Table of Contents
Education Environmental Issues Health and Medicine International Issues Policy and Research Issues Events and Open Meetings

Education


Evaluation of Research Doctorate Programs Gets Under Way

The National Research Council has launched its latest project to assess US research doctorate programs. Like previous efforts in 1983 and 1995, the new study is designed to help universities improve the quality of these programs through benchmarking; provide potential students and the public with accessible, readily available information on doctoral programs nationwide; and enhance the nation's overall research capacity. Data will be available in 2007. Project details are available at the accompanying links.


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Environmental Issues


Broader Effort Needed to Restore Louisiana Wetlands

Most of the projects in a US Army Corps of Engineers plan to reduce wetland losses along the Louisiana coast are scientifically sound, but taken together they do not represent the type of systemwide, large-scale effort needed for such a massive undertaking, says a new National Research Council report. The report recommends that an explicit map of the desired future landscape of coastal Louisiana be developed to guide future projects.

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Kentucky Pilot Plant Safely Designed, But More Tests Needed

The design of a pilot plant that will destroy chemical weapons at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond KY includes all the steps required for safe and effective destruction of the weapons, but the steps need to be integrated and tested, says a new report from the National Research Council. Also, large amounts of uncontaminated secondary wastes from the plant should be disposed of off-site at qualified waste-disposal facilities.

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Health and Medicine


Strategy Needed to Address Mental Health, Substance-Use Problems

Without a comprehensive strategy to improve the quality of health care for people with mental conditions and alcohol or drug problems, high-quality care in the nation's overall health system and better health for the public are goals that will remain unmet, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

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Initiatives Needed to Improve Care for Cancer Survivors

Citing shortfalls in the care currently provided to the United States' 10 million cancer survivors, a new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council calls for better coordination between specialists and primary care providers and recommends that each cancer patient receive a "survivorship care plan" to guide follow-up care.

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International Issues


African Science Academy Development Initiative

The National Academies' African Science Academy Development Initiative (ASADI) hosted a meeting in Nairobi in early November to discuss "Harnessing Science and Technology Capacity." The initiative, supported by a 20 million-dollar grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was launched in 2004 to strengthen African academies' ability to inform government policymaking and public discourse with independent, evidence-based advice. The science academies of Nigeria, Uganda, and South Africa are the initial focal points for the initiative.

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Policy and Research Issues


Keck Genomics Conference Spurs Research, Rewards Science Communication

Top researchers gathered in early November at the 3rd annual National Academies Keck Futures Initiative conference to discuss interdisciplinary approaches for applying genomics to the treatment and control of infectious disease. In addition, the 2005 Keck Futures Communication Awards winners -- John M. Barry, writer of "The Great Influenza"; Gareth Cook, science reporter for The Boston Globe; and Thomas Levenson, producer of NOVA’s "Origins: Back to the Beginning" -- were honored during the conference. The Initiative features national and regional conferences that focus on a different interdisciplinary theme each year; previous conferences have addressed "Designing Nanostructures at the Interface Between Biomedical and Physical Systems" (2004) and "Signals, Decisions, and Meaning in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering" (2003). The Initiative is funded by a grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation.

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Balance Needed Between IP Rights and Research Needs

Intellectual property restrictions rarely impose burdens on genomic and proteomic research, but there are reasons to be apprehensive about their future impact on advances in this field, says a new report from the National Research Council. Policymakers should take steps to prevent the increasingly complex web of intellectual property protections from getting in the way of potential biomedical breakthroughs.

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Events and Open Meetings


WORKSHOP: Applications of Genomic Signatures

The Boards on Life Sciences and on Environmental Studies and Toxicology will co-host a 1-day workshop on "Applications of Genomic Signatures" December 7th in Welches OR. The workshop will include presentations by federal and other experts on regulatory and other data applications, as well as discussion of guiding principles. A draft agenda is posted at the accompanying link. If you would like to attend the sessions of this meeting that are open to the public or need more information please contact Lucy Fusco, by email at <lfusco@nas.edu> or by telephone at 202 334 2993.

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MEETING: Study of Teacher Preparation Programs in the United States

The National Academies' Center for Education will host a 2-day meeting on Teacher Preparation Programs in the United States, December 7-8 in Washington DC. The meeting will be open to the public the afternoon of Wednesday the 7th; a draft agenda for these open sessions is posted at the accompanying link. If you would like to attend the open sessions or need more information please contact Patricia Santos, by email at <psantos@nas.edu> or by telephone at 202 334 2877.

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MEETING: Using Information Technology to Enhance Disaster Management

The Computer Science and Telecommunications Board will host a meeting to discuss Using Information Technology to Enhance Disaster Management, December 12-14 in La Jolla CA. The meeting will be open to the public on Monday the 12th; a draft agenda for those sessions is posted at the accompanying link. If you would like to attend the sessions of this meeting that are open to the public or need more information please contact Gloria Westbrook, by email at <gwestbrook@nas.edu> or by telephone at 202 334 3967.

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WORKSHOP: Challenges in Managing Food-Derived Risk

The Food and Nutrition Board will host a 1-day workshop on Challenges in Managing Food-Derived Risk, December 13th in Washington DC. Presentations will address regulatory approaches; models, surveys, and biomarkers; and risk assessment and management. The preliminary agenda and registration information are posted at the accompanying PDF link.

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