January 5 -- The National Academy of Engineering will award the Charles Stark Draper Prize to Robert H. Dennard for his invention of Dynamic Random Access Memory. Elmer L. Gaden will receive the Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Prize for pioneering the engineering of biological reactors for large-scale, low-cost production of antibiotics and other drugs. Thomas H. Byers and Tina L. Seelig will share the Bernard M. Gordon Prize for advancing education resources in technology entrepreneurship for engineering students and educators.
December 31 -- The Marian Koshland Science Museum presents its winter program of public lectures called “The Dish,” which features discussions on infectious diseases, tracing human ancestry using DNA, the microbial world of cheese, and a forum for science educators to celebrate Darwin Day. In addition, the museum will be open and free of charge on Inauguration Day.
December 26 -- For eight years, the National Academies have endorsed and coordinated mutually beneficial exchanges and cooperation with our scientific colleagues in Iran. However, due to a recent incident, the NAS, NAE and IOM presidents announced today that they can no longer “sponsor or encourage scientists to visit Iran unless there are clear assurances that the personal safety of visiting scientists will be guaranteed…” It is our hope that assurances will soon be forthcoming that will permit our institution to resume scientific visits to Iran.
December 24 -- This winter, Distinctive Voices@The Beckman Center will feature scientists and researchers discussing recent findings and developments in their fields. Topics include neurobiotics, giant telescopes, migration of indigenous people, and communicating bacteria. Lectures are free and open to the public.
December 18 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should examine whether multiple exposures to chemicals called phthalates -- used in cosmetics, medical devices, and children's toys -- could cause adverse health effects, says a new report from the National Research Council. This cumulative risk assessment should include other chemicals that could cause the same effects as phthalates, instead of focusing on chemicals that are similar in structure, and the approach should be considered for cumulative risk assessments of other chemicals.