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Optimizing Care Systems for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Population Health and Public Health PracticeApproximately 7.4 million people in the United States live with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD). According to a 2001 report from the U.S. Surgeon General, individuals with IDD face exceptional challenges to staying healthy and getting appropriate health services when they are sick. Though the nation has taken important steps in the two decades since the release of that report, people with IDD still face significant barriers that impede greater access to quality health care and meeting their health goals. These barriers include being excluded from public campaigns to promote wellness, difficulty finding health care professionals who will accept them as patients and know how to meet their specialized needs, and struggling with unwieldy payment structures designed when people with IDD often died young or spent their lives in residential institutions. To explore the challenges and opportunities for creating an optimal care system for individuals with IDD, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice hosted a three-part virtual public workshop, Optimizing Care Systems for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, on December 8, 10, and 14, 2021. It featured invited presentations and discussions that explored questions related to models of care, workforce, cross-discipline and cross-sector coordination, and financing and payment for care. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions of the workshop.
Report of the Treasurer for the Year Ended December 31, 2021
by National Academy of SciencesThis Report of the Treasurer of the National Academy of Sciences presents the financial position and results of operations as well as a review of the endowment and other long-term investments portfolio activities of our Academy for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors in the United States
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine National Academy of Engineering Division on Earth and Life Studies Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board Board on Energy and Environmental Systems Committee on Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors in the United StatesThe world confronts an existential challenge in responding to climate change, resulting in an urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors of the economy. What will it take for new and advanced nuclear reactors to play a role in decarbonization? Nuclear power provides a significant portion of the worlds low-carbon electricity, and advanced nuclear technologies have the potential to be smaller, safer, less expensive to build, and better integrated with the modern grid. However, if the United States wants advanced nuclear reactors to play a role in its plans for decarbonization, there are many key challenges that must be overcome at the technical, economic, and regulatory levels. Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors in the United States discusses how the United States could support the successful commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors with a set of near-term policies and practices. The recommendations of this report address the need to close technology research gaps, explore new business use cases, improve project management and construction, update regulations and security requirements, prioritize community engagement, strengthen the skilled workforce, and develop competitive financing options.
Review of the Continued Analysis of Supplemental Treatment Approaches of Low-Activity Waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation: Review #2
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Earth and Life Studies Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board Committee on Supplemental Treatment of Low-Activity Waste at the Hanford Nuclear ReservationThe Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington state, which produced plutonium for nuclear weapons from 1944-1987, is the site of the largest and most complex nuclear cleanup challenge in the United States. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) is responsible for managing the cleanup of the radioactive and other hazardous wastes stored in 177 underground tanks at the site. DOE plans to use vitrification, or immobilization in glass waste forms, for all of the high-level radioactive waste at Hanford. However, because the volume of “low-activity waste” exceeds DOEs capacity limits for vitrification, DOE must decide how to treat the remaining “supplemental low-activity waste” (SLAW) so that it can be safely disposed in a near-surface disposal site. To help inform its decision, DOE contracted with a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), led by Savannah River National Laboratory, to analyze and report its findings about three potential alternative technologies. At the request of Congress, the National Academies reviewed the FFRDC report in terms of its value for decision making and how well it meets various Congressional requirements related to Hanford cleanup. The review concludes that the FFRDC report is overall very strong, provides a useful framework for evaluating the technology options, and is responsive to guidance from the first National Academies review. The framework provides for structured side-by-side comparisons, using relevant criteria, of a limited number of alternatives for managing SLAW. Recommendations for strengthening the report include estimating a lifecycle cost profile for constructing and operating each alternative, and providing more in-depth discussion on potential challenges that may need to be addressed in obtaining the necessary various regulatory approvals.
