Partnered with Working in Support of Education (W!se)
Continued Campus Tour with Columbia University and New Jersey City University (NJCU)
Published Financial Literacy Survey with moomoo’s North America users
JERSEY CITY, N.J., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The intuitive global trading platform moomoo and its Moomoo Foundation with the dedication to boosting financial literacy, are excited to announce its 2025 plan to celebrate the financial literacy month with its North American users and communities worldwide.
This year, the moomoo foundation is partnering with the New York city-based educational nonprofit Working in Support of Education (W!se) to recognize the 100 Best W!se High Schools Teaching Personal Finance at Touro College in Midtown New York. Moomoo’s US CEO Neil McDonald presented awards to representatives from the 100 highest ranking high schools whose students excelled on W!se’s Financial Literacy Certification Test in the 2023-24 school year. Always held during April -Financial Literacy Month – the 100 best ceremony, is the first and only national ranking award to honor outstanding schools from W!se’s national network whose students performed well on the Test.
In addition, Moomoo Foundation will host a series of financial literacy seminars across the New York and New Jersey area. Moomoo Technology’s Vice President of Strategy Justin Zacks spoke about stock market fundamentals and equity trading at Columbia University on April 25 and will conduct a seminar at NJCU’s business school on May 2. Working with Columbia’s GCC and NJCU’s Student Development & Community Engagement team, moomoo continues its efforts of bringing financial inclusion to empower individual investors of all kinds, irrespective of ethnicity, age or gender, with the tools they need to make informed investment decisions.
Zacks said, “we are thrilled to extend our educational mission to the diverse academic audience in the Tri-State Area. These events reflect our long-term mission to inspire financial literacy at an early age and strengthen our community engagement with underserved demographics at every level of learning.”
To understand investors’ financial health and their personal finance behaviors and habits, moomoo also conducted a quarterly survey with its North American users. As the U.S. markets notched a second consecutive year of over 20% price appreciation. Many retail investors gained a positive return financially, but a new tariff policy and signs of an economic slowdown made some of them concerned.
The majority of moomoo users are better off than last year and many are able to save a consistent amount some of which is going into stocks. Low income and housing is a headwind for some and is preventing them from saving.
Moomoo’s users in Canada are closely watching political developments both at home and in the US in order to help them adjust their spending plans.
For more details, please download the moomoo North America financial literacy whitepaper here.
About Moomoo Foundation
Moomoo Foundation is a non-profit initiative launched by Moomoo, an intuitive investment and trading platform dedicated to financial empowerment. The foundation seeks to further Moomoo’s mission by promoting financial literacy, advancing economic equality, and fostering technological innovation.
Through strategic partnerships and targeted grants, Moomoo Foundation focuses on nurturing fintech startups that share its vision, working to build a more inclusive and forward-thinking financial landscape.
Our commitment goes beyond traditional philanthropy. At Moomoo Foundation, we are dedicated to establishing a sustainable, long-term approach that ensures our efforts make a lasting impact. We believe in equipping those we support with the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to shape their own financial journey and thrive as active participants in the investment world. For more information, please visit moomoo’s official website at
The survey included approximately 1200 registered moomoo users in North America (1000 U.S. users, 200 Canada users) from March 14 to March. 23, 2025. The data shown in the survey represents the opinion of those surveyed and may change based on the market and other conditions. The survey results provided herein may not represent other customers’ experience, and there is no guarantee of future performance or success and should also not be construed as investment advice. Experiences may differ than the ones represented here. Investing involves risks regardless of the strategy selected.
This whitepaper is for informational and educational use only and is not a recommendation or endorsement of any particular investment or investment strategy. Past investment performance does not indicate or guarantee future success. You should consider the appropriateness of this information having regard to your relevant personal circumstances before making any investment decisions.
We do not provide tax advice and any tax-related information provided is general in nature and should not be considered tax advice. Consult a tax professional regarding your specific tax situation.
Moomoo is a financial information and trading app offered by Moomoo Technologies Inc. In the U.S., Investment products and services on Moomoo are offered by Moomoo Financial Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC.
About moomoo Moomoo is a leading global investment and trading platform dedicated to empowering investors with user-friendly tools, data, and insights. Our platform is designed to provide essential information and technology, enabling users to make more-informed investment decisions. With advanced charting tools, pro-level analytical features, moomoo evolves alongside our users, fostering a dynamic community where investors can share, learn, and grow together.
Founded in the U.S., moomoo operates globally, serving investors in countries such as the US, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Canada and Malaysia. As a subsidiary of a Nasdaq-listed Futu Holdings (FUTU), we take pride in our role as a global strategic partner of the Nasdaq, earning numerous international accolades from renowned industry leaders such as Benzinga and Fintech Breakthrough. Moomoo has also received multiple awards in the US, Singapore, and Australia for its innovative, inclusive approach to investing.
For more information, please visit moomoo’s official website at www.moomoo.com or feel free to email us: pr@us.moomoo.com.
Moomoo is a financial information and trading app offered by Moomoo Technologies Inc. In the U.S., Investment products and services on Moomoo are offered by Moomoo Financial Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC.
Investing is risky. Securities offered through Moomoo FInancial Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC
W!se and Nasdaq are independent third parties, not affiliated with Moomoo Financial Inc., Moomoo Technologies Inc., or its affiliates.
As we enter the final days of campaigning, Labor leads with its nose in front on most polls, but the devil is in the detail of particular seats.
To help get a read on what the voters are feeling at this late stage, we’re joined by RedBridge director Kos Samaras.
RedBridge – a political research company, whose directors include both former Labor strategists like Samaras and former Liberal strategist Tony Barry – has been conducting focus groups and polling throughout the campaign.
On Labor’s polling lead, Samaras says
At the moment we’re looking at a situation where Labor will end up possibly forming minority government, with an outside chance of majority.
On the large number of soft voters, Samaras says soft voters are more likely to represent people shifting from the majors to the minor parties, rather then from Liberal to Labor.
The best way we can describe soft voters is it’s a permanent state of mind, and again we go back to talking about younger voters here, or those under the age of 45 in particular, who have very low levels of values connection to party politics in this country.
Very low numbers of people switch from the majors these days. So I think a lot of political strategists, particularly on the Coalition side, still think they are living in the world of 20 years ago where a large soft vote means people will just transfer their entire support over to the other major party. That no longer is the case.
By Saturday April 27, more than 2.3 million Australians (more than 13%) had already voted with a week to go to election day, according to analyst Antony Green. More than half a million votes were cast on the first day alone – a new record.
On that early voting trend, Samaras says while it’s “standard practice now” that people vote early, both major parties have been too slow to adapt to this change.
I would say, we haven’t seen any real evidence of the major parties really understanding the importance of starting early, although I would say Labor did start very early in the beginning of March. But you saw that the Coalition was very late to the game.
I think there’s a way to go before the majors fully wrap their heads around that Australians are now voting very differently, and they need to actually alter their campaign to suit those practices.
After a lacklustre campaign, voters are seeing Albanese as “the least worst option”:
The best way we can capture it is they view Anthony Albanese as the least worst option and we can see that in our quantitative analysis as well. Both major parties and both leaders are still in the negative territory but Labor and Albanese have improved their position dramatically, whilst at the same time the Coalition and Peter Dutton’s ratings have actually dropped.
And on political candidates lying in elections, Samaras says Australians think
They all lie. That’s fundamentally what most Australians will tell you. They all lie and they don’t live the lives we live. That’s the sort of saying we hear all the time.
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently became the first European leader to visit the United States after President Donald Trump announced a new tariff regime on trading partners, including a 20% levy on imports from the European Union.
While those tariffs are currently on hold, the ongoing threat of them being enacted provided a telling backdrop for Meloni’s mid-April 2025 visit.
