“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.  

Selected Events in December 2023 

Click on each event title below to access meeting details, an agenda, and registration information, or contact the Office of News and Public Information (e-mail news@nas.edu). Reporters should register for all meetings. Find more National Academies events at https://www.nationalacademies.org/events. 

Improving the Mental Health and Well-being of Children and Adolescents
Dec. 5
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 in 5 U.S. children ages 3-17 has a mental, emotional, behavioral, or developmental disorder. Drawing on work across the National Academies, this webinar will focus on the driving factors contributing to the mental health crisis among children and youth, including disparities and inequities in the mental health system. 

Rise in Myopia: Exploring Possible Contributors and Screening Practices, Policies, and Programs
Dec. 5 and 6
The presentations and discussions at this workshop to inform a study will focus on environmental and behavioral factors that may contribute to myopia, lessons to learn from strategies in Taiwan that have been effective in reversing the rise in myopia, and the current landscape of myopia screening practices, policies, and programs.  

Community Safety as a Social Determinant of Health
Dec. 6 and 7
This workshop will bring together experts in violence prevention and community safety to examine the landscape of safety threats for specific populations — such as hate crimes, firearm violence, or intimate partner violence — and discuss ways to reimagine public safety. Discussions will include researchers, practitioners, and community leaders.  

Promoting Healthy Parenting in Primary Care  
Dec. 11
This roundtable conversation will feature experts in pediatrics and health equity who will discuss innovative, evidence-based efforts to promote healthy parenting in primary care settings, with a particular focus on initiatives conducted with vulnerable and marginalized pediatric patient populations.  

Preventing Harassment and Violence Against Health Professionals Who Provide Reproductive Care
Dec. 11
This webinar will examine escalating concerns related to violence against health care professionals providing reproductive care and the impact on access to essential health services prior to and following the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. A panel of medical and civil rights experts will discuss long-standing concerns regarding harassment, threats, and physical attacks against health care professionals working to provide essential sexual and reproductive health care. 

Adult ADHD Diagnosis, Treatment, and Drug Development
Dec. 12 and 13
This workshop will provide a venue for medical professionals, drug developers, researchers, and patients to discuss the diagnosis and treatment of adults with ADHD. Sessions will explore opportunities and challenges for drug development, and consider strategies for assessing the risks and benefits of ADHD medications, among other topics. 

Effective Communication About Scientific Research that Requires the Care and Use of Animals
Dec. 19 and 20
Experts at this workshop will explore public views on care and use of animals in research and current understanding of how scientists and members of the public can communicate transparently and effectively. Speakers will focus on the context, applications, and value of animal research; ethical and regulatory requirements of humane animal care and use; and ways to integrate information from scientists into media for diverse public audiences.  

Reports Scheduled for Release in December
Release dates for the following consensus reports and proceedings from the National Academies depend on successful completion of the review process and publishing schedules. Reporters who would like to be notified when a report is due for release should contact the Office of News and Public Information (e-mail news@nas.edu) and ask to be placed on a contact list.  

Assessment of NIST’s Material Measurement Laboratory
Reviews the scientific and technical work performed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Material Measurement Laboratory, as well as the organization’s scientific expertise and adequacy of its budget, facilities, and equipment. 

Elevating Equity in Transportation Decision-Making
Identifies opportunities for using data, metrics, and analytic methods to better inform decisions for allocating surface transportation funds and structuring competitive grant programs to enhance equity for underserved communities. 

Identification and Prognosis of Low Birth Weight Babies in Disability Determinations
This report provides an overview of the current status of the identification, treatment, and prognosis of low birth weight babies in the U.S. population under age 1, as well as common treatments, short- and long-term functional outcomes of low birth weight, and other considerations. 

Options for a National Plan for Smart Manufacturing
Examines technical frameworks and processes for a national plan for smart manufacturing, identifies possible timelines and needed resources, and explores policies and roles for government, industry, and academia to address challenges that can ensure U.S. industrial competitiveness and improve the productivity and energy efficiency of the manufacturing sector.