Date: Jan. 29, 2009
Editor: Valerie Chase
"Reports & Events" is a monthly list of selected events open to the public and a listing of National Academies reports tentatively scheduled for release next month. A complete listing of events can be accessed at http://search.nap.edu/nap-cgi/events.cgi.
BRIEFINGS
HIPAA Privacy Rule and health research
Feb. 4
(Washington, D.C.)
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule is intended to ensure protection of patients' personal health information while allowing the flow of health data needed for health research. Beyond the HIPAA Privacy Rule: Enhancing Privacy, Improving Health Through Research, new from the Institute of Medicine, examines the extent to which the Privacy Rule meets these dual goals and recommends ways to improve the regulation and its implementation. It also speaks to the security of health information databases and data transfers. The report will be released in conjunction with a one-hour telephone news briefing beginning at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Reporters can call in advance to obtain a copy of the report or the call-in number.
CONTACT: Office of News and Public Information, 202-334-2138
Consequences of lacking health insurance
Feb. 24
(Washington, D.C.)
America's Uninsured Crisis: Consequences for Health Care, a new report from the Institute of Medicine, provides updated findings on the economic and health impacts on individuals and communities when a large percentage of the population lacks health insurance. The report will be released at a one-hour public briefing beginning at 11 a.m. in the Lecture Room of the National Academy of Sciences building, 2100 C St., N.W. Those who cannot attend may listen to a live audio webcast at http://national-academies.org. Reporters should call in advance to obtain a copy of the report or to register to attend.
CONTACT: Office of News and Public Information, 202-334-2138
MEETINGS
Review of priorities in the National Vaccine Plan
Feb. 2
(Washington, D.C.)
As part of its review of the federal government's proposed update to the National Vaccine Plan, an Institute of Medicine committee will hear from stakeholders on how to support informed vaccine decision making by the public, health care providers, and policymakers. The meeting will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Room 100 of the National Academies' Keck Center, 500 Fifth St., N.W. A draft agenda and registration are available at http://www.iom.edu/?id=61155. The meeting will be webcast at http://national-academies.org.
CONTACT: Office of News and Public Information, 202-334-2138
Science education and 21st century skills
Feb. 5 and 6
(Washington, D.C.)
The National Research Council will hold a workshop to explore how K-12 science education could serve as a context in which students can learn and practice broad skills such as adaptability, complex communications, nonroutine problem solving, self-management and self-development, and systems thinking. The workshop will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 5 and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb 6 in Room 100 of the National Academies' Keck Center, 500 Fifth St., N.W. Reporters who wish to attend should register in advance.
CONTACT: Office of News and Public Information, 202-334-2138
Biodiversity, ecosystems, and public policy
Feb. 11 and 12
(Washington, D.C.)
In honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, the National Academy of Sciences will hold a two-day symposium to explore the importance of biodiversity and ecosystems and their relevance to key policy issues such as climate change and energy; trade; pests and pathogens; and food security. Among the speakers will be Bruce Babbitt, former U.S. secretary of the interior; Cristian Samper, director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History; and New York Times reporter Andy Revkin. The symposium will be held in the AAAS auditorium at 1200 New York Ave., N.W. Reporters who wish to attend should register in advance.
CONTACT: Office of News and Public Information, 202-334-2138
The growing threat of drug-resistant TB
Feb. 23
(Washington, D.C.)
Every day roughly 4,500 people die from tuberculosis worldwide, and TB bacteria resistant to one or more antibiotics are a major and growing threat. Multidrug-resistant TB has turned up in more than 50 countries, including the United States. This session organized by the Institute of Medicine will provide an opportunity for congressional staff and the policy community to learn from international experts what is known about this growing threat, discuss possible solutions, and hear about the prospects for legislative action. The meeting will run from noon to 3:30 p.m. at the Reserve Officers Association, One Constitution Ave., N.E. Space is limited; to register, visit http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3740/24155/61542.aspx.
CONTACT: Office of News and Public Information, 202-334-2138
Integrative medicine and the health of the public
Feb. 25-27
(Washington, D.C.)
To advance the science and progress of integrative medicine, the Institute of Medicine will convene a summit of distinguished researchers, practitioners, and leaders from multiple sectors to discuss the evidence base, challenges, and opportunities for integrative medicine to improve health care. Topics will include: patient-centered care, continuity of care, chronic disease prevention and management, the scientific basis for the elements of integrative medicine, economic implications and financing reform, and mind-body relationships and health. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 25 and 26 and from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 27 in the auditorium of the National Academy of Sciences building, 2100 C St., N.W. An agenda is available online at http://www.iom.edu/integrativemedicine. Reporters must register in advance.