In many ways, Meloni reflects Europe’s own identity crisis: a regional power with global ambition. Italy, after all, was a founding pillar of the European Union, hosting the signing of the Treaties of Rome in 1957 establishing the European common market. Yet, for decades, Italy has often stood just outside the core of EU influence, overshadowed by the Franco-German partnership.
Still, when the moment is right, Italy knows how to wield its leverage, especially as a bridge between clashing camps in Brussels.
In Washington, Meloni made her pitch to Trump: a tighter ideological alliance over shared disdain for “woke” politics, diversity, equity and inclusion agendas, and lax immigration. She offered a sweetener – more Italian investment in the U.S. as a sop to the transatlantic trade dispute. But she also reiterated her and the EU’s support for Ukraine, a direct contrast to Trump’s skepticism to continued U.S. support in Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.
In so doing, Meloni has cast herself as someone who can serve both Brussels and Washington without burning bridges on either side. The gamble? That balancing act could backfire. Trump’s demands over trade and increased defense spending by NATO countries force Meloni to choose between appeasing Washington or staying in line with EU norms. Her overtures to Trump risk alienating key European allies who are wary of his disruptive politics.
In trying to play both sides, she could end up isolated from both – undermining Italy’s credibility and influence on the world stage.
Italy was regularly governed by a series of often fraught center-right coalitions that were forced to navigate fractious politics and quid pro quo political violence between the far right and far left. The center-right Christian Democrats that dominated this period married conservatism at home with a strong pro-European outlook.
In the first decades after the Cold War ended, Italy continued to carve out its own lane – pushing for leniency on issues like immigration and fiscal rules. The period saw Italy oscillate between pro-European integration and bouts of euroscepticism, with successive governments frequently challenging Brussels over budgetary constraints or border management.
Meloni’s own rise is deeply rooted in the post-2015 tensions, when Italy – overwhelmed by the Mediterranean migrant crisis – felt abandoned by its European partners. Her party’s hard-line stance on immigration capitalized on public frustration. While she now presents herself as firmly pro-EU, it’s a version of Europe that aligns with her own vision: more secure borders, stronger national sovereignty and less technocratic interference.
Ironically, as the bloc itself drifts rightward on migration, Meloni’s positions no longer seem so fringe – perhaps allowing her to embrace the EU pragmatically, even as she critiques it ideologically. Meloni’s own background and rise reflect this ambiguity and duality. Emerging from a political movement with fascist roots, she now presents herself as a passionate Europeanist and pacifist while maintaining right-wing positions on immigration and cultural issues.
Meloni has governed in that fashion: cultivating ties with conservative heavyweights like Trump and right-wing European leaders, pushing back against Brussels on contentious policy issues, but also remaining firmly committed to the European project when it suits her. Especially when the economy is at stake.
Meloni as pragmatic European
Meloni’s strongly nationalist rhetoric and right-wing cultural views might appear at odds with the EU’s purpose, but her approach to the continent is highly pragmatic.
Meanwhile, Meloni’s support for Ukraine helps her stand apart from pro-Russia voices in her coalition and strengthens Italy’s standing with NATO and the EU. It’s another strategic move that boosts her credibility both at home and abroad. Far from being a fringe player, Italy under Meloni is central to the EU’s narrative of unity, solidarity and survival.
A spaghetti Western alliance?
While Meloni reconciles her nationalist views vis-a-vis the supranationalist EU, she has also prioritized selling her idea of Italy on a bilateral basis.
That has largely focused on a shrewd charm offensive in the U.S., particularly since the return of Trump, whose right-wing administration provides any easy fit for Meloni. She has attempted to play both Trump and Musk to Italy’s advantage, leveraging Rome’s geopolitical position to secure economic agreements and ease tensions wrought by Trump tariffs, which Meloni called “wrong.”
Trump has been quick to praise her stance against “anti-woke” politics, while Meloni promises to help resolve trade issues and boost U.S. gas imports, all while keeping Italy at the forefront of negotiations. With Musk, she has attempted to position Italy as a key partner in tech and energy, navigating the global game with both finesse and ambition.
Italy runs a substantial trade surplus with the U.S. and underspends on NATO defense – two things that typically trigger Trump’s criticism. Yet with Meloni, Trump has been full of admiration: “She’s taken Europe by storm,” he said in April, agreeing during their last meeting to meet again in Rome in the near future.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, left, has expressed solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
Meloni’s diplomatic ambitions extend beyond the U.S., including making moves in the Middle East, particularly with Saudi Arabia. By promoting Italy as a gateway to Europe, she is securing key investments in energy and infrastructure, while boosting Italian exports and increasing her diplomatic leverage. The fact that many in Europe, and indeed Italy, eye such overtures toward Saudi money with distaste, appears neither here nor there. After all, in Italy there has long been an attitude among leaders that “money does not smell” – or “pecunia non olet” as the locals say – a phrase that by legend was uttered by Emperor Vespasian while slapping a tax on public urinals.
Will all roads lead to Rome?
While Meloni’s approach of casting Italy as a bridge between the U.S. and Europe may yield some short-term diplomatic gains, it’s nonetheless a delicate path fraught with risk. Cozying up to Washington under Trump, whose policies – especially on trade – have engendered widespread outrage in Europe, risks ruffling feathers in Brussels. Indeed, while Trump praised Meloni’s leadership, and both sides talked trade with no urgency on tariffs, Europe watched warily.
Trying to navigate between Trump’s protectionist leanings and the EU’s collective trade stance could leave Meloni unable to satisfy either side. Should Trump push for concessions – like shrinking Italy’s trade surplus with the U.S. or increasing defense spending – Meloni may find herself at odds with EU standards and alienating European partners. But leaning too far into EU alignment – and the bloc’s commitment to Ukraine – risks souring her ties with Trump’s camp, potentially weakening her influence across the Atlantic.
In trying to please both Washington and Brussels, Meloni could end up with enemies on both fronts – and very few wins to show for it.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Posters in Tokyo’s enormous Shinjuku railway station are normally used for advertising commodities like cosmetics and food, as well as new films. But occasionally you may happen across a poster with a birthday message and a picture of a young man, often from a boy band and typically with impeccable looks.
These posters are created by specialised advertising companies and are paid for by adoring fans. They are part of a phenomenon called oshikatsu, a term coined in recent years that is made from the Japanese words for “push” and “activity”.
Oshikatsu refers to the efforts fans engage in to support their favourite oshi, which can mean an entertainer, an anime or manga character, or a group they admire and want to “push”.
A considerable part of this support is economic in nature. Fans attend events and concerts, or buy merchandise such as CDs, posters and other collectables. Other forms of oshikatsu are meant to spread the fame of their idol by sharing content about their oshi, engaging in social media campaigns, and writing fan fiction or drawing fan art.
A birthday message for Kogun, a South Korean singer trying to make it in Japan, in 2022. Fabio Gygi, CC BY-NC-ND
Oshikatsu developed out of the desire of fans to have a closer link to their idols. The combination of oshi and katsu first appeared on social media networks in 2016 and became widespread as a hashtag on Twitter in 2018. In 2021, oshikatsu was nominated as a candidate for Japan’s word of the year, a sign that its use had become mainstream.
Now, it has appeared on the radar of corporate Japan. The reason for this is a burst of inflation in recent years, caused by pandemic supply chain disruption and geopolitical shocks, that has caused Japanese consumers to reduce their spending.
However, with wages set to rise again for the third time in three years, the government is cautiously optimistic that economic growth can be rekindled through consumer-driven spending. Entertainment and media companies are looking to oshikatsu as a potential driver of this, although it is unclear whether the upcoming pay hikes will be sufficient.