Equitable and Resilient Infrastructure Investments
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Policy and Global Affairs Committee on Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Applied Research TopicsCommunities across the United States are subject to ever-increasing human suffering and financial impacts of disasters caused by extreme weather events and other natural hazards amplified in frequency and intensity by climate change. While media coverage sometimes paints these disasters as affecting rich and poor alike and suggests that natural disasters do not discriminate, the reality is that they do. There have been decades of discriminatory policies, practices, and embedded bias within infrastructure planning processes. Among the source of these policies and practices are the agencies that promote resilience and provide hazard mitigation and recovery services, and the funding mechanisms they employ. These practices have resulted in low-income communities, often predominantly Indigenous people and communities of color, bearing a disproportionate share of the social, economic, health, and environmental burdens caused by extreme weather and other natural disasters. At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Resilient America Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened the Committee on Applied Research Topics for Hazard Mitigation and Resilience to assist the FEMA in reducing the immense human and financial toll of disasters caused by natural hazards and other large-scale emergencies. FEMA asked the committee to identify applied research topics, information, and expertise that can inform action and collaborative priorities within the natural hazard mitigation and resilience fields. This report explores equitable and infrastructure investments for natural hazard mitigation and resilience, focusing on: partnerships for equitable infrastructure development; systemic change toward resilient and equitable infrastructure investment; and adaptations in finance and financial analysis.
Methadone Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Improving Access Through Regulatory And Legal Change: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic Health and Medicine Division Board on Health Care Services Board on Health Sciences PolicyMethadone is a Food and Drug Administration- (FDA-) approved medication for treating opioid use disorder (OUD), a chronic brain disease that affects more than 2.7 million people in the United States aged 12 and older. Despite its effectiveness in saving lives, many barriers impede access to, initiation of, and retention in methadone treatment for OUD. To address these barriers, on March 3 and 4, 2022, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a workshop on “Methadone Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Examining Federal Regulations and Laws,” at the request of the Office of National Drug Control Policy in the Executive Office of the President. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.
Community Interventions to Prevent Veteran Suicide: The Role of Social Determinants: Proceedings of a Virtual Symposium
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory SciencesOn March 28 and 29, 2022, the Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a virtual symposium entitled Community Interventions to Prevent Veteran Suicide: The Role of Social Determinants to gain a better understanding of social determinants influencing the recent increase in suicide risk and how currently available practice guidelines can inform community-level preventive interventions, particularly those targeting veteran populations. Presenters and participants explored the relevant social, cultural, and economic factors driving changes in suicide risk among veterans and ways that current best practices for suicide prevention and treatment can be applied at the community level. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the symposium.
Enhancing Coordination and Collaboration Across the Land-Grant System
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Policy and Global Affairs Division on Earth and Life Studies Board on Higher Education and Workforce Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Enhancing Coordination Between Land-Grant Universities and CollegesLand-grant colleges and universities play a crucial role in addressing the complex challenges facing the U.S. agricultural system and global food security. Multidisciplinary collaboration involving a diversity of land-grant institutions has the potential to accelerate scientific progress on those challenges. However, historical and current funding disparities have prevented Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities from being full partners in multi-institutional collaborations. This report, produced by request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture acting on a congressional directive, examines how enhanced cooperation across the land-grant system could deepen and expand the impact of its agricultural work, which is critical to address evolving industry and environmental challenges, as well as demands from consumers. The report concludes that many investigators are unaware of potential partners with complementary expertise across the system. The report states that adopting a culture of collaboration could improve the coordination in the land-grant system. Key report recommendations include improving systems and incentives for facilitating academic partnerships, providing dedicated support for collaboration across the land-grant system, and enhancing outreach strategies for communicating about the beneficial outcomes of collaborative research.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Information for Decision Making: A Framework Going Forward
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Earth and Life Studies Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate Committee on Development of a Framework for Evaluating Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Information for Decision MakingClimate change, driven by increases in human-produced greenhouse gases and particles (collectively referred to as GHGs), is the most serious environmental issue facing society. The need to reduce GHGs has become urgent as heat waves, heavy rain events, and other impacts of climate change have become more frequent and severe. Since the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015, more than 136 countries, accounting for about 80% of total global GHG emissions, have committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. A growing number of cities, regional governments, and industries have also made pledges to reduce emissions. Providing decision makers with useful, accurate, and trusted GHG emissions information is a crucial part of this effort. This report examines existing and emerging approaches used to generate and evaluate GHG emissions information at global to local scales. The report develops a framework for evaluating GHG emissions information to support and guide policy makers about its use in decision making. The framework identifies six criteria or pillars that can be used to evaluate and improve GHG emissions information: usability and timeliness, information transparency, evaluation and validation, completeness, inclusivity, and communication. The report recommends creating a coordinated repository or clearinghouse to operationalize the six pillars, for example, by providing timely, transparent, traceable information; standardized data formats; and governance mechanisms that are coordinated, trusted, and inclusive of the global community.
