher Education

This perspective paper is a product of the Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. It is intended to identify and discuss a topic in need of research.




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Now is the time to imagine the research enterprise we’ll need for the future

The theme of the National Academy of Medicine’s 52nd Annual Meeting, taking place Oct. 16-17, is “Revolutionizing the Biomedical and Health Sciences.” NAM President Victor Dzau discusses challenges and opportunities for the health and medicine research enterprise in the decades ahead.




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National Academies Announce Inaugural Recipients of Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications

The 24 inaugural recipients of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communication have been announced. Given by the National Academies in partnership with Schmidt Futures, the awards recognize science journalists and research scientists who have developed creative, original work about issues and advances in science, engineering, and medicine.




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Engineering and the Diversity Imperative - The 15th Grand Challenge

Engineering impacts everyone. Diversifying the field is imperative if we want to build on engineering’s legacy of extraordinary impact.




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Victoria Sheehan Named New Executive Director of Transportation Research Board at National Academies

Following a national search, Victoria Sheehan will join the National Academies on Dec. 5 as the new executive director of the Transportation Research Board. Sheehan comes to the organization from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, which she has led as its commissioner for the past seven years.




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To Improve Methods for Estimating the Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Low-Carbon Transportation Fuels, More Research and Focused Verification of Emissions Needed

Life cycle assessments of low-carbon transportation fuels — such as electricity, biofuels, or hydrogen — are valuable tools for measuring environmental impacts, but uncertainties remain in the models that are currently used, and further research should be conducted to strengthen their reliability.




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Scientific Organizations Form International Group to Advance Ukrainian Science and Support Researchers - Breakthrough Prize Foundation Provides $3 Million

With a $3 million donation from the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, a high-level, international coordinating group of scientific organizations has been established to take concrete steps to support Ukraine’s scientists and research community with the aim of rebuilding a successful global science and innovation system in Ukraine.




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To Improve Research Collaboration Among Land-Grant Universities, Congress Should Facilitate Participation of Historically Black and Tribal Colleges and Universities, Says New Report

Congress should take action to facilitate the participation of all land-grant colleges and universities in multistate research projects, says a new report. Funding disparities have prevented many historically Black and tribal colleges and universities from fully collaborating with other land-grant institutions.




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To Reduce Racial Inequality in the Criminal Justice System, Government Should Explore Ways to Reduce Police Stops, Detention, and Long Sentences, Says New Report

To reduce racial disparities in the U.S. criminal justice system, policymakers at all levels should explore ways to decrease police stops and searches, jail detention, prison admission, and long sentences through coordinated policy reforms.




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Resilience of the U.S. Electric Grid

Recent incidents have exposed vulnerabilities in the U.S. electric power system, which is made up of millions of components distributed across the continent. The National Academies have many resources aimed at better understanding the grid’s susceptibility, and how it can be improved and made more resilient to physical and cyberattacks, natural disasters, and other adverse events.




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Strengthening Talent for National Defense - Infusing Advanced Manufacturing in Engineering Education – New Report

Advanced manufacturing brings the potential for positive transformational change to a variety of areas, including the defense industry. It is essential that universities, companies, and the government take steps to better prepare the next generation of engineers to work with these emerging technologies.




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New Report Proposes Criteria the Department of Defense Could Use to Determine Whether a College or University that Hosts a Confucius Institute May Receive DOD Funding

Confucius Institutes are Chinese government-funded language and culture centers located worldwide. A new report proposes a set of criteria for the U.S. Department of Defense to consider in developing a waiver process that would potentially allow U.S. institutions of higher education to receive DOD funding while hosting a Confucius Institute.




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Secretaries of Energy and Transportation Discuss Getting to ‘Net-Zero’ in U.S. Transportation During TRB’s 2023 Annual Meeting

Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took the stage at the 2023 annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board to discuss the federal government’s plan to reach “net-zero” carbon emissions in the U.S. transportation sector by 2050.




