Committee Considers Foreign Influence in Science
BU IN DC
Jeanne Kelley of the International Students & Scholars Office attended the NAFSA: Association of International Educators annual conference from May 26 through May 31.
The School of Public Health and the Initiative on Cities cohosted “A Conversation About Cities and Health” on June 4 at the National Press Club. SPH Dean Sandro Galea served as moderator and IOC Co-Director Katharine Lusk participated in the panel.
Paul Gugliuzza of the School of Law testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “The State of Patent Eligibility in America” on June 4.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERS FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN SCIENCE
The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on Wednesday exploring how foreign governments may seek to inappropriately access biomedical research supported by U.S. taxpayer funds. Witnesses from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies discussed their investigations into conflicts of interest by federal grantees and what steps are being taken to prevent research espionage. NIH officials and a witness from the Oregon Health & Science University acknowledged the gravity of the issue, but urged lawmakers to remember the value of global collaborations. The hearing is one of several such inquiries as lawmakers express concerns over national security threats to the federal research enterprise.
HOUSE PASSES “DREAMERS” LEGISLATION
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday that provides a path to citizenship for Dreamers, immigrants who were brought to the United States as children without documentation. The American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6) passed the House by a vote of 237-187, with the entire Massachusetts Congressional delegation joining 230 Democrats and seven Republicans in supporting the bill. Higher education organizations such as the American Council on Education backed the bill because it would help undocumented college students. The U.S. Senate is unlikely to take up the bill, which is not supported by the Trump Administration.
AGENCIES SEEK INPUT ON QUANTUM RESEARCH AGENDA>
The research community has two new opportunities to provide guidance to federal research agencies as they begin to form their quantum research initiatives:
- The National Science Foundation and the National Science and Technology Council will accept comments through July 29 on the current landscape of quantum information research and what areas are ripe for investment.
- The U.S. Department of Energy is seeking input on how to structure large-scale Quantum Information Science Centers, which the agency will fund in fiscal year 2020 in response to a Congressional mandate. The comment period runs through July 5.