Re: WhatsNew@nationalacademies.org

[Ron Krate]

Dear Colleagues,

FYI

Ron

On Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 9:21 AM, WNA...@nas.edu <WNA...@nas.edu> wrote:

To view this email as a web page, go here.

Weekly Highlights From the National Academies Nov. 22, 2010 Top News Science in the Headlines Upcoming Events Site Highlights New Podcasts This Week in PNAS New Online Books Top News Events Preceding Spill Point to Failure to Account for Safety Risks and Dangers The numerous technical and operational breakdowns that contributed to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and spill from the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico suggest the lack of a suitable approach for managing the inherent risks, uncertainties, and dangers associated with deepwater drilling operations and a failure to learn from previous "near misses," says an interim report of preliminary findings from a committee of the National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council.    U.S. Lags in Reducing Traffic Fatalities and Injuries The United States is missing significant opportunities to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries. A new report from the National Research Council says the U.S. could save lives by implementing a more rigorous, comprehensive program that adopts safety practices that have been successful in other countries. DHS Risk Assessment of Proposed Kansas Biocontainment Lab Is Incomplete A new congressionally requested National Research Council report finds "several major shortcomings" in a U.S. Department of Homeland Security study of risks associated with operating the proposed National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility in Kansas. The Research Council report says the risks and costs of an accidental release of a pathogen from the facility could be significantly higher than the DHS assessment indicates.  Return to Top More News Science in the Headlines Members Receive National Medals of Science, Technology At a Nov. 17 ceremony, President Obama presented the National Medals of Science and the National Medals of Technology and Innovation, the highest honors bestowed by the U.S. government on scientists, engineers, and inventors. Eleven of this year's 16 recipients were members of NAS, NAE, and IOM.     NAS President Testifies in Congress on Climate Change National Academy of Sciences President Ralph J. Cicerone testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy and Environment. In a hearing titled "A Rational Discussion of Climate Change: The Science, The Evidence, The Response," Dr. Cicerone discussed the basic science and physics of climate change and the role of the NAS and National Research Council in advancing the science of climate change and informing policymakers and the public on this topic. Return to Top More Stories Upcoming Events Nov. 22-24 Meeting Research Universities       Keck Center 500 Fifth St., NW Washington, D.C.    Nov. 29 Public Briefing and Live Webcast Envisioning a Strategy to Prepare for the Long-Term Burden of HIV/AIDS: African Needs and US Interests      20 F St., NW Washington, D.C.    Dec. 2 Public Lecture The Art of Strategy: Game Theory in Movies, Sports, and Literature     Beckman Center,  100 Academy Drive Irvine, Calif.    Cultural Programs of the National Academy of Sciences (CPNAS) CPNAS provides cultural perspectives on issues in science through exhibitions and programs that explore the nexus between art and science, medicine, and technology. Current Exhibitions Art & Science: Highlights From the Collection of the National Academy of Sciences   A complete list of events can be found in our public meetings database. Directions to National Academies facilities are also available. Return to Top Site Highlights Watch presentations from the latest workshop on Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions, "Use of In Utero and Post-Natal Indicators to Predict Health Outcome Later in Life."    Sign up for DEPSNews, an e-mail newsletter from the Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences. The first edition will be sent in early December. Return to Top New Podcasts Engineering Innovation    Self-Healing Cement  InterViews    Caroline Harwood: Microbiology Science Sessions From PNAS   Charles J. Weschler: Pollution in Indoor Environments Return to Top This Week in PNAS The following articles have been featured in the print and online editions of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: Food supply and climate mitigation Imaging ice crystal growth Tracking chromosome remodeling Influence of bacteria in mate choice Get PNAS e-mail alerts Return to Top New Online Books The Power of Renewables: Opportunities and Challenges for China and the United States Pre-publication Available The United States and China are the world's top two energy consumers and, as of 2010, the two largest economies. Consequently, they have a decisive role to play in the world's clean energy future. Both countries are also motivated by related goals, namely...   When Weather Matters: Science and Service to Meet Critical Societal Needs The past 15 years have seen marked progress in observing, understanding, and predicting weather. At the same time, the United States has failed to match or surpass progress in operational numerical weather prediction achieved by other nations and failed to... Planning a WIC Research Agenda -- Workshop Summary Pre-publication Available The time has come to initiate a new program of research on the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (commonly referred to as WIC). WIC is the third largest food assistance program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture... Certifying Personal Protective Technologies: Improving Worker Safety Pre-publication Available When you purchase a product, you expect it to work. Construction workers on high-rise buildings need to be confident that their safety harnesses will arrest a fall. Firefighters need to know that their gloves and other protective equipment can withstand high... Examination of the U.S. Air Force's Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Workforce Needs in the Future and Its Strategy to Meet Those Needs The Air Force requires technical skills and expertise across the entire range of activities and processes associated with the development, fielding, and employment of air, space, and cyber operational capabilities. The growing complexity of both traditional... The nation turns to the National Academies -- National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council -- for independent, objective advice on issues that affect people's lives worldwide. Unsubscribe To unsubscribe from this list please go here or reply to this message with "unsubscribe" in the subject line. Office of News and Public Information Copyright © 2010. The National Academies. 500 Fifth St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. Privacy Statement