DOE selects Battelle Savannah River Alliance for $3.8 billion SRNL management contract
The Department of Energy has selected the Battelle Savannah River Alliance (BSRA) for a $3.8 billion contract to manage the Savannah River National Laboratory, one of the nation’s premier environmental, energy and national security research facilities. As part of the alliance, the University of South Carolina will engage in critical workforce development activities from technical education to cutting-edge doctoral research. In addition, UofSC will recruit several faculty members who will have joint appointments with SRNL to pursue research in areas such as nuclear energy security. We look forward to sharing more about this exciting development in the coming months. Read the announcement.
Reminder: 2021 ASPIRE proposal deadlines are fast approaching
The application period for 2021 ASPIRE proposals is now open. ASPIRE I proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 21, 2021, and proposals for ASPIRE II and III are due by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 25, 2021. Complete application materials are available on the ASPIRE program webpage, and ASPIRE II Q and A sessions will be announced there soon.
Register for the SC Big Data Health Science Center virtual conference
The UofSC Big Data Health Science Center (BDHSC) will host a virtual conference on the theme of unlocking big data in health bringing innovation into improved care and prevention on Friday and Saturday, February 5 and 6. Highlights of the virtual conference will include keynote and panel speakers from diverse areas of the health sciences, government and academia, along with poster sessions, networking events, and breakout sessions in areas of electronic health records, geospatial, social media, genomics and bionanomaterial research. Registration is open to all, and costs $25. Visit the conference website to register and learn more.
Report finds holes in U.S. policies on foreign influence in research
The journal Science recently released an article detailing a new report by the Government Accountability Office, which could spur efforts in Congress aimed at preventing China and other nations from using funding and other connections to gain improper access to research funded by the U.S. government. But at least one of the agencies under scrutiny—the National Science Foundation—is pushing back on the idea that its policies are lax. It is warning that tougher rules could hinder its ability to fund the best science. Read more about this report.
7 January 2021