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The Women in Science Network at Colorado State University will host its fourth annual symposium on Tuesday, March 3, at Canvas Stadium. The event will commemorate Women’s History Month and will also mark CSU’s sesquicentennial celebration. Dr. Yvonne Cagle, NASA astronaut, family physician and a retired colonel in the United States Air Force, will provide the keynote address, which starts at 2:15 p.m. Candace Mathiason, associate professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology and a co-founder of the Women in Science Network, said the day’s speakers and events will explore the theme, “Building Bridges to the Future.” “It’s always about communication, community building, and the mentoring process,” she said. “Putting those pieces together is very important for the next generation.” Mathiason said that Dr. Cagle exemplifies this theme with her thoughts on inclusiveness and bringing more people into the conversation on women in science.“As an astronaut, she explains in a TEDx Talk that the first time she was above the Earth, she didn’t see borders or boundaries, she saw a bigger picture,” Mathiason said. “We live at a time where we have a lot of divisiveness and we’re looking for ways to be more inclusive.” Later in the day, the symposium will feature career issues breakout sessions, with speakers who will discuss a variety of topics under the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) umbrella, including first-generation students, mentoring, gender equity and LBGTQ+ issues in the workplace. The event is free and open to the public, and will start at 11:45 a.m. with a poster session, international art exhibit, and works from the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame portrait gallery. Since its launch in 2013, the Women in Science Network has grown from a dozen members to more than 700, with six Career Issues groups on campus. Organizers strongly suggest attendees register by March 1.

Construction started this month on a major National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) facility, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), that will support aircraft flown on scientific field projects worldwide, leading to new advances in weather, climate, and air quality research. Officials with NCAR, NSF, and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) today broke ground on the $22 million construction project at the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield. The new building — which replaces a dated, half-century-old structure at NCAR’s Research Aviation Facility — is expected to open its doors by the end of the year. "This state-of-the-art building will enable us to better support vital field campaigns here in Colorado and around the globe, leading to improved forecasts to protect life and property," said UCAR President Antonio Busalacchi. "We are very appreciative of the National Science Foundation and Congress for their investment in this critical scientific infrastructure.

Augmented reality (AR) has been around for decades, but recent technological advances render it invaluable to improving public safety operations. In this National Institute of Standards and Technology Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) Division's upcoming webinar, UI/UX lead Scott Ledgerwood dives into AR's potential role in supporting first responder's operations. Join us on Thursday, February 27, 2020, from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (MT) for a deep dive into PSCR's UI/UX research to date and the future of AR in the public safety field. During this webinar, Patrick Hagan and Scott Ledgerwood discuss the opportunity to leverage this technology in public safety operations. There will be time for Q&A. REGISTER HERE.

The fiscal year 2021 budget request that President Trump released on 10 February seeks broad reductions in nondefense spending, including major cuts to R&D programs that echo cuts in his three previous budget proposals. According to summary R&D figures included in the budget, federal support for basic research would drop by 6% to $41 billion, and funding for applied research would drop by 12% to $39 billion. As before, cuts are aimed disproportionately at energy R&D and environmental research programs. To date, lawmakers in Congress have repeatedly rejected Trump’s proposed cuts and instead increased R&D budgets at many agencies, in some cases to historically high levels. There are, moreover, several bills pending in Congress or in the works that suggest there is a significant bipartisan appetite for even larger boosts to R&D in the years ahead. Read more from Physics Today.

Paula Mabee, the Nolop Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of South Dakota, has been selected as the Chief Scientist and Observatory Director of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). “I’m thrilled to be joining NEON,” Mabee said. “It’s an exciting time for the program with new and more ecological data being generated every day now that the observatory is fully operational. The complex environmental challenges of our time require exactly the type of data that NEON is producing and the convergent scientific approaches that the broader science and engineering community brings.” During her distinguished career Mabee has authored more than 60 research publications, received 12 NSF and NIH research grant awards totaling close to $7 million, and held numerous editorial and advisory board positions. She was named an AAAS Fellow in 2004 for her fundamental studies in evolutionary and developmental biology. She is a frequent reviewer of proposals and manuscripts and a sought-after speaker for national and international conferences and events. Mabee begins her new position on February 3, 2020 after completing her current responsibilities at the University of South Dakota.