A widespread phenomenon
Contrary to popular perception, oshikatsu is no longer the purview solely of subcultures or young people. It has made inroads with older age groups in Japan as well.
According to a 2024 survey by Japanese marketing research company Harumeku, 46% of women aged in their 50s have an oshi that they support financially. Older generations tend to have more money to spend, especially after their own children have finished education.
Oshikatsu also signifies an interesting reversal in terms of gender. While husbands in the traditional Japanese household are still expected to be breadwinners, in oshikatsu it is more often women who financially support young men.
How much fans spend on their oshi depends. According to a recent survey by Japanese marketing company CDG and Oshicoco, an advertising agency specialising in oshikatsu, the average amount fans spend on activities related to their oshis is 250,000 yen (about £1,300) annually.
This contributes an estimated 3.5 trillion yen (£18.8 billion) to the Japanese economy each year, and accounts for 2.1% of Japan’s total annual retail sales.
Oshikatsu will drive up consumer spending. But I doubt it will have the impact on the Japanese economy that the authorities are hoping for. For the younger fans, the danger is that government approval will kill any kind of cool clout, making oshikatsu less appealing to these people in the long run.
And if you support an oshi who has not yet made it, you may have a stronger sense that your support matters. Hence some of the spending will go directly to individuals, rather than to established corporate superstars. But it’s also possible that struggling young oshis may spend more of this money than established celebrities.
The international press is focusing either on the economic side of oshikatsu, or on the quirkiness of “obsessive” fans who get second jobs to support their oshi and mothers spending large sums on a man half their age. But what such coverage misses is the slow yet profound societal transformation that oshikatsu is a sign of.
Research from 2022 on people engaging in oshikatsu makes clear that “fan activities” address a deep wish for connection, validation and belonging. While this could be satisfied by friendship or an intimate partnership, an increasing number of Japanese young adults feel that such relationships are “bothersome”.
Young men are leading in this category, especially those who do not work as white-collar corporate workers with relatively stable jobs, the so-called salarymen. Many who work part time or in blue-collar jobs are finding it difficult to imagine a future in which they have families.
The tertiary sector is thus changing to accommodate an increasing number of services that turn intangible things such as friendship, companionship and escapist romance fantasies into paid-for services.
From non-sexual cuddling to renting a friend for the day or going on a date with a cross-dressing escort, temporary respite from loneliness can be sought on a per-hour basis. As a result, human connection itself is becoming something that can be consumed for a fee.
On the other hand, sharing oshikatsu activities can create new friendships. Fans coming together to worship their idols collectively is a powerful way of creating new communities. It remains to be seen how these shifts in the way people relate to each other will shape the future of Japan’s economy and society.
Fabio Gygi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
During the Vietnam War, the U.S. bombed and defoliated vast areas of forest and protective mangroves.AP Photo
When the Vietnam War finally ended on April 30, 1975, it left behind a landscape scarred with environmental damage. Vast stretches of coastal mangroves, once housing rich stocks of fish and birds, lay in ruins. Forests that had boasted hundreds of species were reduced to dried-out fragments, overgrown with invasive grasses.
The term “ecocide” had been coined in the late 1960s to describe the U.S. military’s use of herbicides like Agent Orange and incendiary weapons like napalm to battle guerrilla forces that used jungles and marshes for cover.
As an environmental scientist and anthropologist who has worked in Vietnam since the 1990s, I find the neglect and slow recovery efforts deeply troubling. Although the war spurred new international treaties aimed at protecting the environment during wartime, these efforts failed to compel post-war restoration for Vietnam. Current conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East show these laws and treaties still aren’t effective.
Agent Orange and daisy cutters
The U.S. first sent ground troops to Vietnam in March 1965 to support South Vietnam against revolutionary forces and North Vietnamese troops, but the war had been going on for years before then. To fight an elusive enemy operating clandestinely at night and from hideouts deep in swamps and jungles, the U.S. military turned to environmental modification technologies.
The most well-known of these was Operation Ranch Hand, which sprayed at least 19 million gallons (75 million liters) of herbicides over approximately 6.4 million acres (2.6 million hectares), of South Vietnam. The chemicals fell on forests, and also on rivers, rice paddies and villages, exposing civilians and troops. More than half of that spraying involved the dioxin-contaminated defoliant Agent Orange.
A U.S. Air Force C-123 flies low along a South Vietnamese highway spraying defoliants on dense jungle growth beside the road to eliminate ambush sites during the Vietnam War. AP Photo/Department of Defense
As news of the damage from these tactics made it back to the U.S., scientists raised concerns about the campaign’s environmental impacts to President Lyndon Johnson, calling for a review of whether the U.S. was intentionally using chemical weapons. American military leaders’ position was that herbicides did not constitute chemical weapons under the Geneva Protocol, which the U.S. had yet to ratify.
Scientific organizations also initiated studies within Vietnam during the war, finding widespread destruction of mangroves, economic losses of rubber and timber plantations, and harm to lakes and waterways.
A photo at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, historically known as Saigon, shows the damage at Cần Giờ mangrove forest. The mangrove forest was destroyed by herbicides, bombs and plows. Gary Todd/Flickr
Fires from napalm and other incendiary weapons cleared stretches of forest, in some cases scorching the soil so badly that nothing would regrow. AP Photo
“Rome Plows,” massive bulldozers with an armor-fortified cutting blade, could clear 1,000 acres a day. Enormous concussive bombs, known as “daisy cutters”, flattened forests and set off shock waves killing everything within a 3,000-foot (900-meter) radius, down to earthworms in the soil.
The U.S. also engaged in weather modification through Project Popeye, a secret program from 1967 to 1972 that seeded clouds with silver iodide to prolong the monsoon season in an attempt to cut the flow of fighters and supplies coming down the Ho Chi Minh Trail from North Vietnam. Congress eventually passed a bipartisan resolution in 1973 urging an international treaty to prohibit the use of weather modification as a weapon of war. That treaty came into effect in 1978.
Despite Congress’ concerns, there was little scrutiny of the environmental impacts of U.S. military operations and technologies. Research sites were hard to access, and there was no regular environmental monitoring.
Recovery efforts have been slow
After the fall of Saigon to North Vietnamese troops on April 30, 1975, the U.S. imposed a trade and economic embargo on all of Vietnam, leaving the country both war-damaged and cash-strapped.
Vietnamese scientists told me they cobbled together small-scale studies. One found a dramatic drop in bird and mammal diversity in forests. In the A Lưới valley of central Vietnam, 80% of forests subjected to herbicides had not recovered by the early 1980s. Biologists found only 24 bird and five mammal species in those areas, far below normal in unsprayed forests.
Only a handful of ecosystem restoration projects were attempted, hampered by shoestring budgets. The most notable began in 1978, when foresters began hand-replanting mangroves at the mouth of the Saigon River in Cần Giờ forest, an area that had been completely denuded.
Mangroves have been replanted in the Cần Giờ Biosphere Reserve near Ho Chi Minh City, but their restoration took decades. Tho Nau/Flickr, CC BY
In inland areas, widespread tree-planting programs in the late 1980s and 1990s finally took root, but they focused on planting exotic trees like acacia, which did not restore the original diversity of the natural forests.
That project, completed in 2018, treated 150,000 cubic meters of dioxin-laden soil at an eventual cost of over $115 million, paid mostly by the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID. The cleanup required lakes to be drained and contaminated soil, which had seeped more than 9 feet (3 meters) deeper than expected, to be piled and heated to break down the dioxin molecules.
Large amounts of Agent Orange had been stored at the Da Nang airport during the war and contaminated the soil with dioxin. The cleanup project, including heating contaminated soil to high temperatures, was completed in 2018. Richard Nyberg/USAID
Another major hot spot is the heavily contaminated Biên Hoà airbase, where local residents continue to ingest high levels of dioxin through fish, chicken and ducks.