CONTACT: Office of News and Public Information, 202-334-2138
How disasters unfold
Feb. 26
(Irvine, Calif.)
Disasters can unfold as a sequence of subevents. Understanding the interdependencies that connect one trigger to a cascade of subsequent events may hold the key to effective hazard mitigation, interventions, and recovery strategies. This National Research Council workshop will discuss how people are impacted as a cascade unfolds and interventions or coping strategies for such disasters and their adverse effects. The event will take place at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center, 100 Academy Drive. A program agenda and registration information are available online at http://dels.nas.edu/dr/workshops09.shtml. Reporters who wish to attend must register in advance.
CONTACT: Briana Cash, Disasters Roundtable, 202-334-2402 or e-mail <bcash@nas.edu>
Gilbert F. White lecture in the geographical sciences
Feb. 27
(Washington, D.C.)
Each year the National Academy of Sciences presents the Gilbert F. White Lecture in Geographical Sciences, named in honor of the scientist who identified major water management strategies and examined how the United States could make sound decisions in this area. This year's lecture by University of Maryland professor and National Academy of Sciences member Rita Colwell is titled, "Climate, Oceans, and Human Health: The Saga of a Cholera-Chaser." The lecture will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Room 100 of the National Academies' Keck Center, 500 Fifth St., N.W. Additional information is available online at http://dels.nas.edu/besr/gfw_2009.shtml. Reporters who wish to attend should register in advance.
CONTACT: Office of News and Public Information, 202-334-2138
REPORTS
The following reports from the National Academies are tentatively scheduled for release during February. However, release dates depend on successful completion of the review process and publishing schedules. Reporters who would like to be notified when a report is due for release should contact the Office of News and Public Information -- tel. 202-334-2138 or e-mail <news@nas.edu> -- and ask to be placed on the contact list.
ENGINEERING and TECHNOLOGY
Frontiers of Engineering: Reports on Leading-Edge Engineering From the 2008 Symposium
[National Academy of Engineering]
This book compiles papers from the 2008 symposium of NAE's Frontiers of Engineering, which each year brings together 100 outstanding engineers ages 30-45 to exchange information about leading technologies in a range of engineering fields. Topics last year included drug delivery systems, emerging nanoelectronic devices, cognitive engineering, and understanding and countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Optimizing U.S. Air Force and Department of Defense Review of Air Force Acquisition Programs
[National Research Council]
Assesses how U.S. Air Force programs are reviewed in the process of making funding determinations and recommends changes to make program review more cost-effective and efficient. The report examines the resources required for program review, including funding, manpower, work effort, and time, and identifies ways to streamline the process.
Review of Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives Program Detonation Technologies
[National Research Council]
Reviews four possible detonation technologies for use at the Blue Grass and Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants. The report ranks the technologies based upon process maturity, safety, efficacy, secondary waste issues, and public and regulatory acceptability, and recommends one technology for use.
ENVIRONMENT and RESOURCES
Letter Report on the Development of a Health Risk-Ranking Model for FDA Product Categories
[National Research Council]
Describes the conceptual model and methods to be used in a follow-up report to rank product categories according to the potential ranges of magnitude of various health consequences at individual and population levels.
Recognition and Alleviation of Pain in Laboratory Animals
[National Research Council]
Updating a 1992 report, this new report provides guidelines to control and minimize pain associated with experimental procedures performed on laboratory animals.
Research and Applications Needs in Flood Hydrology Science -- A Workshop Summary
[National Research Council]
Sums up a workshop that discussed future directions for flood hydrologic science, particularly on floods in a planning, rather than an operational forecasting, setting. This report contains no findings or recommendations.
Restructuring Federal Climate Research to Meet the Challenges of Climate Change
[National Research Council]
Identifies priorities to guide the future evolution of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program -- the organization that coordinates climate research across several federal agencies -- to meet scientific and societal objectives.
The Role of the Life Sciences in Transforming America's Future -- Summary of a Workshop
[National Research Council]
Recaps a December summit that examined the current state of biological research in the United States and highlighted new areas of research that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. This report contains no findings or recommendations.
Strategies and Methods for Climate-Related Decision Support
[National Research Council]
Discusses how the federal government can generate and communicate climate change knowledge useful to ground-level decision makers for managing its effects on infrastructure, ecosystems, human health, and the economy.