The Franklin Institute announced today that Henry Kapteyn and Margaret Murnane would receive this year’s medal in physics by the center named after scientist and founding father Benjamin Franklin. Kapteyn and Murnane are fellows in JILA, a joint research institute between CU Boulder and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). With their talented research group, they have pioneered new advancements in X-ray lasers, devices that shoot out incredibly fast pulses of X-ray radiation. Read Details. The researchers, also professors in the Department of Physics, are only the third married couple to receive a Benjamin Franklin Medal. The first couple was Marie and Pierre Curie, who took home the prize for chemistry in 1909. “We are quite excited and humbled to be so recognized by the Franklin Institute,” Kapteyn said. “Margaret and I have been exploring science together for many years now, so it is especially delightful to be following the path of the Curies—a personal inspiration for us—in being recognized by such a longstanding, prestigious organization.” Henry and Margaret were also winners of CO-LABS' Governor's Award for High Impact Research in 2018.

The secretary of the Interior issued an order January 29, 2020 grounding all non-emergency #drones so that the department can assess potential cybersecurity concerns before operating the devices any further. The temporary move “is intended to better ensure the cybersecurity and supply of American technology of unmanned aircraft systems,” according to the order. Part of the DOI’s concern is that information on American energy, transportation, and defense infrastructure collected by the department's drones “has the potential to be valuable to foreign entities, organizations, and governments,” the order says. While Interior grounded a fleet of approximately 800 Chinese-made drones last October, this order is intended to formalize and expand that grounding, a senior Interior official said.

The National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) is the research arm of the USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services program. Scientists and support staff are dedicated to finding solutions to challenging wildlife damage management problems related to agriculture, natural resources, property, and human health and safety. Members: RSVP HERE

Now home to 24 research centers and institutes researching areas from warfighter effectiveness to high-performance computing, research at the Academy reflects the evolving needs of the Air Force and a more technology-driven world. As an Air Force research pioneer and former high school chemistry teacher, Col Frank J. Seiler labs was a strong advocate of in-house research and the effective use of young scientific officers and officer-candidates. Civilian university students had always participated in research, and Seiler envisioned that if Air Force Academy cadets could be involved in real-world research efforts, they would be better prepared for their future assignments. In 1963 the Chemistry Research Center became part of the Frank J. Seiler Research Laboratory, which had been renamed to honor Seiler after his death. The Seiler Lab also included the Aeronautics Research Center and the Laser and Optics Research Center. Over the next several decades, the Academy’s research efforts continued to grow with the view that technically curious cadets would become better officers and leaders in the Air Force.

On June 23-26, 2020, NIST will hold the 14th International Conference on New Developments and Applications in Optical Radiometry (NEWRAD 2020). The NEWRAD Conference covers all aspects of optical radiation measurements and a wide range of topics will be presented during our four day program, including Earth remote sensing observations and Quantum optics technologies. Individual sessions will be devoted to these specific themes. In addition to an ambitious presentation schedule, there will be opportunities to visit nearby institutes that we hope to be of interest to all participants. Cost: $468.00 READ MORE>>>

The NREL Energy Systems Integration Facility houses an unparalleled collection of state-of-the-art capabilities that supports the development, evaluation, and demonstration of innovative clean energy technologies. Specialty research capabilities include: Systems integration; Prototype and component development; Manufacturing and material diagnostics & High-performance computing and analytics. You have to see this to believe it - the science in the ESIF is astounding.

Dec. 13, 2019 – The USDA Forest Service has chosen Dr. Monica Lear to champion science, diversity, and a positive work environment in her new role as the permane nt Station Director of the Rocky Mountain Research Station. Monica has served as the Acting Station Director since July of this year. Upon hearing the announcement of her selection, Monica stated, “I’m looking forward to channeling my energy for integrating science into all aspects of the Forest Service organization. The work we do here at Rocky Mountain Research Station improves lives and landscapes and has the potential to impact resource management at local, regional, and global scales.” "Monica brings excellent credentials to this position," said Dr. Alexander Friend, Deputy Chief for Research and Development. "We are confident in her ability to integrate science and deliver the mission of the Agency."