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Foundations of a Healthy and Vital Research Community for NASA Science
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Space Studies Board Committee on the Foundation for Assessing the Health and Vitality of the NASA Science Mission Directorate’s Research CommunitiesThe U.S. space science community includes thousands of scientists across multiple disciplines that influence and are influenced by the many engineers, technicians, and support personnel that are part of the space research enterprise. Over one-third of NASA's budget is devoted to space science, and the agency currently operates over 50 space missions in the fields of astrophysics, Earth science, solar and space physics, planetary science, and the biological and physical sciences. The strength of NASA science lies with its people, both those who work directly for the agency and the thousands of researchers and professionals who are funded by NASA grants and contracts. At the request of NASA, this report examines the foundation for healthy and vital research communities. Foundations of a Healthy and Vital Research Community for NASA Science identifies the characteristics of a healthy and vital research community, defines implementable measures for assessing the health and vitality of a research community, describes the types of data that NASA should be collecting to enable future assessments of the health and vitality of the scientific work force, and recommends best practices to improve the health and vitality of NASA’s research communities.
Understanding and Offsetting Financial Barriers for Black Students in Science, Engineering, and Medicine: Programs, Partnerships, And Pathways: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Policy and Global Affairs Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering, and MedicineThe number of Black students in science, engineering, and medicine in the United States has remained disproportionately low over the past several decades. A number of reasons have been identified as contributing to these low numbers, including those related to finances. Financial considerations range from the most immediate - the ability of students to pay for their education and associated costs - to more structural concerns, such as inequities that created and have perpetuated a wealth gap between races and ethnic groups.
Evaluation of Compensation Data Collected Through the EEO-1 Form
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Committee on National Statistics Panel to Evaluate the Quality of Compensation Data Collected from U.S. Employers by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Through the EEO-1 FormThe U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) expanded EEO-1 data collection for reporting years 2017 to 2018 in an effort to improve its ability to investigate and address pay disparities between women and men and between different racial and ethnic groups. These pay disparities are well documented in national statistics. For example, the U.S. Census Bureau (2021) found that Black and Hispanic women earned only 63 percent and 55 percent as much, respectively, of what non-Hispanic White men earned. Evaluation of Compensation Data Collected Through the EEO-1 Form examines the quality of pay data collected using the EEO-1 form and provides recommendations for future data collection efforts. The report finds that there is value in the expanded EEO-1 data, which are unique among federal surveys by providing employee pay, occupation, and demographic data at the employer level. Nonetheless, both short-term and longer-term improvements are recommended to address significant concerns in employer coverage, conceptual definitions, data measurement, and collection protocols. If implemented, these recommendations could improve the breadth and strength of EEOC data for addressing pay equity, potentially reduce employer burden, and better support employer self-assessment.
Policies and Practices to Minimize Police Use of Force Internationally
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Committee on Law and Justice Committee on Evidence to Advance Reform in the Global Security and Justice SectorsInjury and death from use of excessive force by police officers remain a common concern in countries across the globe. Despite local, national, and international attempts to legislate and provide guidance for police use of force, there continue to be global accounts of excessive force by law enforcement. Reports of officer-involved killings, injuries to citizens, and attempts to control protests and demonstrations with chemical irritants, rubber bullets, and sometimes shooting into crowds with live ammunition frequently appear in the press worldwide. However, reliable data on and accounting for these incidents are both lacking. A large network of international and regional organizations, bilateral donors, international financial institutions, and civil society organizations aim to work with governments to improve policing practices and reduce police use of excessive force. As a part of that network, the U.S. Department of State, through its Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), provides foreign assistance to and supports capacity building for criminal justice systems and police organizations in approximately 90 countries. Like many donors, it strives to direct its resources to the most effective approaches to achieve its mission. Policies and Practices to Minimize Police Use of Force Internationally, the third in a series of five reports produced for INL, addresses what policies and practices for police use of force are effective in promoting the rule of law and protecting the population (including the officers themselves). This report looks at what is known about effective practices and their implementation and identifies promising actions to be taken by international donors in their efforts to strengthen the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies.
