Investigation and Design Can Improve Student Learning in Science and Engineering; Changes to Instructional Approaches Will Require Significant Effort

TUE, 13 Nov 2018 11:00 EST

Centering science instruction around investigation and design can improve learning in middle and high schools and help students make sense of phenomena in the world around them. Current approaches to science in many classrooms do not reflect this approach and constrain the opportunities afforded to students, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Changing instructional approaches will require significant and sustained work by teachers, administrators, and policy makers, the report says. Read More

Arab-American Frontiers Symposium Held in Kuwait City

FRI, 09 Nov 2018 12:00 EST

The sixth Arab-American Frontiers Symposium of Science, Engineering, and Medicine was held earlier this week in Kuwait City in partnership with the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS). The symposium brought together over 100 young researchers from the U.S. and 12 Arab countries to discuss cutting-edge advances in big data, water systems, microbiome, air quality, and next generation buildings and infrastructure. More information on the Arab-American Frontiers program and symposia can be found here.

'Citizen Science' Can Support Both Learning and Research Goals, Says New Report

THU, 01 Nov 2018 11:00 EST

Scientific research that involves nonscientists contributing to research processes – also known as ‘citizen science’ – supports participants’ learning, engages the public in science, contributes to community scientific literacy, and can serve as a valuable tool to facilitate larger scale research, says a new report from the National Academies. If one of the goals of a citizen science project is to advance learning, designers should plan for it by defining intended learning outcomes and using evidence-based strategies to reach those outcomes. Read More

Full Agenda Now Available for Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing

MON, 29 Oct 2018 20:00 EST

The full agenda is now available for the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing, which will take place Nov. 27-29 in Hong Kong. The three-day summit will be co-hosted by the Academy of Sciences of Hong Kong, the Royal Society of London, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. National Academy of Medicine. For more information, visit the summit website. General registration | Journalist and news media registration

New Editor-in-Chief of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Named

FRI, 26 Oct 2018 11:00 EST

The National Academy of Sciences announced the appointment of May R. Berenbaum, professor and Swanlund Chair of Entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as editor-in-chief of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the official journal of the Academy. Berenbaum, who was elected to the NAS in 1994 and has served on the PNAS editorial board since 1998, will begin the editorship on Jan. 1, 2019. Read More

Technologies That Remove Carbon Dioxide From Air and Sequester It Need to Play a Large Role in Mitigating Climate Change

WED, 24 Oct 2018 11:00 EST

“Negative emissions technologies” (NETs) that remove and sequester carbon dioxide from the air will need to play a significant role in mitigating climate change, says a new Academies report. Some of these technologies can be deployed now, but additional ones are needed to meet climate goals. The report calls for the launch of a substantial research initiative to advance these technologies as soon as possible. Although climate mitigation remains the motivation for global investments in NETs, advances in NETs also could have economic rewards, as intellectual property rights and economic benefits will likely accrue to the nations that develop the best technology. Read More

'Carbon Utilization' Technologies Could Reduce Emissions by Turning Greenhouse Gases Into Useful Products

THU, 18 Oct 2018 13:00 EST

A new Academies report outlines a research agenda for improving the commercial viability of technologies that turn greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels into useful products such as fuels, construction materials, and chemicals. The report urges the U.S. government and private sector to support research and development to advance these technologies and coordinate their efforts. Read More

Shift Needed in How STEM Subjects are Taught to English Learners, New Report Says

THU, 18 Oct 2018 11:00 EST

A new report from the National Academies says that English learners develop proficiency in both STEM subjects and language when they are engaged in meaningful interaction in the classroom with teachers who can support them with content that allows language to develop simultaneously. However, many STEM teachers are not prepared adequately to provide robust learning opportunities that foster simultaneous content knowledge and language development in their classrooms. Read More

Academy Members Receive Breakthrough Prizes

WED, 17 Oct 2018 11:00 EST

NAS members Angelika Amon, Xiaowei Zhuang, and Zhijian “James” Chen are among those awarded the 2019 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, and NAS member Charles Kane is sharing the 2019 Breakthrough Prize in Physics. The prizes, known as the "Oscars of Science," each come with a $3 million award.

Everglades Restoration Should Consider Climate Change and Sea-level Rise, New Report Says

WED, 17 Oct 2018 11:00 EST

As new evidence about climate change and sea-level rise in South Florida continues to emerge, agencies responsible for the restoration of the Everglades should conduct a mid-course assessment that rigorously analyzes scenarios of future change to the region’s ecosystem in its planning, says a new congressionally mandated report by the National Academies. Read More