HEALTH and MEDICINE
America's Uninsured Crisis: Consequences for Health Care
[Institute of Medicine]
(See listing under "Briefings" in this issue of Reports and Events.)
Beyond the HIPAA Privacy Rule: Enhancing Privacy, Improving Health Through Research
[Institute of Medicine]
(See listing under "Briefings" in this issue of Reports and Events.)
Breakthrough Business Models: Drug Development for Rare and Neglected Diseases and Individualized Therapies -- Workshop Summary
[Institute of Medicine]
Summarizes presentations and discussions at a workshop that focused on innovative models for funding and advancing development of drugs for rare or neglected diseases.
Multi-Center Phase III Clinical Trials and NCI Cooperative Groups -- Workshop Summary
[Institute of Medicine]
Summarizes presentations and discussions at a public workshop on improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of multi-site cancer clinical trials.
Toward Health Equity and Patient-Centeredness: Integrating Health Literacy, Disparities Reduction, and Quality Improvement -- Workshop Summary
[Institute of Medicine]
Summarizes presentations and discussions at a workshop that considered how to build on the current state of research and care delivery to ultimately improve health outcomes in underserved populations, including funding and incentives, research methods, and health literacy.
ALSO OF INTEREST
On the Origin of Species (after Darwin): An Exhibition by Tim Rollins + K.O.S.
This exhibition features Tim Rollins + K.O.S.'s interpretation of Charles Darwin's pivotal book, On the Origin of Species. Rollins is a teacher and conceptual artist who began instructing special education teenagers in the South Bronx in the early 1980s. The exhibit opens on Feb. 2 in the Rotunda Gallery at the National Academy of Sciences building, 2100 C St., N.W. ID required for admittance. For more information, visit http://www7.nationalacademies.org/arts/Rollins.html.
CONTACT: Alana Quinn, 202-334-2415 or e-mail <aquinn@nas.edu>
Distinctive Voices @ The Beckman Center
(Irvine, Calif.)
These public events at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center explore the far-reaching role of science, technology, and medicine in our lives. Upcoming programs include:
-- Neurobotics: Where Humans and Robots Connect (Feb. 18, 7 p.m.)
-- Life as Migration: The Mesa Verde Pueblo People (Feb. 21, 4 p.m.)
More information on these and other events is available online at http://voicesatbeckman.org.
CONTACT: Susan Marty, 949-721-2213 or e-mail <voicesatbeckman@nas.edu>
Marian Koshland Science Museum
(Washington, D.C.)
The Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences holds public programs on a wide variety of science-related topics. Upcoming events include:
-- Real World Connections: Environment and Evolution (Feb. 9)
-- DNA in Tracing Human Ancestry and Origins (Feb. 21)
For more information, visit http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/. Reporters must register in advance.
CONTACT: Annie Drinkard, 202-334-1612 or e-mail <adrinkard@nas.edu>
Nominations for communication awards
On Feb. 1, the National Academies will begin accepting nominations for it 2009 Communication Awards for excellence in reporting and communicating science, engineering and medicine to the public during 2008. A $20,000 prize will be awarded to the winners in each of four categories: book author; newspaper or magazine journalist; TV/radio/film producer or reporter; and online writer or producer. Information on eligibility, submission requirements, and nomination procedures are available at http://www.nationalacademies.org/keck/awards/. The nomination process closes in April.
CONTACT: Kimberly Suda-Blake, 949-721-2270 or e-mail <ksuda@nas.edu>
NAE to elect new members
The National Academy of Engineering will announce its newly elected members in February. Reporters can register in advance to receive the list of new members via e-mail.
CONTACT: Randy Atkins, 202-334-1508 or e-mail <atkins@nae.edu>
RESOURCES FOR REPORTERS
Science, medicine, and technology form the basis for many of the day's top news stories. Whether you are looking for background or searching for a different angle, check out http://national-academies.org/headlines.
Check out podcasts from the National Academies on all areas of science, engineering, and medicine at http://national-academies.org/podcast/, booklets at http://national-academies.org/publications/#booklets, and resources on evolution at http://national-academies.org/evolution/.
View the most recent Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences articles online by visiting This Week in Early Edition at http://www.pnas.org/site/misc/highlights.shtml, or PNAS in the News at http://www.pnas.org/site/misc/news.shtml. Journalists may register to receive embargoed material by contacting the PNAS News Office at <pnasnews@nas.edu>.
This guide, along with news releases and other documents from the Office of News and Public Information, is available on the Internet at http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/bydate.aspx.
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