Civic Engagement and Civic Infrastructure to Advance Health Equity: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice Roundtable on Population Health ImprovementThere is increasing evidence that civic participation - from voting to volunteering - is a social driver of health. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on Population Health Improvement convened a workshop to explore the links between civics and health; between measures of civic engagement and quantitative and qualitative measures of health equity; and the roles that civic infrastructure, narrative, and media play in shaping civic engagement. Presenters discussed voting along with other important dimensions of civic engagement; others include the ability to set agendas, shape how policies are implemented, communicate information, model civic behavior, and support the involvement and inclusion of other individuals and groups.
Frontiers in Synthetic Moiré Quantum Matter: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Board on Physics and Astronomy National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Condensed Matter and Materials Research CommitteeOn May 18-19, 2021, the Condensed Matter and Materials Research Committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a public workshop to examine the frontiers of research on moiré quantum matter. Participants at the workshop discussed the challenges and possibilities that this new material presents. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.
Selected Immune Disorders and Disability
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Health Care Services Committee on Selected Immune Disorders and DisabilityThe U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) administers the Social Security Disability Insurance program and the Supplemental Security Income program. As part of their process, immune system disorders are evaluated under Listing of Impairments 14.00 for adults and 114.00 for children. At the request of the SSA, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine assembled a committee to review selected conditions related to the immune system. In particular, the SSA was interested in the current status of the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of immune system disorders including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), scleroderma, polymyositis, Sjögren’s syndrome/disease, and inflammatory arthritis. This report provides an overview of the current status of the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of these immune system disorders in the U.S. population and the relative levels of functional limitation typically associated with them, common treatments, and other considerations.
Caring for People with Serious Illness: Lessons Learned From The Covid-19 Pandemic: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Health Sciences Policy Board on Health Care Services Roundtable on Quality Care for People with Serious IllnessThe COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted existing weaknesses in the United States health care system, while creating a new set of challenges related to caring for people with serious illness. The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on Quality Care for People with Serious Illness hosted a three-part workshop to explore the initial responses to the pandemic by health care teams providing care to people with serious illness, the impact of the pandemic on the health care workforce, the use of telehealth, issues related to clearly communicating with the public about health emergencies, and policy opportunities to improve care for people with serious illness. Issues related to health equity were discussed throughout the three webinars.
Research and Data Priorities for Improving Economic and Social Mobility: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Committee on National Statistics Committee on PopulationInequalities in income, wealth, health, and life expectancy have been increasing over the past several decades in the United States. Since around 1980, fewer Americans than before are doing better than their parents did - that is, more are experiencing downward socioeconomic mobility in terms of occupational status and income. A number of efforts are currently underway to develop evidence-based strategies for increasing inter- and intragenerational mobility and improving economic and social well-being in the United States. These efforts require an improved understanding of the factors that influence social and economic mobility, the mechanisms through which these factors operate, and how these relationships and mechanisms vary across and within different population subgroups. To this end, the Committee on Population and the Committee on National Statistics at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a virtual workshop on February 14-15, 2022. The purpose of the workshop was to identify key research and data needs and priorities for future work on social and economic mobility. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.
Improving the CDC Quarantine Station Network’s Response to Emerging Threats
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice Board on Global Health Committee on the Analysis to Enhance the Effectiveness of the Federal Quarantine Station Network based on Lessons from the COVID-19 PandemicThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is responsible for preventing the introduction, transmission, and spread of communicable diseases into the United States. It does this primarily through the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ), which oversees the federal quarantine station network. Over the past two decades, the frequency and volume of microbial threats worldwide have continued to intensify. The COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, has prompted a reevaluation of many of our current disease control mechanisms, including the use and role of quarantine as a public health tool. The emergence of COVID-19 prompted CDC to request that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convene a committee to assess the role of DGMQ and the federal quarantine station network in mitigating the risk of onward communicable disease transmission in light of changes in the global environment, including large increases in international travel, threats posed by emerging infections, and the movement of animals and cargo. The committee was also tasked with identifying how lessons learned during COVID-19 and other public health emergencies can be leveraged to strengthen pandemic response. The report's findings and recommendations span five domains: organizational capacity, disease control and response efforts, new technologies and data systems, coordination and collaboration, and legal and regulatory authority.
