NOAA’s new Chief Scientist on preparing for climate’s biggest perils.

Sarah Kapnick is the third woman in NOAA’s history to be appointed to the role of chief scientist. “I have always been really interested in climate – and climate risk. My undergraduate degree was in theoretical mathematics with a certificate in finance and research on geophysical fluid dynamics,” says Sarah. Read more. (Credit: NOAA)

The Science & Technology Action Committee (STAC) released a statement applauding the Senate’s confirmation of Dr. Arati Prabhakar’s nomination as the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

“Dr. Arati Prabhakar’s bipartisan confirmation as OSTP Director is a victory for the advancement of science, technology, and innovation in the United States. This pivotal position requires working across the federal government in these policy areas to drive economic growth, create jobs, and address critical threats to Americans’ public health and wellbeing. Dr. Prabhakar has the unique opportunity to unleash U.S. innovation and reassert America’s global leadership in tackling the extraordinary threats society faces today. She is the ideal scientist and leader for this crucial role.” Read more. (Image: Wikipedia)

Heinz Family Foundation announces $1.5 million in awards.
The Heinz Family Foundation announced the recipients of the 27th Heinz Awards, which will present unrestricted cash awards totaling $1.5 million to seven Americans for outstanding contributions in the categories of the Arts, the Economy and the Environment. Among the recipients is Anne C. Evens, CEO of Elevate, who has dedicated her life’s work to transforming energy efficiency improvements in affordable housing and to the mission of Elevate, which works to ensure that everyone has equal access to clean and affordable heat, power and water in their homes and communities. Read more.

How the US can harness the possibilities of biotechnology.
To accelerate the transformation of biotechnology advancements into solutions for real world problems, the Biden-Harris administration has launched the Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative through a new executive order, which has the potential to improve the everyday lives of all people. Read more.

Workforce Diversity Initiatives in the CHIPS and Science Act.
The new CHIPS and Science Act includes a variety of provisions aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the STEM workforce through grant support and workforce research, and by instituting new requirements for data collection and ethical research conduct. Read more. 

Apply now for the 2023 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists. 
The Blavatnik National Awards recognize exceptional individuals and their accomplishments in the areas of Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemistry. One Blavatnik National Awards Laureate will be selected from each disciplinary category and will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds. Read more.

The next round of Jane Coffin Childs Postdoctoral Fellowships opens on October 3rd, 2022 with a deadline of noon EST on February 1st, 2023. 
Please encourage creative and talented postdocs (or soon to be postdocs) in your network to apply. The Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research (JCC Fund) was established by the Childs Family in 1937, to honor the memory of Jane Coffin Childs who died of cancer in 1936. Read more.

Season 3 of the Lost Women of Science podcast launches September 22nd. 

Yvonne Y. Clark, known as YY throughout her career, has also been nicknamed “The First Lady of Engineering,” because of her groundbreaking achievements as a Black female mechanical engineer. Season 3 of Lost Women of Science traces her trajectory, from her unconventional childhood interest in fixing appliances to civil rights breakthroughs in the segregated South; from her trailblazing role at historically Black colleges and universities to her work at NASA. What can YY teach us about what it means to be the first in a scientific field, especially as a Black woman in America? Read more. (Image: Wikipedia)

NSF launches entrepreneurial fellowships for engineers and scientists.
The U.S. National Science Foundation announced a new $20 million investment in Entrepreneurial Fellowships through a multi-year cooperative agreement with Activate. Read more.

Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier: ‘We all need to ask ourselves what kind of world we want to live in’ 
In early September, Charpentier traveled to Yerevan, Armenia to be one of the main speakers at the Starmus VI Festival. In her interview with EL PAÍS, the scientist explains that she is still focused on the same goal as she was years ago: looking for new forms of gene editing to combat antibiotic-resistant infections. Read more. 

COVID-19 dashboard creator Lauren Gardner wins Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award.

Lauren Gardner, a professor of civil and systems engineering at Johns Hopkins University's Whiting School of Engineering, has won the 2022 Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award, America's top biomedical research prize. Read more. (Image: Will Kirk, JHU)

Parker to lead Artificial Intelligence Research and Education Initiative at UT.
Lynne Parker is returning to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, after completing a four-year post as deputy United States chief technology officer and director of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office within the White House. Read more.

Cleveland Clinic researchers discover new signal for triggering human immune response.
Michaela Gack and her team at the Cleveland Clinic have discovered a new "priming signal" that triggers immune system responses to infection. Born in Germany, Gack received a Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in 2017. Read more.

Winners of 2023 Breakthrough Prize announced.
The Breakthrough Prize Foundation has announced the winners of the 2023 Breakthrough Prizes in life sciences, fundamental physics, and mathematics. But no women for the 3 key prizes… Read more.

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