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National Academies’ Roundtable on Macroeconomics and Climate-Related Risks and Opportunities to Hold First Public Meeting on Jan. 23

A new roundtable will hold its first public meeting on Jan. 23 to discuss challenges associated with incorporating climate change into the macroeconomic analyses used for federal policymaking. The roundtable’s activities will inform a new White House interagency working group.




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Untangling Why Critical Drug and Medical Supply Shortages Keep Happening

The COVID-19 pandemic shined a spotlight on the continuing, decades-long problem of medical product supply chain disruptions. Drug and medical device shortages — life-threatening for some — also affect the entire U.S health care system, costing millions of dollars annually. New resources from the National Academies offer insights.




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Nobel Prize Summit on Countering Misinformation and Building Trust in Science To Be Held May 24-26

Nobel Prize laureates and other esteemed experts and leaders will gather at “Truth, Trust and Hope” for a global dialogue on how to stop misinformation from eroding public trust in science. Hosted by NAS and the Nobel Foundation, the summit takes place May 24-26 in Washington, D.C., and virtually.




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Deficient Facilities Adversely Affect National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Mission, With Economic, National Security, and Safety Impacts, Says New Report

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s facilities should be modernized to ensure that the agency can continue to deliver measurement science and standards that advance U.S. innovation and competitiveness on national technology priorities. Substandard facilities brought about through lack of investment have created ongoing problems that affect research.




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Hidden Curriculum - An Image Holder of Engineering

In a new NAE Perspective, Idalis Villanueva Alarcón argues that engineering must recognize and permanently remove negative hidden curriculum. It is only then that engineering can create a new image, one where everyone is equitably welcomed, valued, invested in, and sustained for generations to come.




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Higher Ed Institutions, STEMM Organizations Should Act to Change Cultures to Support Inclusive Excellence and Dismantle Barriers Created by Systemic Racism and Implicit Bias

Higher education institutions and science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine organizations should go beyond a focus on simply increasing the numeric participation of minoritized racial and ethnic groups. To increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEMM fields, organizations of all sizes must act to change their cultures and environments.




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Employing ‘Serious Gaming’ to Explore Challenges and Solutions in the Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico region faces numerous complex challenges, from extreme weather events to potential offshore oil spills. The National Academies’ Gulf Research Program is enlisting serious gaming as part of its strategy to help the region prepare and respond.




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Catherine Kelleher and Jo Husbands - In Memory of Two Key Contributors to the Work of CISAC

Two remarkable women who made invaluable contributions to the work of the Committee on International Security and Arms Control (CISAC) died in recent months -- Catherine Kelleher and Jo Husbands. Their accomplishments and qualities have been described well by others, including especially Women in International Security (WIIS). We at CISAC want additionally to honor their work for us.




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Registration Now Open -- May 24-26 Nobel Prize Summit on Misinformation and Trust in Science

Registration is now open for the Nobel Prize Summit “Truth, Trust and Hope,” a global conversation on how to stop misinformation from eroding public trust in science. Hosted by NAS and the Nobel Foundation, the summit takes place May 24-26 in Washington, D.C., and virtually.




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Reports & Events Monthly Calendar - April 2023




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Submissions for the 2023 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications Are Now Open

Submissions are now being accepted for the 2023 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, which honor top science communicators, journalists, and research scientists who have developed creative, original work to communicate issues and advances in science, engineering, and medicine for the general public.




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Measurement and Management of Systemic Risk in Gulf of Mexico Offshore Oil and Gas Operations Have Improved Since Deepwater Horizon Disaster, But Progress Lags in Some Areas

Most of the offshore oil and gas industry operating in the Gulf of Mexico has improved its management of systemic risk in recent years, according to a new report that also points out where uneven progress and critical gaps remain for industry and regulators to address.