Transforming EPA Science to Meet Today’s and Tomorrow’s Challenges
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine National Academy of Engineering Cultural, Ethical, Social, and Environmental Responsibility in Engineering Program Division on Earth and Life Studies Water Science and Technology Board Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology Committee on Anticipatory Research for EPA’s Research and Development Enterprise to Inform Future Environmental Protection: The Road AheadSince its establishment in 1970, the mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment. EPA develops regulations, ensures compliance, and issues policies, in coordination with state, tribal, and local governments. To accomplish its mission, EPA should be equipped to produce and access the highest quality and most advanced science. The Office of Research and Development (ORD) provides the scientific bases for regulatory and public health policies that have broad impacts on the nation’s natural resources and quality of human life, and that yield economic benefits and incur compliance costs for the regulated community. In addition, ORD develops the agency core research capabilities, providing tools and methods for meeting current and anticipating future environmental challenges, such as the risks to health and the environment posed by climate change. Because challenges associated with environmental protection today are complex and affected by many interacting factors, the report points to the need for a substantially broader and better integrated approach to environmental protection. This report calls for EPA ORD to pursue all of its scientific aims in a new framework—to apply systems thinking to a One Environment? One Health approach in all aspects of ORD work. To accomplish this, the report provides actionable recommendations on how ORD might consider incorporating emerging science and systems thinking into the agency research planning, so that ORD can become an increasingly impactful organization. The report identifies a number of high-priority recommendations for ORD to pursue in taking advantage of a broad range of advanced tools, in concert with collaborators in other federal agencies and the broader scientific community. Given the resource constraints, the report recognizes that ORD will have to make decisions about priorities for implementing its recommendations, and that ORD leadership is in the best position to set those priorities as implementation begins. The report concluded by stating that shifting to a systems-thinking approach will require renewed support from science leadership, enhanced strategic planning, investment in new and broader expertise and tools, and a reimagined and inclusive commitment to communication and collaboration.
Understanding the Societal Challenges Facing Nuclear Power: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Earth and Life Studies Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board Board on Energy and Environmental Systems Committee on Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors in the United StatesNuclear reactors can provide low-carbon energy, and advanced nuclear technologies could play an important role in moving the United States toward a zero-carbon future. Next-generation nuclear reactors have the potential to be smaller, safer, less expensive to build, and better integrated with the modern grid. However, the technical, economic, and regulatory outlook for these technologies remains uncertain. The Committee on Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors in the United States was convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to identify opportunities and barriers to the commercialization of new and advanced nuclear reactor technologies in the United States over the next 30 years as part of a decarbonization strategy. To support its information gathering, the committee convened a workshop on September 1-3, 2021, titled Understanding the Societal Challenges Facing Nuclear Power. Speakers and participants from industry, government, and academia discussed the nature and extent of the societal challenges facing nuclear energy as well as lessons from past experiences in the nuclear industry, from analogous industries, and from the social sciences. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.
Review of the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s Draft Decadal Strategic Plan, 2022-2031
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Division on Earth and Life Studies Board on Environmental Change and Society Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate Committee to Advise the U.S. Global Change Research ProgramMore intense heat waves, extended wildfire seasons and other escalating impacts of climate change have made it more important than ever to fill knowledge gaps that improve society’s understanding, assessment, and response to global change. The US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) - a collection of 13 Federal entities charged by law to help the United States and the world fill those knowledge gaps - laid out proposed mechanisms and priorities for global change research over the next decade in its draft Decadal Strategic Plan 2022-2031. The draft plan recognizes that priority knowledge gaps have shifted over the past decade as demand has grown for more useful and more inclusive data to inform decision-making, and as the focus on resilience and sustainability has increased. As part of its work in advising the USGCRP since 2011, the National Academies reviewed USGCRP’s draft plan to determine how it might be enhanced. Advances in the draft plan include an increased emphasis on social sciences, community engagement with marginalized groups, and promotion of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in the production of science. Strengthening the interconnections between the plan’s core pillars and expanding opportunities for coordination among federal agencies tasked with responding to global climate change would improve the plan. The draft plan could more strongly convey a sense of urgency throughout the plan and would benefit from additional examples of key research outputs that could advance policy and decision making on global change challenges.
