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.

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.

Survivors of childhood cancer have an increased risk of experiencing disabling conditions, both from the cancer itself and from the effects of treatment, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Last summer’s widespread protests against police brutality — taking place in the midst of a pandemic that has exacted a heavy toll on communities of color — sparked a national awakening to the toxic effects of centuries of systemic racism, and put issues related to racial equity and justice front and center.

Although cancer survivors are living longer, cancer and its treatment can result in long-lasting or late-onset impairments that may affect their ability to work, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Using nuclear propulsion technologies to support a human mission to Mars in 2039 will require NASA to pursue an aggressive and urgent technology development program, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has established an international committee (IC) in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Global Affairs (OGA) to inform and facilitate efforts to advance global influenza pandemic preparedness.

As NASA prepares to send astronauts to the moon and Mars, it is revisiting the latest research on cancer risk from space radiation. A new report recommends NASA proceed with setting a new radiation exposure limit, and improve how it communicates cancer risk to astronauts.

As COVID-19 vaccination programs across the country transition from meeting urgent demand to reaching people who are less eager to get the shot, leaders are looking for new vaccine communications strategies.

Two new companion reports from a World Health Organization expert panel provide recommendations to the scientific community on the use of human genome editing. The panel’s work was informed by a 2020 report written by an international commission under the auspices of NAS, NAM, and the U.K.’s Royal Society.

To improve global preparedness for future pandemics, the science academies of the G20 nations issued a statement urging their governments to promote the creation of a global surveillance network that could detect the harbingers of a potential new pandemic.

Since the start of the pandemic, 2.5 million women have departed from the job market. A new rapid expert consultation says direct financial support, greater access to male-dominated jobs, and investing in child care can encourage women to return to the post-COVID workforce.

This Guidance Document is a product of the National Academies’ Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education, which presents information and identifies guidance based on existing research literature.

Safe, effective antimicrobial medicines are essential to modern medical procedures and pandemic preparedness. A new National Academies report recommends a range of policy, regulatory, and financial actions to tackle antimicrobial resistance, spanning human, animal, and environmental health.

In many university departments, graduate students may be wholly dependent on their advisers for funding and academic support — a difference in power that raises the risk of sexual harassment. At a recent summit of the Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education, speakers explored how to diffuse those power differences.

The U.S. Coast Guard should issue a range of new guidelines and requirements to ensure the safety of passengers and crew on DUKWs or “duck boats”— those familiar amphibious vehicles often used for touring the streets and waters of many cities.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed attendees of the Transportation Research Board’s 101st Annual Meeting, where he highlighted the importance of evidence-based science, along with economic strength, clean energy, road traffic safety, and infrastructure.

Equitable cancer care starts with prevention and reaching people well before they become patients. Panelists at a recent workshop discussed how cancer centers can weave health equity into everything they do, from creating jobs to helping survivors manage treatment side effects.

To maintain U.S. global leadership and meet societal challenges — including generating medical advances, furthering the energy transition, and making food and water safer and more sustainable — new investments, collaborations, and educational practices in the chemical engineering field are needed.

Almost 110,000 Americans are waiting for organ transplants, but there are significant inequities in who gets access to the waiting list and an eventual transplant. A new report recommends several policy changes to create a more fair, equitable, and patient-focused system for organ allocation.

Rapid advances in small satellite technology and associated launch and production capabilities have transformed the space industry. A new report recommends ways the government can partner with commercial entities to enhance national missions and make transformative science advancements.

Automated research workflows — which integrate computation, laboratory automation, and tools from artificial intelligence — have the potential to increase the speed of research activities and accelerate scientific discovery. A new report recommends ways to advance their development.

To meet its diversity and inclusion goals for competed mission leadership, NASA should invest in STEM career pathways, partner with historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions, and expand training and mentorship opportunities, among other actions.

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine today announced grant awards for 13 new projects totaling $3.7 million.

Maintaining U.S. leadership in chemical research will require continued and sustained support — including federal agency funding for chemical research projects, private investment in research and development, and efforts to attract international research talent.