Agent Orange barrels were stored at the base, which leaked large amounts of the toxin into soil and water, where it continues to accumulate in animal tissue as it moves up the food chain. Remediation began in 2019; however, further work is at risk with the Trump administration’s near elimination of USAID, leaving it unclear if there will be any American experts in Vietnam in charge of administering this complex project.
Laws to prevent future ‘ecocide’ are complicated
While Agent Orange’s health effects have understandably drawn scrutiny, its long-term ecological consequences have not been well studied.
Current-day scientists have far more options than those 50 years ago, including satellite imagery, which is being used in Ukraine to identify fires, flooding and pollution. However, these tools cannot replace on-the-ground monitoring, which often is restricted or dangerous during wartime.
The legal situation is similarly complex.
In 1977, the Geneva Conventions governing conduct during wartime were revised to prohibit “widespread, long term, and severe damage to the natural environment.” A 1980 protocol restricted incendiary weapons. Yet oil fires set by Iraq during the Gulf War in 1991, and recent environmental damage in the Gaza Strip, Ukraine and Syria indicate the limits of relying on treaties when there are no strong mechanisms to ensure compliance.
Remediation work to remove dioxin contamination was just getting started at the former Biên Hoà Air Base in Vietnam when USAID’s staff was dismantled in 2025. USAID Vietnam, CC BY-NC
Some countries have adopted their own ecocide laws. Vietnam was the first to legally state in its penal code that “Ecocide, destroying the natural environment, whether committed in time of peace or war, constitutes a crime against humanity.” Yet the law has resulted in no prosecutions, despite several large pollution cases.
Both Russia and Ukraine also have ecocide laws, but these have not prevented harm or held anyone accountable for damage during the ongoing conflict.
Lessons for the future
The Vietnam War is a reminder that failure to address ecological consequences, both during war and after, will have long-term effects. What remains in short supply is the political will to ensure that these impacts are neither ignored nor repeated.
Pamela McElwee receives funding from the Carnegie Corporation, National Science Foundation, and National Endowment for the Humanities.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant, Professor, Political Studies; Director, Canadian Opinion Research Archive, Queen’s University, Ontario
Pierre Poilievre stands between two workers — no women in sight — in a photo promoting the Conservative Party of Canada’s ‘More Boots, Less Suits’ campaign policies on the party’s website. (The Conservative Party of Canada website)
In 2025, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s strategy doesn’t appear poised to achieve the same success in terms of closing the gender gap. In fact, his rhetoric and platform both seem aimed at men, particularly younger and working-class demographics.
Like Donald Trump and other leaders of the populist right, Poilievre’s and the Conservative Party of Canada’s rise in the polls since 2023 has been in part due to strengthening their appeal to working-class voters, particularly men.
Poilievre has spent much of his time as CPC leader courting blue-collar workers and shifting the party’s agenda to include pro-worker policies. The culmination of this is its “More Boots, Less Suits” plan, a package of promises to boost training and apprenticeship grants, improve access to EI, harmonize health and safety policies and provide tax write-offs for trades people’s travel and subsistence costs for out of town work.
Male-dominated sectors
These may be good proposals, but these policies — and the rhetoric in which they were couched during the election campaign — don’t seem to offer much opportunity for the party to close the sizeable gender gap in voter intention.
The rhetoric is heavily masculine, including the “More Boots, Less Suits” tagline. The policies in the plan appeal to workers in sectors that are heavily male-dominated.
Drawing on my forthcoming chapter “Gender, Class and Voting Behaviour” in The Working Class and Politics in Canada (UBC Press), we can examine a simple question: does class affect men and women differently as they decide how to vote?
The CPC has considerable support among working-class voters, particularly predominantly non-unionized men, but far less support among working-class women, as my chapter shows based on analyses of the 2019 Canadian Election Study.
This gender difference arises, in part, because there are many more working-class men, according to occupational definitions, than there are working-class women, as noted above in terms of skilled trades.
Poilievre has made strong sector- and occupation-based appeals in this campaign, invoking the idea of blue-collar versus white-collar workers and campaigning on pro-trades policies.
There is a second issue beyond the gender-based occupational segregation in blue-collar jobs. Even among working-class voters, the appeal of the Conservative Party is significantly greater among men compared to women.
The graph below shows the predicted probabilities of a Conservative vote in 2019 for men and women voters grouped by working-class versus non-working class on a scale of zero to one (with control variables for other factors that influence CPC vote such as income, region and partisanship).
A gender gap is visible in both working-class and non-working class groups, but is largest in the working-class group, with working-class men heavily supporting the Conservatives.
What about this election?
We can assess these numbers as probabilities that can help us think through how voters might cast their ballots today.
What’s the probability they’ll vote Conservative? Based on the statistical analyses of 37,000 respondents to the Canadian Election Study in 2019, this chart tells us that for working-class men, more than one in two might be expected to vote CPC in 2025, which represents a majority preference.
In contrast, only one in four non-working-class women would. This makes for a big vote gap — a chasm even — as working-class men form the backbone of the party’s voter base.
Men and women have distinct pathways to supporting Conservatives. But key parts of the Conservative strategy in 2025 limited the party’s potential to appeal to women, even working-class women. “More Boots, Less Suits” offers little to women specifically, or provides them with an opportunity to see themselves reflected in the policy. The broader CPC platform mentions women only four times.
One mention of women appears in a promise to end intimate partner violence and consider aggravating factors for violence against vulnerable women.
The other three are in single policy promising to repeal a federal regulation on the rights of gender-diverse federal offenders.
There is a widening gender divide in Canadian electoral politics. The Conservative Party’s appeal to working-class men is clear, consistent and electorally meaningful. But this success comes at the cost of deepening the party’s gender gap, and this gap is not merely symbolic, but structural.
With women comprising more than half of the electorate, the Conservative Party of Canada’s current trajectory risks locking the party into a limited base. The “More Boots, Less Suits” plan may have mobilized one key demographic, but it did so while alienating another the party couldn’t afford to ignore.
Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Airline passengers wait at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint before boarding to flights in Denver in 2022.Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
As the Trump administration seeks to shrink the federal workforce, slash nonmilitary spending and curb opposition to its policies, it is taking steps beyond the firing and furloughing of thousands of government workers.
The government is also trying to strip hundreds of thousands of federal employees of their right to bargain collectively and have a voice in their conditions of employment.
Citing “national security” concerns, President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 27, 2025, that canceled collective bargaining agreements at more than 30 federal agencies, commissions and programs, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation and the Food and Drug Administration. A judge temporarily blocked the order’s enforcement on April 25.
Over three decades of researching American unions, I’ve never witnessed such a sweeping assault on collective bargaining rights, which give workers represented by unions the ability to negotiate with employers about the terms of their employment.
The Trump administration’s broad attack on federal workers’ rights arrived less than three weeks after an earlier, similar action by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Only a “flexible, at-will” workforce can possess the “organizational agility” needed to “safeguard our transportation systems and keep Americans safe,” she said. Employers may fire “at-will” workers at their discretion with few limitations.
Noem’s claim that unions and national security aren’t compatible strikes me as disingenuous.
Unionized workforces have displayed in recent history both patriotism and dedication in their efforts to keep Americans safe. Unionized firefighters, police officers and other first responders rushed to the World Trade Center attempting to rescue those trapped inside on 9/11, for example.
It is also worth noting that veterans comprise approximately 30% of the federal workforce. Their history of military service attests, I would argue, to their clear record of demonstrating loyalty and patriotism.
To my eye, the argument that federal workers belonging to unions compromises national security appears to be more rooted in ideology than evidence.