The Potential Impacts of Gold Mining in Virginia
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Earth and Life Studies Board on Earth Sciences and Resources Committee on Earth Resources Committee on Potential Impacts of Gold Mining in VirginiaVirginia was one of the first major gold-producing states in the U.S., but it has seen only limited and intermittent gold mining activity in the last 70 years. Recent increase in gold prices and other factors have brought renewed attention to mining gold at both new and historical sites in Virginia. This report provides an evaluation of the gold deposits in Virginia, the probable modern mining techniques that could be used at such deposits, and whether existing regulations in the Commonwealth are sufficient to protect air and water quality and human health from potential impacts of gold mining activities. The report concludes that the regulatory framework of Virginia appears to have been designed for operations like crushed stone quarrying and sand and gravel operations, not gold mining. Thus, the current regulatory framework is not adequate to address the potential impacts of commercial gold mining and lacks an adequate financial assurance system, which poses a fiscal and environmental risk to the Commonwealth. Additionally, Virginia lacks opportunities for the public to be engaged in permitting processes and a modern system for review of environmental impacts from potential gold mining projects.
Protecting U.S. Technological Advantage
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Policy and Global Affairs Intelligence Community Studies Board Committee on Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Public Policy Committee on Science, Technology, and Law Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy Committee on Protecting Critical Technologies for National Security in an Era of Openness and CompetitionU.S. leadership in technology innovation is central to our nation’s interests, including its security, economic prosperity, and quality of life. Our nation has created a science and technology ecosystem that fosters innovation, risk taking, and the discovery of new ideas that lead to new technologies through robust collaborations across and within academia, industry, and government, and our research and development enterprise has attracted the best and brightest scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs from around the world. The quality and openness of our research enterprise have been the basis of our global leadership in technological innovation, which has brought enormous advantages to our national interests. In today’s rapidly changing landscapes of technology and competition, however, the assumption that the United States will continue to hold a dominant competitive position by depending primarily on its historical approach of identifying specific and narrow technology areas requiring controls or restrictions is not valid. Further challenging that approach is the proliferation of highly integrated and globally shared platforms that power and enable most modern technology applications. To review the protection of technologies that have strategic importance for national security in an era of openness and competition, Protecting U.S. Technological Advantage considers policies and practices related to the production and commercialization of research in domains critical to national security. This report makes recommendations for changes to technology protection policies and practices that reflect the current realities of how technologies are developed and incorporated into new products and processes.
Exploring Psychedelics and Entactogens as Treatments for Psychiatric Disorders: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Health Sciences Policy Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System DisordersPsychiatric illnesses - such as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, substance use disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - are widely prevalent and represent a substantial health burden worldwide. Yet, conventional medications for mental illnesses often fail to provide relief to patients' disruptive and disabling symptoms. Existing and emerging evidence that psychedelics (e.g., LSD and psilocybin) and entactogens (e.g., MDMA) may be useful as tools to alleviate mental illness has sparked a renaissance of interest by investigators, clinicians, drug developers, and patient advocates in recent years. While promising data on therapeutic efficacy has energized research and development, resolving the mechanisms of action will be important for optimizing the efficacy and safety of these medicines. Further, evaluating the effect of psychedelics and entactogens on mood and behavior comes with unique challenges still in need of resolution. These include unresolved questions relating to blinding, placebo and nocebo effects, and the impact of psychosocial contexts. In response to this renewed interest, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders convened a workshop on March 29-30, 2022. The workshop brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to explore the use of psychedelics and entactogens as treatments for psychiatric disorders. This Proceedings of a Workshop summarizes the presentations and discussions of the workshop.
