The discoveries that won the 2021 Nobel Prize in chemistry led to an innovative way to build chemical molecules that is widely used today — and are a testament to the value of conducting and supporting basic research, which creates the pool of knowledge needed to create useful, practical applications of that information. Continue Reading
The Nobel committee’s choice to broaden the scope of its science awards, which has historically been conservative in its interpretation of what counts as “physics,” to include climate science is a welcome — and much needed — change in the long history of the physics prize, rewarding how science is conducted today, rather than how it was defined and performed in 1901. Continue Reading
The research conducted by this year’s Nobel Prize winners in the fields of physiology or medicine was a major breakthrough in physiology — but it can also be viewed as research rooted in human curiosity. Fundamental research is often guided by the investigators’ observations and questions about their environment. But their work would not be possible without funding, which is why federal support for basic science research in the U.S. is so vital. Continue Reading
Inequities in COVID-19 immunization rates persist throughout Texas, particularly among minority and rural populations. By collecting demographic data and disseminating accurate information, the passage of two recent Senate Bills marks an important step toward equitable vaccine distribution. Continue Reading
To best advance U.S. scientific and technological innovation, the National Science Foundation reauthorization bill should reconcile key differences between the House’s NSF for the Future Act and Senate’s Endless Frontier Act.
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Three recent crises — the 2021 winter storm in Texas, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Boeing 737 Max software failure — highlight the cost of valuing efficiency over resilience and provide lessons for bringing society into balance. Continue Reading
The COVID-19 pandemic has widened the educational gap between students from high- and low-income households. School administrators from the elementary to the college level must address the disparities between these groups to resolve America’s deepening education crisis. Continue Reading