Risk Analysis Methods for Nuclear War and Nuclear Terrorism
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Policy and Global Affairs Division on Earth and Life Studies Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Committee on International Security and Arms Control Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board Board on Mathematical Sciences and Analytics Committee on Risk Analysis Methods for Nuclear War and Nuclear TerrorismThe assessment of risk is complex and often controversial. It is derived from the existence of a hazard, and it is characterized by the uncertainty of possible undesirable events and their outcomes. Few outcomes are as undesirable as nuclear war and nuclear terrorism. Over the decades, much has been written about particular situations, policies, and weapons that might affect the risks of nuclear war and nuclear terrorism. The nature of the concerns and the risk analysis methods used to evaluate them have evolved considerably over time. At the request of the Department of Defense, Risk Analysis Methods for Nuclear War and Nuclear Terrorism discusses risks, explores the risk assessment literature, highlights the strengths and weaknesses of risk assessment approaches, and discusses some publicly available assumptions that underpin U.S. security strategies, all in the context of nuclear war and nuclear terrorism.
Effectiveness and Efficiency of Defense Environmental Cleanup Activities of the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management: Report 2
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Earth and Life Studies Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment Committee on Review of Effectiveness and Efficiency of Defense Environmental Cleanup Activities of the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental ManagementThe U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) was established by Congress in 1989 to remediate waste and environmental contamination that have resulted from nuclear weapons production and related activities. It has expended almost $200 billion on cleanup and related activities since its establishment and completed cleanup at all but 15 of the more than 100 sites. At the request of Congress, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine formed a committee to provide advice on enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of DOE-EM cleanup activities, particularly with respect to project management, contracting, and oversight practices. These recommendations were provided in two reports. The first report, Review of Effectiveness and Efficiency of Defense Environmental Cleanup Activities of DOE's Office of Environmental Management: Report 1, considered overall project management practices, project management metrics and outcomes, and contract structures and performance measures. This second report focuses on specific DOE-EM sites to assess how effective the management of the numerous projects at the sites is contributing to the wider programmatic objectives of DOE-EM.
Analysis of Potential Interference Issues Related to FCC Order 20-48
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Board on Physics and Astronomy Air Force Studies Board Computer Science and Telecommunications Board Committee to Review FCC Order 20-48 Authorizing Operation of a Terrestrial Radio Network Near the GPS Frequency BandsThis report reviews Federal Communications Commission order FCC 20-48, which authorized Ligado Networks LLC to operate a low-power terrestrial radio network adjacent to the Global Positioning System (GPS) frequency band. It considers how best to evaluate harmful interference to civilian and defense users of GPS, the potential for harmful interference to GPS users and DOD activities, and the effectiveness and feasibility of the mitigation measures proposed in the FCC order.
Advancing the Framework for Assessing Causality of Health and Welfare Effects to Inform National Ambient Air Quality Standard Reviews
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Division on Earth and Life Studies Board on Mathematical Sciences and Analytics Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology Committee on Assessing Causality from a Multidisciplinary Evidence Base for National Ambient Air Quality StandardsAs part of its responsibilities under the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for the air pollutants carbon monoxide, lead, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter, ozone, and sulfur dioxide. EPA uses a "weight of evidence approach" to evaluate evidence from scientific studies and describe the causal relationships between these "criteria pollutants" and any adverse impacts on human health and on public welfare - including impacts on wildlife, water, forests, agriculture, and climate. The evaluation, called an Integrated Science Assessment, is used to inform standards setting associated with the criteria pollutants. This report, produced at the request of EPA, describes EPAs and several other frameworks for inferring causality of health or welfare effects and the characteristics of evidence useful for forming a causal determination. The report concludes that EPAs causal framework is effective, reliable, and scientifically defensible, provided that key scientific questions are identified and a range of necessary expertise is engaged. More transparency in how EPA integrates evidence could improve confidence in their determinations, and more guidance is needed in the framework on how evidence should be examined for vulnerable groups (e.g., human sub-populations) and sensitive ecosystems or species.