Review of the Inland Estimated Recovery System Potential (ERSP) Prototype Calculator
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Earth and Life Studies Ocean Studies Board Committee on the Review of the Inland Estimated Recovery System Potential (ERSP) Prototype CalculatorIn the wake of major oil spills, including the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 and Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010, the United States developed tools for calculating the clean-up capability of oil spill response equipment. These tools, while useful for open-water spills, had limited applicability in nearshore and inland environments, leading the U.S. Coast Guard and partners to develop a new, inland Estimated Recovery System Potential (ERSP) calculator for oil recovery. The present review evaluates the inland ERSP calculator and accompanying documentation. While acknowledging the complexities associated with developing such a calculator for inland environments, the report recommends changes to the methodologies used and the software developed to better meet user needs. The calculator should be modified to more clearly establish the scope of its capabilities, so users understand the limitations on data they can input as well as what the calculator outputs tell them about the recovery potential of selected clean-up equipment. The calculator should also undergo thorough third-party validation and verification as well as quality assurance testing, to ensure it operates as intended.
The Use of Telehealth for Disability Evaluations in Medicine and Allied Health: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Health Care ServicesOver the past few years the common use of telehealth technology has been rapidly expanding. While remote models of care have been successfully used in rural communities for decades, the adoption of telehealth rapidly expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, narrowing some gaps in care access and equity while exacerbating health care inequities in other ways. At the request of the Social Security Administration, the National Academies hosted a workshop on March 9 and 10, 2022 to examine the use of telehealth for patient evaluation. The workshop explored the evolution of telehealth and commonly used terminology, the impact of inequities in digital access, privacy and cybersecurity concerns, its use in a variety of allied health and medical specialties for patient evaluation, and interstate licensure related to providing telehealth care. This publication provides a high-level summary of the presentations and discussions from the workshop.
Evaluating the Process to Develop the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025: Final Report
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Food and Nutrition Board Committee on Evaluating the Process to Develop the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025In response to a request from Congress, the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conducted a study comparing the process to develop the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 (DGA 2020-2025) to recommendations included in the previously published National Academies report, Redesigning the Process for Establishing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This report describes the findings of the committee and conclusions related to this assessment. Notably, this report does not evaluate the merits of the DGA 2020-2025 but evaluates the process by which they were created relative to the recommendations made in the previously published National Academies report.
Operationalizing Sustainable Development to Benefit People and the Planet
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Policy and Global Affairs Science and Technology for Sustainability Program Committee on Operationalizing Sustainable DevelopmentThe COVID-19 pandemic and overlapping global crises, including geopolitical conflict and climate change, have made achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) more challenging. The scientific community incre-singly recognizes the need to accelerate the adoption of evidence-based, scientifically-sound policies and actions to operationalize sustainable development. This report identifies key research priorities and possible actionable steps to operationalize sustainable development at the global and local levels. Although the scope of the challenges and opportunities are global with many research investigations and actions needed, Operationalizing Sustainable Development to Benefit People and the Planet presents research priorities and possible actionable steps for consideration by U.S. stakeholders.
Toward a Transformational Africa-U.S. STEM University Initiative: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Policy and Global Affairs Science and Engineering Capacity Development UnitSTEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) plays a key role in accelerating economic growth and developing innovative solutions to pressing challenges facing the African continent. Over the past few decades, much work has been done to develop university systems in African countries in recognition of the role that high-caliber teaching and research in STEM fields play in economic development. African universities and their governments have made many of these gains through partnering across countries and sectors. Often, however, these efforts are based on individual connections and do not lead to long-term change. Inspired by STEM's potential to tackle African and global challenges, a group of academic leaders has come together to explore a synergistic approach to transform African institutions of higher education and increase the global engagement of U.S. institutions. They developed an initial vision for a next-generation Africa-U.S. STEM initiative that would take place for at least 10 years, with funds of at least $10 million annually from governments, the private sector, philanthropies, and other organizations. To obtain input from stakeholders on how such an initiative could develop, the group held a virtual workshop March 14-16, 2022, convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions of the workshop.