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National Nuclear Security Administration Cannot Continue With ‘Business as Usual’ in the Shifting Supercomputing Landscape, Says New Report

The National Nuclear Security Administration needs to fundamentally rethink the strategy for its next generation of high-performance computing and cannot continue with ‘business as usual’ through shifting technical and geopolitical landscapes. Advanced computing capabilities help the NNSA ensure that the U.S. maintains a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear stockpile.




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Gaps in the Systems That Support NIH-Funded Research Using Nonhuman Primates Are Undermining U.S. Biomedical Research and Public Health Readiness, Says New Report

Research funded by NIH that uses nonhuman primates is critical to the nation’s ability to respond adequately to public health emergencies and carry out high-impact biomedical research, but gaps in the systems that support research using these animal models are undermining national health emergency readiness.




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Untangling the hiring dilemma: How security solutions free up HR processes

The prerequisites for becoming a security elite create a skills ceiling that is tough to break through – especially when it comes to hiring skilled EDR or XDR operators. How can businesses crack this conundrum?




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The who, where, and how of APT attacks – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

This week, ESET experts released several research publications that shine the spotlight on a number of notable campaigns and broader developments on the threat landscape




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Introducing Nimfilt: A reverse-engineering tool for Nim-compiled binaries

Available as both an IDA plugin and a Python script, Nimfilt helps to reverse engineer binaries compiled with the Nim programming language compiler by demangling package and function names, and applying structs to strings




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Beyond the buzz: Understanding AI and its role in cybersecurity

A new white paper from ESET uncovers the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence for cyber-defenders




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Mandatory reporting of ransomware attacks? – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

As the UK mulls new rules for ransomware disclosure, what would be the wider implications of such a move, how would cyber-insurance come into play, and how might cybercriminals respond?




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What happens when facial recognition gets it wrong – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

A facial recognition system misidentifies a woman in London as a shoplifter, igniting fresh concerns over the technology's accuracy and reliability




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560 million Ticketmaster customer data for sale? – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

Ticketmaster seems to have experienced a data breach, with the ShinyHunters hacker group claiming to have exfiltrated 560 million customer data




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WeLiveSecurity wins Best Cybersecurity Vendor Blog award!

The results of the 2024 European Cybersecurity Blogger Awards are in and the winner of the Best Cybersecurity Vendor Blog is... drumroll, please... WeLiveSecurity!




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Arid Viper poisons Android apps with AridSpy

ESET researchers discovered Arid Viper espionage campaigns spreading trojanized apps to Android users in Egypt and Palestine




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How Arid Viper spies on Android users in the Middle East – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

The spyware, called AridSpy by ESET, is distributed through websites that pose as various messaging apps, a job search app, and a Palestinian Civil Registry app




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The long-tail costs of a data breach – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

Understanding and preparing for the potential long-tail costs of data breaches is crucial for businesses that aim to mitigate the impact of security incidents




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AI in the workplace: The good, the bad, and the algorithmic

While AI can liberate us from tedious tasks and even eliminate human error, it's crucial to remember its weaknesses and the unique capabilities that humans bring to the table




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Key trends shaping the threat landscape in H1 2024 – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

Learn about the types of threats that 'topped the charts' and the kinds of techniques that bad actors leveraged most commonly in the first half of this year




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Social media and teen mental health – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

Social media sites are designed to make their users come back for more. Do laws restricting children's exposure to addictive social media feeds have teeth or are they a political gimmick?




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HotPage: Story of a signed, vulnerable, ad-injecting driver

A study of a sophisticated Chinese browser injector that leaves more doors open!




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Understanding IoT security risks and how to mitigate them | Unlocked 403 cybersecurity podcast (ep. 4)

As security challenges loom large on the IoT landscape, how can we effectively counter the risks of integrating our physical and digital worlds?




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Should ransomware payments be banned? – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

Blanket bans on ransomware payments are a much-debated topic in cybersecurity and policy circles. What are the implications of outlawing the payments, and would the ban be effective?