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.

At a recent symposium, leaders of U.S. academic and government research institutions, policymakers, the private sector, and philanthropy came together to explore the future of science and discuss the transformations that will be needed to address complex and global challenges such as pandemics.

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.

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.

Among the many facets of the economy being challenged by warming global temperatures is the insurance industry. As damaging extreme events increase in frequency and intensity, insurance companies face larger financial risks and costs, and policy holders face higher premiums. A webinar explored how industry, policymakers, and consumers are responding.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater surveillance has provided advance indications of community-level outbreaks, sometimes weeks before other indicators. A new report says that wastewater surveillance is worthy of investment and outlines a vision for the future of a national system.

Race, ethnicity, and ancestry labels are often used in genomics and genetics research to describe human genetic differences, which is misleading and inaccurate. Researchers and scientists who utilize genetic and genomic data should rethink and justify how and why they use these descriptors in their work.

New nuclear reactor concepts could help the U.S. meet its long-term climate goals, but a range of technical, regulatory, economic, and societal challenges must first be overcome. A new report provides recommendations to start laying the foundation required for advanced reactors to become a viable part of the U.S. energy system.

Why organizations of every size and industry should explore their cyber insurance options as a crucial component of their risk mitigation strategies

Many smaller organizations are turning to cyber risk insurance, both to protect against the cost of a cyber incident and to use the extensive post-incident services that insurers provide

Having knowledgeable leaders at the helm is crucial for protecting the organization and securing the best possible cyber insurance coverage

Cyber insurance is not only a safety net, but it can also be a catalyst for advancing security practices and standards

Should the payment of a ransomware demand be illegal? Should it be regulated in some way? These questions are some examples of the legal minefield that cybersecurity teams must deal with

Would a more robust cybersecurity posture impact premium costs? Does the policy offer legal cover? These are some of the questions organizations should consider when reviewing their cyber insurance options

Could human risk in cybersecurity be managed with a cyber-rating, much like credit scores help assess people’s financial responsibility?

As financial institutions embark on this data-led journey, they stand at the threshold of a new era—a future where innovation and data-driven decision-making will carve the path for the financial world's evolution.

Bandhan Financial Services Ltd (BFSL), promoter of Bandhan Bank, has ventured into the IT sector by acquiring Genisys group of companies for nearly Rs 100 crore. This strategic move aims to leverage technology for business solutions and enhance shareholder value. Genisys, specializing in AI-enabled solutions for various sectors, will operate under BFSL with expanded capabilities.

The bank provides an immersive 3D experience for customers to perform traditional banking activities using their digital avatars.

PITTSBURGH (September 2, 2016) ... The potential to develop "materials that compute" has taken another leap at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering, where researchers for the first time have demonstrated that the material can be designed to recognize simple patterns. This responsive, hybrid material, powered by its own chemical reactions, could one day be integrated into clothing and used to monitor the human body, or developed as a skin for "squishy" robots.

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"Promising" and "remarkable" are two words U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory scientist Javier Vela uses to describe recent research results on organolead mixed-halide perovskites.

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“To ensure the sustainability of the CoE, robust collaboration with the Industry, and the creation of commercially viable outputs, the MeitY will not own any IP generated by the CoE. The IP generated can be retained by the idea generator or by the CoE.”

French food services & facilities management company Sodexo is consolidating its multiple ERP installations across the group to a single cloud-based ERP platform.

Expanding access to insurance is crucial for strengthening our country’s social safety net, addressing inequality, and building a more resilient society.

A team of chemists has developed a method to yield highly detailed, three-dimensional images of the insides of batteries. The technique, based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), offers an enhanced approach to monitor the condition of these power sources in real time.

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Private banks including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis have been spending a lot on expanding their operations into the hinterlands of the country, contrary to public sector banks which have been investing in building capabilities and enhancing their digital functions. What’s driving this change? Is phygital the new norm in banking? Find out more here.