“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 January 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. 

Mapping STEM Opportunity
Jan. 6
The National Academies’ recent report Call to Action for Science Education: Building Opportunity for the Future outlines action steps for better, more equitable science education. This workshop will focus on ways to use data to map opportunity and anchor decisions that can improve equitable access to science learning.  

TRB’s 102nd Annual Meeting
Jan. 8-12
Industry leaders, policymakers, administrators, and researchers will gather for the 2023 annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board. Sessions will cover a variety of topics, including infrastructure, equity, transformational technologies, and energy and the environment. This year’s spotlight theme is “Rejuvenation Out of Disruption: Envisioning a Transportation System for a Dynamic Future.” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm will speak during the Chair’s Plenary Session. 

Pandemic Preparedness: Accelerating the Discovery of New Therapeutics
Jan. 10
Antiviral drugs with the appropriate spectrum of activity can protect against a new pandemic threat until a vaccine can be developed and deployed. This presentation from Ken Duncan, deputy director of discovery and translational sciences in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Health Program, provides a perspective on pandemic preparedness, international efforts for antiviral drug development, and the need to ensure equitable access to any drugs that are developed. 

Biohybrid Materials and Technologies for Today and Tomorrow  
Jan. 12 and 13
This workshop will explore emerging trends and opportunities in biohybrid materials and technologies across broad application spaces, including robotics, manufacturing, architecture, and agriculture.  

Macroeconomics and Climate-Related Risks and Opportunities
Jan. 23
This roundtable seeks to identify how the effects of climate change relate to macroeconomic performance, in addition to exploring the implications for public policies. At this session, experts will aim to establish a shared understanding of climate science and its intersection with economics. 

Advancing Research on Understanding Environmental Effects of UV Filters from Sunscreens
Jan. 23 and 24
This workshop will examine the findings of the National Academies report Review of Fate, Exposure, and Effects of Sunscreens in Aquatic Environments and Implications for Sunscreen Usage and Human Health. Participants from the public, private, and academic sectors will share progress on addressing the knowledge gaps identified in the report and discuss areas of opportunity for research.   

Reports Scheduled for Release in January
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.  

Community Wastewater-Based Infectious Disease Surveillance
During the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater surveillance studies successfully tracked viral shed and provided advance indications of outbreaks, sometimes weeks ahead of other public health data. This report will examine the value of wastewater surveillance as a tool to trace, prevent, and control the spread of infectious diseases beyond COVID-19. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR REPORTERS 

• The National Academies’ Newsroom  
• PNAS in the News | Register to receive embargoed material from the PNAS News Office 
• Reports and other publications from the National Academies 
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