Animal Welfare Challenges in Research and Education on Wildlife, Non-Model Animal Species and Biodiversity: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Earth and Life Studies Institute for Laboratory Animal ResearchResearch to advance understanding of the ecology and biology of wildlife species is more important than ever as the world confronts issues ranging from biodiversity loss to the emergence of zoonotic diseases. However, the current understanding of animal welfare in research and education has been based on laboratory work with specific domesticated species. Wildlife research represents a starkly different context and with different implications for animal welfare. Wild species that are the subject of research have extremely diverse physiologies and behaviors and live in diverse habitats. This makes it challenging and sometimes impossible for wildlife researchers to follow the recommendations outlined in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NRC 2011) and other guidelines developed for a laboratory-based, biomedically focused research context. To explore issues associated with the unique welfare considerations of wildlife research, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (under the auspices of the Roundtable on Science and Animal Welfare in Laboratory Animal Use), hosted a workshop titled Discussing and Understanding Animal Welfare Challenges in Research and Education on Wildlife, Non-Model Animal Species, and Biodiversity on February 9-10, 2022. The event, held virtually, included pre-recorded presentations and overarching discussions to explore this topic in breadth and depth. More than 1,800 participants from academia, industry, government, and nonprofit organizations joined the webcast. This proceedings summarizes key topics covered in the workshop presentations and discussions based on transcripts, recordings, and slides from the event.
An Assessment of Native Seed Needs and the Capacity for Their Supply: Final Report
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Division on Earth and Life Studies Committee on National Statistics Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on an Assessment of Native Seed Needs and CapacitiesExtreme weather and wildfires, intensified by climate change, are damaging the native plant communities of landscapes across the United States. Native plant communities are foundational to thriving ecosystems, delivering goods and services that regulate the environment and support life, provide food and shelter for a wide range of native animals, and embody a wealth of genetic information with many beneficial applications. Restoring impaired ecosystems requires a supply of diverse native plant seeds that are well suited to the climates, soils, and other living species of the system. This report examines the needs for native plant restoration and other activities, provides recommendations for improving the reliability, predictability, and performance of the native seed supply, and presents an ambitious agenda for action. An Assessment of Native Seed Needs and the Capacity for Their Supply considers the various challenges facing our natural landscapes and calls for a coordinated public-private effort to scale-up and secure a cost-effective national native seed supply.
Long COVID: Examining Long-term Health Effects Of Covid-19 And Implications For The Social Security Administration: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Health Care Services‘Long COVID’ refers to the wide range of long-lasting symptoms experienced by some patients after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. The most common symptoms include fatigue, headache, brain fog, shortness of breath, hair loss, and pain. At this time, there are many knowledge gaps related to Long COVID, including the prevalence of the condition, the impact of the symptoms on survivors’ ability to function, and the long-term course of the condition. While many individuals with Long COVID recover within one year, others experience little or no decrease in symptom severity over time. Long COVID symptoms can affect a person’s ability to work and otherwise function in daily life, so people with the condition may need to utilize programs such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI). The Social Security Administration (SSA), which administers both of these programs, requested that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine host a public workshop to discuss research into the long-term health effects of COVID-19, their impacts on individuals and populations, and how the SSDI and SSI programs can support individuals who suffer disability as a result of Long COVID. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.
