CONTENTS:
- 33 Universities to Participate in 2019 Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Misconduct
- AAU Faculty Honored as 2018 Nobel Laureates, MacArthur Geniuses
- Energy Sciences Coalition, AAU Thank Supporters of Energy Research and Innovation Act Associations Write to NIH Regarding Synthetic Nucleic Acid Research Guidelines
- Senate Confirms NASA Deputy Administrator
- President Signs Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act
- AAU Expresses Concerns to DOT Regarding Research Animal Transport Restrictions
33 UNIVERSITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN 2019 CAMPUS CLIMATE SURVEY ON SEXUAL ASSAULT AND MISCONDUCT
AAU last week announced the 33 universities participating in the 2019 Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct. The 2019 study is a follow-up to the landmark 2015 AAU Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct. AAU and the participating 33 universities have contracted with Westat, a leading social science research firm, to conduct the survey and analyze survey results. Aggregate results will be released in the fall of 2019.
AAU FACULTY HONORED AS 2018 NOBEL LAUREATES, MACARTHUR GENIUSES
Four AAU faculty received 2018 Nobel Prizes and 11 AAU faculty were awarded MacArthur Genius fellowships. Professor emeritus Gerard Moreau at the University of Michigan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, Professor Frances H. Arnold of Caltech and Professor emeritus George P. Smith of the University of Missouri, Columbia received the prize in Chemistry, and Professor William D. Nordhaus of Yale University and Professor Paul M. Romer of New York University share the prize in Economic Sciences.
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FUN FACT: 38% of all Nobel Prize Winners are affiliated with AAU Universities. See more in AAU by the Numbers. |
The MacArthur Genius fellowship, commonly known as a “Genius Grant,” is a prize awarded to 20 to 30 extraordinarily talented and creative individuals each year. Eleven of the 13 academics awarded 2018 MacArthur Genius fellowships are at AAU universities. A complete list of awardees is available here.
ENERGY SCIENCES COALITION, AAU THANK SUPPORTERS OF ENERGY RESEARCH AND INNOVATION ACT
The Energy Sciences Coalition, of which AAU is a member, yesterday wrote to House and Senate committee leaders for advancing the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act (H.R. 589), recently signed into law by President Trump. The legislation identifies and advances crucial research activities and science infrastructure across all DOE Office of Science programs and focuses on improving technology transfer at national laboratories, Energy Frontier Research Centers, and Energy Innovation Hubs – which help bring universities, national laboratories, nonprofits, and industries together.
ASSOCIATIONS WRITE TO NIH REGARDING SYNTHETIC NUCLEIC ACID RESEARCH GUIDELINES
AAU, the Council on Governmental Relations, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities on Wednesday submitted comments to NIH regarding proposed changes to the Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecule. The joint association comment letter includes recommendations for a comprehensive review of the NIH Guidelines to address relevant new and emerging technologies and the establishment of a NIH/Office of Science Policy task force to include scientists with the appropriate expertise (e.g., expertise in synthetic biology). The letter also notes the organizations’ support of proposed modifications to the Role of the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC) charter to “use the RAC as a public forum to advise on issues.”
SENATE CONFIRMS NASA DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR
The Senate yesterday by voice vote confirmed James Morhard to serve as NASA's deputy administrator. The Senate Commerce, Transportation, and Science Committee had favorably reported the nomination, also on a voice vote, last month.
PRESIDENT SIGNS MARRAKESH TREATY IMPLEMENTATION ACT
President Trump on Tuesday signed the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act (S. 2559). The Marrakesh Treaty will facilitate cross-border access to published academic research of people who are blind or otherwise visually impaired. In March 2018, AAU and several other associations issued a statement in support of the bill noting the Treaty, if implemented “offers a fair and transparent way to remedy the disadvantages that Americans with print disabilities confront when seeking to lawfully access the world’s printed materials.”
AAU EXPRESSES CONCERNS TO DOT REGARDING RESEARCH ANIMAL TRANSPORTATION RESTRICTIONS
AAU last week submitted comments to the Department of Transportation (DOT) in support of the National Alliance on Biomedical Research's (NABR) legal complaint regarding airlines’ refusal to ship research animals. The complaint argues that the airlines’ voluntary refusal – at the urging of animal rights groups – violates common carrier rules on cargo discrimination considering airlines will transport similar animals to zoos. AAU requested that the DOT investigate the complaint filed by NABR and to require all airlines to eliminate policies that discriminate against research animal carriage. The carriage of research animals should be based only on the fact that these animals are transported for legal, legitimate, necessary, and life-saving biomedical research.