Demonstrators rally in support of federal workers outside the Department of Health and Human Services on Feb. 14, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
TSA as a case study
The TSA emerged as part of President George W. Bush’s administration’s response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001; it designated newly hired airport security officers as federal employees.
At the time, Bush insisted that TSA security officers should not belong to a union. He invoked national security concerns, arguing that union representation would undercut the “culture of urgency” needed to wage the “war on terrorism.”
However, in recent years, TSA workers have obtained wage increases and stronger rights of appeal, along with other advances contained in a 2024
collective bargaining agreement that the American Federation of Government Employees described as “groundbreaking.” These gains included uniform allowances, greater input on safety concerns and a pledge to examine expanded child care options.
Now, the union has sued Noem, another Trump administration official and the TSA itself to block the administration’s rollback of these workers’ rights and protect their 2024 contract.
JFK empowered federal workers
Federal employees had historically organized unions to advocate and lobby for their interests.
However, these unions lacked the formal ability to negotiate with the federal government in a collective bargaining process where, as labor scholar Robert Repas has explained, “decisions are made jointly, rather than unilaterally,” or ultimately at managerial discretion.
Their members did not gain collective bargaining rights until 1962 when President John F. Kennedy issued an executive order making that possible. Kennedy’s action reflected the view that government employees should not be denied basic union rights enjoyed by their private sector counterparts.
Acknowledging concerns that union rights might limit the ability to exercise centralized command and control, Kennedy’s directive exempted the FBI, CIA and other agencies charged with national security functions from collective bargaining.
Federal employees covered by the 1962 executive order were also barred from striking. They could not negotiate over wages and benefits; power to make these decisions remained in the hands of Congress.
In 1978, Congress passed the Civil Service Reform Act, which expanded the right of federal employees to collectively bargain for better working conditions, which its authors said were “in the public interest.” This law created an authority to oversee federal labor relations and established an appeals board to adjudicate worker grievances.
Although federal employees did not enjoy as many rights as most union members in the private sector, they did gain a stronger voice in determining their working conditions and accessing grievance procedures to address workplace issues and concerns.
Reagan and the air traffic controllers union
Three years later, however, President Ronald Reagan fired over 11,000 air traffic controllers who had gone on strike, even though they lacked the right to do so. The Federal Labor Relations Authority subsequently decertified their union, the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization – known as PATCO.
Besides seriously diminishing the labor movement’s power and influence, the PATCO strike also had important political consequences. In his book about this labor dispute, historian Joseph McCartin wrote that crushing the PATCO strike led the Republican Party “in the direction of an unambiguous antiunionism” and a heightened antipathy toward unions in the public sector.
Members of PATCO, the air traffic controllers union, hold hands and raise their arms during a strike in 1981. Bettmann/Getty Images
But Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, both Republicans, introduced a bill in March that would enshrine Trump’s executive order in law. If that bill were to become law, it would “end federal labor unions and immediately terminate their collective bargaining agreements,” Lee and Blackburn have said.
As the courts make their determinations and political opposition gathers, the American public has, I believe, an important question to answer. Is the spirit of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 – that “labor organizations and collective bargaining in the civil service are in the public interest” – worth upholding?
This question warrants careful consideration and scrutiny. How the courts, Congress and the public respond will have enormous consequences for federal workers and the future of the union movement and the state of American democracy.
Bob Bussel does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michel Anteby, Professor of Management and Organizations & Sociology at Questrom School of Business & College of Arts and Sciences, Boston University
But bureaucrats have historically stood for something else entirely. As the sociologist Max Weber argued in his 1921 classic “Economy and Society,” bureaucrats represent a set of critical ideals: upholding expert knowledge, promoting equal treatment and serving others. While they may not live up to those ideals everywhere and every day, the description does ring largely true in democratic societies.
I know this firsthand, because as a sociologist of work I’ve studied federal, state and local bureaucrats for more than two decades. I’ve watched them oversee the handling of human remains, screen travelers for security threats as well as promote primary and secondary education. And over and over again, I’ve seen bureaucrats stand for Weber’s ideals while conducting their often-hidden work.
Bureaucrats as experts and equalizers
Weber defined bureaucrats as people who work within systems governed by rules and procedures aimed at rational action. He emphasized bureaucrats’ reliance on expert training, noting: “The choice is only that between ‘bureaucratisation’ and ‘dilettantism.’” The choice between a bureaucrat and a dilettante to run an army − in his days, like in ours − seems like an obvious one. Weber saw that bureaucrats’ strength lies in their mastery of specialized knowledge.
I couldn’t agree more. When I studied the procurement of whole body donations for medical research, for example, the state bureaucrats I spoke with were among the most knowledgeable professionals I encountered. Whether directors of anatomical services or chief medical examiners, they knew precisely how to properly secure, handle and transfer human cadavers so physicians could get trained. I felt greatly reassured that they were overseeing the donated bodies of loved ones.
Weber also described bureaucrats as people who don’t make decisions based on favors. In other forms of rule, he noted, “the ruler is free to grant or withhold clemency” based on “personal preference,” but in bureaucracies, decisions are reached impersonally. By “impersonal,” Weber meant “without hatred or passion” and without “love and enthusiasm.” Put otherwise, the bureaucrats fulfill their work without regard to the person: “Everyone is treated with formal equality.”
The federal Transportation Security Administration officers who perform their duties to ensure that we all travel safely epitomize this ideal. While interviewing and observing them, I felt grateful to see them not speculate about loving or hating anyone but treating all travelers as potential threats. The standard operating procedures they followed often proved tedious, but they were applied across the board. Doing any favors here would create immense security risks, as the recent Netflix action film “Carry-On” − about an officer blackmailed into allowing a terrorist to board a plane − illustrates.
Advancing the public’s interests
Finally, Weber highlighted bureaucrats’ commitment to serving the public. He stressed their tendency to act “in the interests of the welfare of those subjects over whom they rule.” Bureaucrats’ expertise and adherence to impersonal rules are meant to advance the common interest: for young and old, rural and urban dwellers alike, and many more.
The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education staff that I partnered with for years at the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth exemplified this ethic. They always impressed me by the huge sense of responsibility they felt toward all state residents. Even when local resources varied, they worked to ensure that all young people in the state − regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity − could thrive. Based on my personal experience, while they didn’t always get everything right, they were consistently committed to serving others.
Today, bureaucrats are often framed by the administration and its supporters as the root of all problems. Yet if Weber’s insights and my observations are any guide, bureaucrats are also the safeguards that stand between the public and dilettantism, favoritism and selfishness. The overwhelming majority of bureaucrats whom I have studied and worked with deeply care about upholding expertise, treating everyone equally and ensuring the welfare of all.
As outside temperatures dropped to the low- to mid-teens Fahrenheit on Feb. 10, 2025, two children died of carbon monoxide toxicity in a family van parked in a Detroit casino parking garage.
We are political scientists who study urban and housing public policies, and in the months since this tragedy, we took a deep look at the trends in homelessness and housing policies that foreshadowed the events of that night.
More kids are experiencing homelessness
One important trend is that the number of homeless children in the city reached a record high in 2024. This is true even though the overall numbers of people experiencing homelessness in the city is declining overall.
Most of these children were unhoused but considered sheltered because they had a place to sleep in an emergency shelter or transitional housing, or were able to temporarily stay with family or friends.
Nineteen of the kids were unsheltered – meaning they were sleeping in places not designed for human habitation, like cars, parks or abandoned buildings.
A different set of data comes from the Detroit Public Schools. The district looked at the entire 2022-2023 school year and found that roughly 1 in 19 students were unhoused at some point during that nine-month period — more than double the number in the 2019-2020 school year.
A lack of temporary solutions
The lack of adequate funding and staffing in the city’s shelter system means unhoused people often struggle to access temporary shelter beds.