The Future of Water Quality in Coeur d’Alene Lake
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Earth and Life Studies Water Science and Technology Board Committee on the Future of Water Quality in Coeur d’Alene LakeCoeur d'Alene Lake in northern Idaho is an invaluable natural, recreational, and economic resource for communities in Idaho and eastern Washington. Starting in the late 1880s, mining in the Lake’s watershed sent heavy metals and other mining wastes into the Lake, resulting in contamination of lake sediments with lead, cadmium, arsenic, and zinc that persists today. The watershed was designated a Superfund site and cleanup has been ongoing for 30 years. However, the Lake's environmental quality and cleanup is overseen by a Lake Management Plan, originally implemented by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and the state of Idaho. A major focus of that plan is whether lakeshore development might promote low-oxygen (anoxic) conditions that could release toxic metals from lake sediments back into the water column. This report analyzes water quality data collected from the Lake and the watershed over the past 30 years. The analyses indicate that, although the Lake is still heavily contaminated, concentrations of metals in the major inputs to the Lake have declined, and there is no evidence that phosphorus concentrations have been increasing in the last decade or that low-oxygen events are becoming more common. However, the shorelines of the Lake, where exposure to metals or harmful algae is more likely, are not currently monitored. Protecting the water quality of Coeur d'Alene Lake will require that monitoring efforts be expanded to provide an early warning of deteriorating conditions, regular syntheses of data, and targeted studies—all coordinated among interest groups—followed by application of those results to managing the Lake.
Independent Review of the Community Report from the Biosignature Standards of Evidence Workshop: Report Series?committee On Astrobiology And Planetary Sciences
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Space Studies Board Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary SciencesAt the request of NASA, the Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences of the National Academies of Sciences Engineering, and Medicine, in its role as an independent forum, conducted a review of the NASA report “Community Report from the Biosignatures Standards of Evidence Workshop”. The review addresses the accuracy, assumptions, and conclusions of the NASA report. This publication details the findings of the committee.
The Impact of Juvenile Justice System Involvement on the Health and Well-Being of Youth, Families, and Communities of Color: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice Roundtable on the Promotion of Health EquityInvolvement with the juvenile justice system can impact young people's physical and mental health and well-being throughout their lives, as well as the health and well-being of their families and communities. Youth of color are more likely to become involved with the juvenile justice system, and suffer worse outcomes in sentencing, during incarceration, and after release. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity convened a workshop to discuss the impact that juvenile justice system involvement has on the health and well-being of adolescents, families, and communities of color; examine policies that are successful in improving outcomes; and explore what needs to be done to improve all aspects of encounters with the juvenile justice system. The workshop suggested pursuing alternatives to traditional juvenile justice systems that would allow adolescents to stay in their communities rather than in detention, responding to behavioral problems in youth with interventions that promote health and positive development rather than punishment, and tailoring interventions and programming to participants' cultural background and gender identity. This report summarizes the proceedings of the workshop.
Optimizing Care Systems for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Population Health and Public Health PracticeApproximately 7.4 million people in the United States live with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD). According to a 2001 report from the U.S. Surgeon General, individuals with IDD face exceptional challenges to staying healthy and getting appropriate health services when they are sick. Though the nation has taken important steps in the two decades since the release of that report, people with IDD still face significant barriers that impede greater access to quality health care and meeting their health goals. These barriers include being excluded from public campaigns to promote wellness, difficulty finding health care professionals who will accept them as patients and know how to meet their specialized needs, and struggling with unwieldy payment structures designed when people with IDD often died young or spent their lives in residential institutions. To explore the challenges and opportunities for creating an optimal care system for individuals with IDD, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice hosted a three-part virtual public workshop, Optimizing Care Systems for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, on December 8, 10, and 14, 2021. It featured invited presentations and discussions that explored questions related to models of care, workforce, cross-discipline and cross-sector coordination, and financing and payment for care. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions of the workshop.
Report of the Treasurer for the Year Ended December 31, 2021
by National Academy of SciencesThis Report of the Treasurer of the National Academy of Sciences presents the financial position and results of operations as well as a review of the endowment and other long-term investments portfolio activities of our Academy for the year ended December 31, 2021.