Emerging Stronger from COVID-19: Priorities For Health System Transformation
by National Academy of Medicine The Learning Health System SeriesIn mid-2022, the United States has lost more than 1 million people to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have been real-time witnesses to scores of heroic responses to the disease, death, inequity, and economic strife unleashed by the virus, but have also experienced the consequences of poor pandemic preparedness and long-standing structural failures in our health system. For decades, the U.S. health system has fallen far short of its potential to support and improve individual and population health. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented death and devastation—but also an unprecedented opportunity to truly transform U.S. health, health care, and health delivery. To capitalize on this opportunity, the National Academy of Medicine gathered field leaders from across all of the major health system sectors to assess how each sector has responded to the pandemic and the opportunities that exist for health system transformation. The opportunity is now to capitalize on the hard-won lessons of COVID-19 and build a health care system that centers patients, families, and communities; cares for clinicians; supports care systems, public health, and biomedical research to perform at the best of their abilities; applies innovations from digital health and quality, safety, and standards organizations; and encourages health care payers and health product manufacturers and innovators to produce products that benefit all.
Promoting Health Equity in Cancer Care: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division Board on Health Care Services Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity National Cancer Policy ForumDespite advances in the delivery of high-quality cancer care and improvements in patient outcomes in recent years, disparities in cancer incidence, care, and patient outcomes persist. To examine opportunities to improve health equity across the cancer care continuum, the National Cancer Policy Forum and the Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity hosted a public workshop, Promoting Health Equity in Cancer Care, on October 25 and October 26, 2021. This virtual workshop featured presentations and panel discussions on topics that included: opportunities to improve equitable access to affordable, high-quality cancer care; strategies to identify and address the intersectionality of structural racism and implicit bias in cancer care delivery; the potential for quality measurement and payment mechanisms to incentivize health equity in cancer care delivery; and clinical practice data collection efforts to better assess and care for people living with and beyond cancer. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.
Family-Focused Interventions to Prevent Substance Use Disorders in Adolescence: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Board on Children, Youth, and FamiliesAdolescence is a crucial period of life for the prevention of substance use disorders. Research has shown that early intervention can significantly reduce rates of substance use disorder in adulthood. To learn more about effective family-focused interventions in primary care settings for preventing substance use disorder, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a workshop on May 5-6, 2022. The proceedings from that workshop explores existing efforts to incorporate family-focused interventions into state health care policies. It also examines barriers to implementing such interventions as well as lessons learned from successful efforts to scale up these interventions.
Navigating an Electric Vehicle Future: Proceedings Of A Workshop
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Board on Energy and Environmental SystemsThe widespread adoption of electric vehicles will play a critical role in decarbonizing the transportation sector as the nation moves toward net-zero emissions. Recent announcements from automakers and the federal government, as well as provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, aim to stimulate electric vehicle (EV) deployment, and ongoing technology improvements continue to make EVs a more affordable and practical option. However, many challenges remain to meet the needs of all buyers and drivers and to ensure that manufacturing supply chains and the electric system can support this large-scale transformation. As a follow-up activity to its 2021 report Assessment of Technologies for Improving Light-Duty Vehicle Fuel Economy - 2025-2035, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a 4-day virtual workshop on October 25-28, 2021, to identify some of the challenges to widespread EV deployment and discuss policy, technical, and market strategies to help federal agencies and other stakeholders plan for the future. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.
Developing Policing Practices that Build Legitimacy
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Committee on Law and Justice Committee on Evidence to Advance Reform in the Global Security and Justice SectorsScholars, policymakers, and the public view police legitimacy and community trust in the police alike as essential components of an effective police organization. An extensive network of international and regional organizations, bilateral donors, international financial institutions, and civil society organizations aims to work with governments to improve policing practices and enhance police legitimacy. As a part of that network, the U.S. Department of State, through its Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), provides foreign assistance to and supports capacity building for criminal justice systems and police organizations in approximately 90 countries. Like many donors, it strives to direct its resources to the most effective approaches to achieve its mission. At the request of INL, the Committee on Law and Justice of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened an ad hoc committee to review, assess, and reach consensus on existing evidence on policing institutions, police practices and capacities, and police legitimacy in the international context. The committee produced five reports, addressing questions of interest to INL and the State Department. Developing Policing Practices that Build Legitimacy, the fourth in this series, responds to the question: What policing practices build community trust and legitimacy in countries with low-to-moderate criminal justice sector capacity? This report focuses on the concept of legitimacy and ways of building legitimacy to foster this kind of trust and expectations.