Children who experience housing insecurity are often caught in the middle of bureaucracy and failed regulation.
The mother of the children who died in February had reached out to the city in November 2024 when they were staying with a family member. The mother noted that she wanted to keep all five of her children together.
The long wait for shelter has contributed to the rise in people living on the streets or in their vehicles. The number of unsheltered individuals — including both adults and children — doubled from 151 in 2015 to 305 in 2024. This trend of increasing unsheltered homelessness contrasts with the overall decline in the total number of homeless people in the city, which is down from a peak of 2,597 in 2015.
Their access to stable housing depends on their parents and what the adults in their life are able to provide. As rents increase in the city, some children are left vulnerable.
Some landlords pass the expense of these regulations on to tenants, making housing less affordable. Others leave their properties vacant, pushing up prices by lessening the supply.
The current average fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Detroit is $1,314 per month. For the typical household in the city, this basic shelter cost, not including utilities, makes up 41% of the household income.
For the lowest-income households, any unexpected expense can disrupt a delicate financial balance and lead to eviction and homelessness. Children in these situations often face major instability, moving between shelters – or, as in the case of the children who died in February, sleeping in cars.
Detroit’s stricter housing regulations may have improved conditions for some renters, but a report by Outlier Media shows that only 8% of landlords are in compliance, leaving legacy residents in subpar rentals at higher prices.
And these new rules have victims who are too often ignored until tragedy strikes.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Catholic Church’s 115 cardinal-electors take part in a mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on March 12, 2013, ahead of entering the conclave for a papal election.Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images
Following the death of 88-year-old Pope Francis on Easter Monday, several cardinals who were already in Rome, or who traveled only short distances to arrive, held the first of several meetings – general congregations – to discuss preparations for the papal funeral and the election to follow.
The College of Cardinals – which will elect the next pope – has 252 members, but only 135 can vote. Only those younger than 80 as of the day of a pope’s death may cast a ballot. Theoretically, church law allows the College of Cardinals to elect any Catholic man in the world to become the next pope – but in reality, as has been the case for more than 600 years, one of those cardinal-electors will almost certainly be Francis’ successor.
During the early centuries of Christianity, three classes of ordained minsters came about to lead and serve Christian communities: bishops, priests and deacons.
Bishops supervised local church communities and presided at liturgical ceremonies in the main churches – cathedrals. Priests advised the bishops and led individual communities – parishes. Deacons tended to the needs of the poor, widows and orphans and took care of community finances. They also had a special role during some worship services and often acted as the bishop’s secretaries.
Over time, seven of these deacons in key Roman churches served as special advisers to the bishop of Rome, the pope. They came to be called cardinals, from Latin “cardo” – meaning hinge – and “cardinalis” meaning key or principal. Later popes would choose priests and bishops to be cardinals as well.
Electing the pope
In the earlier centuries, popes would be elected by the clergy and people of the city of Rome. As time went on, these elections could be manipulated by local civic leaders, wealthy families and political leaders outside of Rome and Italy.
It was not until the 11th century that Pope Nicholas II formulated a process for selecting a new pope: election by an assembly of cardinals. However, it was not always possible for all the cardinals – known as the College of Cardinals – to come together, due to age, illness or distance. Those who had to travel long distances might arrive too late to vote.
In order to avoid continued outside interference, Pope Gregory X in the 13th century adopted a new procedure: the conclave. Cardinals would remain in a locked location – from the Latin cum clave, “with a key” – in isolation from outside influences until the election concluded.
The rules governing the conclave changed slightly over the years. The leader of the College of Cardinals is called the dean of the college. Over the centuries, his duties have come to include organizing the conclave, assisted by other Vatican officials. The size of the college has also varied over time but has steadily increased despite efforts to limit its size.
Starting in the 19th century, popes began expanding the size and geography of the college. Once dominated by European and especially Italian cardinals, popes began to choose new cardinals from different areas of the globe. For example, the first cardinals born in North America were named: John McClosky, archbishop of New York, was named cardinal in 1875; James Gibbons, archbishop of Baltimore in 1886, and Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau, archbishop of Quebec, also in 1886.
The College of Cardinals receives final instructions from the Grand Marshal before adjourning to the Sistine Chapel to begin voting for a new pope in 1922. Bettmann via Getty Images
The expansion of the college gathered momentum in the mid-20th century. The first native-born bishops from Asia were named at this time – for example, from China in 1946, Japan and the Philippines in 1960, and Sri Lanka in 1965. The first native-born cardinals of both Mexico and Uruguay were named in 1958, and the first native-born African of modern times, from Tanzania, was named in 1960. Popes continued this trend through the later 20th and early 21st centuries.
Different visions
By the time of his death, Francis had named a large number of new, non-European cardinals, especially from the Global South, where Catholicism is expanding. Currently, out of a total of 252 cardinals, 138 are non-European. Importantly, out of a total 135 cardinals eligible to vote, 82 are not from Europe, which makes a record number of non-Europeans eligible to vote.
In addition, at this conclave, 80% of the cardinal-electors have been named by Francis: that is 108 cardinals out of 135. This is an overwhelming number, representing a wide variety of Catholic communities from several different cultures. A new pope must be elected with a two-thirds majority of the votes: a total of 90 votes. If no candidate receives 90 votes, balloting continues as scheduled.
As I see it, there are several issues likely to arise and influence the vote for the upcoming election. Some of the cardinal-electors may want to choose a cardinal with more progressive views. But other cardinals, even if chosen by Francis, still might prefer to choose a more conservative candidate, to moderate what they see as the progressive agenda of the past 12 years. Their appointment by Francis doesn’t mean that they automatically agree with all of his ideas.
Catholics around the world will be praying for the Holy Spirit to guide the hearts and minds of the cardinals as they fill out their ballots. Many will hope for a pope as inspiring as his predecessor, one who can face the challenging problems of an increasingly complex world.
Joanne M. Pierce does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Did you eat cereal this morning? Or have you walked on a gravel path? Maybe you had a headache and had to take a pill? If you answered any of these questions with a yes, you interacted with a granular system today.
Scientists classify any collection of small, hard particles – such as puffed rice, sand grains or pills – as a granular system.
Even though everyone has interacted with these kinds of systems, describing the physics of how the particles collectively act when they are close together is surprisingly hard.
Granular systems sometimes move like a fluid. Think of an hourglass where sand, a very typical granular material, flows from one half of the glass to the other. But if you’ve run on a beach, you know that sand can also act like a solid. You can move over it without sinking through the sand.
As a geologist, I’m interested in understanding when a granular system flows and when it has strength and behaves like a solid. This line of research is very important for many agricultural and industrial applications, such as moving corn kernels or pills in a pipeline or shoot.
Understanding when a granular system might flow is also essential for geologic hazard assessments. For example, geologists would like to know whether the various boulders making up the slope of a mountain are stable or whether they will move as a rockslide.
Transferring forces between grains
To understand the behavior of a granular system, scientists can zoom in and look at the interactions between individual grains. When two particles are in contact with each other, they can transfer forces between each other.
Imagine this scenario: You have three tennis balls – the grains in this experiment. You place the tennis balls in a row and squeeze the three balls between your hand and a wall, so that your hand presses against the first ball. The last ball is in contact with a wall, but the middle ball is free floating and touches only the other two balls.
Tennis balls can act as grains in this simple granular system experiment. When you push against the tennis ball on the end, you exert a force, which acts upon the other two balls and eventually the wall. Jeremy Randolph-Flagg
By pushing against the first ball, you have successfully transferred the force from your hand through the row of three tennis balls onto the wall, even though you’ve touched only the first ball.
Now imagine you have many grains, like in a pile of sand, and all the sand grains are in contact with some neighboring grains. Grains that touch transfer forces between each other. How the forces are distributed in this granular system dictates whether the system is stable and unmoving or if it will move – such as a rockslide or the sand in an hourglass.
