Check out Discover UofSC 2021 winners, posters, keynote and more
Discover UofSC 2021, the first-ever virtual showcase of research, scholarship, leadership and creativity throughout the UofSC System, was held on Friday, April 23. Thousands of presenters, reviewers, mentors and visitors made the virtual event a great success, and it’s not too late to check it out. Discover UofSC 2021 features, including iPosters, welcome and keynote speeches, outreach exhibits by UofSC and Prisma Health organizations, and a list of winners, will remain online for visitors to enjoy.
State Department exempts international students from COVID travel bans
The State Department is making it somewhat easier for students in countries affected by COVID-19-related travel bans to come to the U.S. this fall. Students enrolled in academic programs starting August 1, 2021 or later will be eligible for exemptions from all regional COVID-19 travel restrictions currently in place, including restrictions limiting travel from Brazil, China, Iran and South Africa.
- Read more on Inside Higher Ed.
- Read more in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
How a historic funding boom might transform the NSF
US officials are discussing whether the National Science Foundation (NSF) — which funds about a quarter of all basic academic research in the country — should get a historic budget boost, potentially changing the U.S. science landscape. During recent congressional hearings legislators evaluated proposals that, if passed into law, would increase the agency’s funding by as much as $100 billion over about five years. Any of these, if passed, would represent one of the largest increases for the NSF since it launched nearly 70 years ago. Read more on Nature.com.
Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act introduced in House Science Committee
House Science Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) along with Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) recently introduced the “Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act.” This bill would expand research efforts to better understand the causes and consequences of sexual harassment impacting individuals in the STEM workforce. If passed into law, the bill would also provide support to examine policies to reduce the prevalence and negative impacts of such harassment. Read more on the House Science Committee website.
Senate committee seeks to include DOE in Endless Frontier push
At a recent hearing, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-WY) fired a bipartisan broadside at the fast-moving Endless Frontier Act. Their critique notes that the legislation narrowly focuses on expanding the National Science Foundation to achieve its aim of promoting U.S. technology development while ignoring related capabilities under the Department of Energy’s umbrella. Read more on the American Institute of Physics website.
29 April 2021