Technical Assessment of the Capital Facility Needs of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment Committee on Technical Assessment of the Capital Facility Needs of the National Institute of Standards and TechnologyThe National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides critical impact to the nation through standards development and cutting-edge research, with a mission to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve quality of life. NIST supports innovative manufacturing that impacts the U.S. economy and national security. The NIST mission is accomplished primarily at its campuses in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Boulder, Colorado. At the request of NIST, Technical Assessment of the Capital Facility Needs of the National Institute of Standards and Technology assesses the comprehensive capital needs of the NIST campuses. This report evaluates current strategies and tools for capital facilities assessment, and methods for determining annual funding levels for sustainment, restoration, and modernization. The report makes recommendations for facility management strategies that will provide the functionality needed by world-class scientists on vital assignments of national consequence.
Corrosion of Buried Steel at New and In-Service Infrastructure
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Transportation Research Board Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences Division on Earth and Life Studies National Materials and Manufacturing Board Board on Earth Sciences and Resources Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering Committee on the Corrosion of Buried Steel at New and In-Service InfrastructureSteel is a common component of U.S. infrastructure, but that steel can corrode when buried in soil, rock, or fill. Steel corrosion is estimated to cost the United States 3-4 percent of its gross domestic product every year, and it can lead to infrastructure failure, loss of lives, property, disruption of energy and transportation systems, and damage to the environment. Although the mechanisms of steel corrosion are well understood, limited data on subsurface corrosion and the inability to measure corrosivity directly make accurate corrosion prediction through modeling a challenge. When hazardous levels of corrosion does occur, it is difficult to determine whether the cause was related to site selection, engineering decisions, changes in subsurface conditions, or a combination of these factors. This report explores the state of knowledge and technical issues regarding the corrosion of steel used for earth applications (e.g., for ground stabilization, pipelines, and infrastructure foundations) in unconsolidated earth or rock in different geologic settings. The report summarizes mechanisms of steel corrosion, assesses the state of practice for characterizing factors in the subsurface environment that influence corrosion and corrosion rates, and assesses the efficacy and uncertainties associated with quantitative, field, and laboratory methods for predicting corrosion. The industries and experts most involved with managing buried steel should collaborate to improve multidisciplinary understanding of the processes that drive buried steel corrosion. Developing a common lexicon related to buried steel corrosion, generating new data on corrosion through collaborative long-term experiments, sharing and managing data, and developing new data analytical techniques to inform infrastructure design, construction, and management decisions are key. Industries, experts, and regulators should collaboratively develop decision support systems that guide site characterization and help manage risk. These systems and new data should undergird a common clearinghouse for data on corrosion of buried steel, which will ultimately inform better and more efficient management of buried steel infrastructure, and protect safety and the environment.
Toward a 21st Century National Data Infrastructure: Mobilizing Information For The Common Good
by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Committee on National Statistics Panel on the Scope, Components, and Key Characteristics of a 21st-Century Data InfrastructureHistorically, the U.S. national data infrastructure has relied on the operations of the federal statistical system and the data assets that it holds. Throughout the 20th century, federal statistical agencies aggregated survey responses of households and businesses to produce information about the nation and diverse subpopulations. The statistics created from such surveys provide most of what people know about the well-being of society, including health, education, employment, safety, housing, and food security. The surveys also contribute to an infrastructure for empirical social- and economic-sciences research. Research using survey-response data, with strict privacy protections, led to important discoveries about the causes and consequences of important societal challenges and also informed policymakers. Like other infrastructure, people can easily take these essential statistics for granted. Only when they are threatened do people recognize the need to protect them. Toward a 21st Century National Data Infrastructure: Mobilizing Information for the Common Good develops a vision for a new data infrastructure for national statistics and social and economic research in the 21st century. This report describes how the country can improve the statistical information so critical to shaping the nation’s future, by mobilizing data assets and blending them with existing survey data.