On the left are photoelastic discs used for two-dimensional experiments (9 mm diameter), and on the right are photoelastic grains used for three-dimensional experiments (14 mm diameter). Nathan Coon
Tracking forces in the lab
This is where my research team comes in. Together with my students, I study how grains interact with each other in the laboratory.
In our experiments, we can visualize the forces between individual grains in a granular system. While all granular systems have these forces present, we cannot see their distribution because force is invisible in most grains, such as sand or pills. We can see the forces only in some transparent materials.
To make the forces visible, we made grains using a material that is transparent and has a special property called photoelasticity. When photoelastic materials are illuminated and experience force, they split light into two rays that travel at different speeds.
This property forms bright, colorful bands in the otherwise transparent material that make the force visible. The brightness of the grains depends on how much force a grain is experiencing, so we can see how the forces are distributed in the granular system. The particles themselves do not emit light, but they change how fast light rays travel through them when they experience force – which makes them appear brighter.
On side A is a three-dimensional photoelastic grain without force applied, while on side B is the same grain once force is applied. In this case, we just squish the grain from the top and bottom. The brighter green bands start at the top and bottom of the grain where the force is applied and are the result of the photoelastic property. Jacqueline Reber
Scientists before us have used photoelasticity to visualize force in granular materials. These previous experiments, however, have examined only a single layer of grains. We developed a method to see the forces in not just a single layer of grains but throughout a whole heap.
Observing the forces on the outside of the heap of grains is pretty easy, but seeing how the forces are distributed in the middle of the pile is a lot harder. To see into the middle of the granular system and to illuminate grains there, we used a laser light sheet.
To generate a laser light sheet, we manipulated a laser beam so that the light spread out into a very narrow sheet.
With this light sheet, we illuminated one slice throughout the granular system. On this illuminated slice, we could see which grains were transferring forces, similarly to the previous two-dimensional experiments, without having to worry about the third dimension.
We then collected information from many slices across different parts of the grain heap. We used the information from the individual slices to reconstruct the three-dimensional granular system.
This technique is similar to how doctors reconstruct three-dimensional shapes of the brain and other organs from the two-dimensional images obtained by a medical CT scanner.
In 3D photoelastic experiments, the cart system shown at the top left is used to obtain regularly spaced laser light slices of the experiments, with the middle being sliced. The bottom left shows a schematic on how multiple slices can recreate a 3D object. The right shows three consecutive photos that are 0.7 cm apart – roughly one grain’s radius. The bright green crosshatch pattern shows how the forces are distributed between the individual grains. Nathan Coon
In our current experiments, we’ve been using only a small number of grains – 107. This way we can keep track of every individual grain and test whether this method works to see the force distribution in three dimensions. These 107 grains fill a cube-shaped box that is about 4 inches (10 centimeters) wide, tall and deep.
So far, the experimental method is working well, and we’ve been able to see how the force is distributed between the 107 grains. Next, we plan to expand the experimental setup to include more grains and explore how the force changes when we agitate the granular system – for example, by bumping it.
This new experimental approach opens the door for many more experiments that will help us to better understand granular systems. These systems are all around you, and while they seem so simple, researchers still don’t truly understand how they behave.
Jacqueline Reber receives funding from the Iowa State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Frontier Science Fund.
How does soap clean our bodies? – Charlie H., age 8, Stamford, Connecticut
Thousands of years ago, our ancestors discovered something that would clean their bodies and clothes. As the story goes, fat from someone’s meal fell into the leftover ashes of a fire. They were astonished to discover that the blending of fat and ashes formed a material that cleaned things. At the time, it must have seemed like magic.
As the centuries passed, people around the world began to use soap to clean the things that got dirty. During the 1600s, soap was a common item in the American colonies, often made at home. In 1791, Nicholas Leblanc, a French chemist, patented the first soapmaking process. Today, the world spends about US$50 billion every year on bath, kitchen and laundry soap.
But although billions of people use soap every day, most of us don’t know how it works. As a professor of chemistry, I can explain the science of soap – and why you should listen to your mom when she tells you to wash up.
You’ll be amazed at how much work it takes to make a bar of soap.
The chemistry of clean
Water – scientific name: dihydrogen monoxide – is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. That molecule is required for all life on our planet.
Chemists categorize other molecules that are attracted to water as hydrophilic, which means water-loving. Hydrophilic molecules can dissolve in water.
So if you were to wash your hands under a running faucet without using soap, you’d probably get rid of lots of whatever hydrophilic bits are stuck to your skin.
But there is another category of molecules that chemists call hydrophobic, which means water-fearing. Hydrophobic molecules do not dissolve in water.
Oil is an example of something that’s hydrophobic. You probably know from experience that oil and water just don’t mix. Picture shaking up a jar of vinaigrette salad dressing – the oil and the other watery ingredients never stay mixed.
So just swishing your hands through water isn’t going to get rid of water-fearing molecules such as oil or grease.
Here’s where soap comes in to save the day.
Soap, a complex molecule, is both water-loving and water-fearing. Shaped like a tadpole, the soap molecule has a round head and long tail; the head is hydrophilic, and the tail is hydrophobic. This quality is one of the reasons soap is slippery.
It’s also what gives soap its cleaning superpower.
To see what happens when you wash your hands with soap and water, let’s zoom in.
Picture all the gunk that you touch during the day and that builds up on your skin to make your hands dirty. Maybe there are smears of food, mud from outside, or even sweat and oils from your own skin.
All of that material is either water-loving or water-fearing on the molecular level. Dirt is a jumbled mess of both. Dust and dead skin cells are hydrophilic; naturally occurring oils are hydrophobic; and environmental debris can be either.
If you use only water to clean your hands, plenty will be left behind because you’d only remove the water-loving bits that dissolve in water.
But when you add a bit of soap, it’s a different story, thanks to its simultaneously water-loving and water-fearing properties.
Soap molecules come together and surround the grime on your hands, forming what’s known as a micelle structure. On a molecular level, it looks almost like a bubble encasing the hydrophobic bit of debris. The water-loving heads of the soap molecules are on the surface, with the water-fearing tails inside the micelle. This structure traps the dirt, and running water washes it all away.
To get the full effect, wash your hands at the sink for at least 20 seconds. Rubbing your hands together helps force the soap molecules into whatever dirt is there to break it up and envelope it.
It’s not just dirt
Along with dirt, your body is covered by microorganisms – bacteria, viruses and fungi. Most are harmless and some even protect you from getting sick. But some microorganisms, known as pathogens, can cause illness and disease.
They can also cause you to smell if you haven’t taken a bath in a while. These bacteria break down organic molecules and release stinky fumes.
Although microorganisms are protected by a barrier – it’s called a membrane – soap and water can disrupt the membrane, causing the microorganism to burst open. The water then washes the remains of the microorganism away, along with the stink.
To say that soap changed the course of civilization is an understatement. For thousands of years, it’s helped keep billions of people healthy. Think of that the next time Mom or Dad asks you to wash up – which will likely be sometime soon.
Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.
And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.
Paul E. Richardson receives funding from the NIH and NSF.
Cancer research in the U.S. doesn’t rely on a single institution or funding stream − it’s a complex ecosystem made up of interdependent parts: academia, pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology startups, federal agencies and private foundations. As a cancer biologist who has worked in each of these sectors over the past three decades, I’ve seen firsthand how each piece supports the others.
When one falters, the whole system becomes vulnerable.
The United States has long led the world in cancer research. It has spent more on cancer research than any other country, including more than US$7.2 billion annually through the National Cancer Institute alone. Since the 1971 National Cancer Act, this sustained public investment has helped drive dramatic declines in cancer mortality, with death rates falling by 34% since 1991. In the past five years, the Food and Drug Administration has approved over 100 new cancer drugs, and the U.S. has brought more cancer drugs to the global market than any other nation.
But that legacy is under threat. Funding delays, political shifts and instability across sectors have created an environment where basic research into the fundamentals of cancer biology is struggling to keep traction and the drug development pipeline is showing signs of stress.
These disruptions go far beyond uncertainty and have real consequences. Early-career scientists faced with unstable funding and limited job prospects may leave academia altogether. Mid-career researchers often spend more time chasing scarce funding than conducting research. Interrupted research budgets and shifting policy priorities can unravel multiyear collaborations. I, along with many other researchers, believe these setbacks will slow progress, break training pipelines and drain expertise from critical areas of cancer research – delays that ultimately hurt patients waiting for new treatments.
A 50-year foundation of federal investment
The modern era of U.S. cancer research began with the signing of the National Cancer Act in 1971. That law dramatically expanded the National Cancer Institute, an agency within the National Institutes of Health focusing on cancer research and education. The NCI laid the groundwork for a robust national infrastructure for cancer science, funding everything from early research in the lab to large-scale clinical trials and supporting the training of a generation of cancer researchers.
This federal support has driven advances leading to higher survival rates and the transformation of some cancers into a manageable chronic or curable condition. Progress in screening, diagnostics and targeted therapies – and the patients who have benefited from them – owe much to decades of NIH support.
The Trump administration is cutting billions of dollars of biomedical research funding.
But federal funding has always been vulnerable to political headwinds. During the first Trump administration, deep cuts to biomedical science budgets threatened to stall the progress made under initiatives such as the 2016 Cancer Moonshot. The rationale given for these cuts was to slash overall spending, despite facing strong bipartisan opposition in Congress. Lawmakers ultimately rejected the administration’s proposal and instead increased NIH funding. In 2022, the Biden administration worked to relaunch the Cancer Moonshot.
This uncertainty has worsened in 2025 as the second Trump administration has cut or canceled many NIH grants. Labs that relied on these awards are suddenly facing funding cliffs, forcing them to lay off staff, pause experiments or shutter entirely. Deliberate delays in communication from the Department of Health and Human Services have stalled new NIH grant reviews and funding decisions, putting many promising research proposals already in the pipeline at risk.
Philanthropy’s support is powerful – but limited
While federal agencies remain the backbone of cancer research funding, philanthropic organizations provide the critical support for breakthroughs – especially for new ideas and riskier projects.
Groups such as the American Cancer Society, Stand Up To Cancer and major hospital foundations have filled important gaps in support, often funding pilot studies or supporting early-career investigators before they secure federal grants. By supporting bold ideas and providing seed funding, they help launch innovative research that may later attract large-scale support from the NIH.
Without the bureaucratic constraints of federal agencies, philanthropy is more nimble and flexible. It can move faster to support work in emerging areas, such as immunotherapy and precision oncology. For example, the American Cancer Society grant review process typically takes about four months from submission, while the NIH grant review process takes an average of eight months.
Ted Kennedy Jr., right, and Jeff Keith raise money for the American Cancer Society in 1984. Mikki Ansin/Getty Images
But philanthropic funds are smaller in scale and often disease-specific. Many foundations are created around a specific cause, such as advancing cures for pancreatic, breast or pediatric cancers. Their urgency to make an impact allows them to fund bold approaches that federal funders may see as too preliminary or speculative. Their giving also fluctuates. For instance, the American Cancer Society awarded nearly $60 million less in research grants in 2020 compared with 2019.
While private foundations are vital partners for cancer research, they cannot replace the scale and consistency of federal funding. Total U.S. philanthropic funding for cancer research is estimated at a few billion dollars per year, spread across hundreds of organizations. In comparison, the federal government has typically contributed roughly five to eight times more than philanthropy to cancer research each year.
Industry innovation − and its priorities
Private-sector innovation is essential for translating discoveries into treatments. In 2021, nearly 80% of the roughly $57 billion the U.S. spent on cancer drugs came from pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Many of the treatments used in oncology today, including immunotherapies and targeted therapies, emerged from collaborations between academic labs and industry partners.
But commercial priorities don’t always align with public health needs. Companies naturally focus on areas with strong financial returns: common cancers, projects that qualify for fast-track regulatory approval, and high-priced drugs. Rare cancers, pediatric cancers and basic science often receive less attention.
Industry is also saddled with uncertainty. Rising R&D costs, tough regulatory requirements and investor wariness have created a challenging environment to bring new drugs to market. Several biotech startups have folded or downsized in the past year, leaving promising new drugs stranded in limbo in the lab before they can reach clinical trials.
Without federal or philanthropic entities to pick up the slack, these discoveries may never reach the patients who need them.
A system under strain
Cancer is not going away. As the U.S. population ages, the burden of cancer on society will only grow. Disparities in treatment access and outcomes persist across race, income and geography. And factors such as environmental exposures and infectious diseases continue to intersect with cancer risk in new and complex ways.
Addressing these challenges requires a strong, stable and well-coordinated research system. But that system is under strain. National Cancer Institute grant paylines, or funding cutoffs, remain highly competitive. Early-career researchers face precarious job prospects. Labs are losing technicians and postdoctoral researchers to higher-paying roles in industry or to burnout. And patients, especially those hoping to enroll in clinical trials, face delays, disruptions and dwindling options.
Researchers have been rallying to protect the future of science in the U.S. AP Photo/John McDonnell
This is not just a funding issue. It’s a coordination issue between the federal government, academia and industry. There are currently no long-term policy solutions that ensure sustained federal investment, foster collaboration between academia and industry, or make room for philanthropy to drive innovation instead of just filling gaps.
I believe that for the U.S. to remain a global leader in cancer research, it will need to recommit to the model that made success possible: a balanced ecosystem of public funding, private investment and nonprofit support. Up until recently, that meant fully funding the NIH and NCI with predictable, long-term budgets that allow labs to plan for the future; incentivizing partnerships that move discoveries from bench to bedside without compromising academic freedom; supporting career pathways for young scientists so talent doesn’t leave the field; and creating mechanisms for equity to ensure that research includes and benefits all communities.
Cancer research and science has come a long way, saving about 4.5 million lives in the U.S. from cancer from 1991 to 2022. Today, patients are living longer and better because of decades of hard-won discoveries made by thousands of researchers. But science doesn’t run on good intentions alone. It needs universities. It needs philanthropy. It needs industry. It needs vision. And it requires continued support from the federal government.
Jeffrey MacKeigan receives funding from NIH National Cancer Institute. He has consulting agreements with Merck and scholarly activity with the Translational Genomics Research Institute and the Van Andel Research Institute.
NEW YORK, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brag House Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TBH) (the “Company” or “Brag House”), the premier Gen Z engagement platform at the intersection of gaming, college sports, and social interaction, today announced a strategic partnership with Florida Gator Athletics and Learfield’s Florida Gators Sports Properties, the media and technology company powering college athletics at over 200 schools. All Gators Athletics sponsorship agreements are managed by athletic media rights holder Florida Gators Sports Properties. This collaboration introduces a first-of-its-kind digital sports medium for Gen Z—reimagining how students and fans engage with college sports through gaming across the nation.
The initiative debuts with the Orange and Blue at the University of Florida (UF), with the launch of the Brag Gator Gauntlet—a flagship series of digital and in-person gaming activations that fuse school spirit, gaming culture, and live sports into immersive, competitive experiences. These events align with real-world sports calendars, offering students and fans new, interactive ways to rally around their favorite teams through video games they already love to play.
“We’re not just adding gaming to sports—we’re creating a new lane that lives in harmony with college athletics,” said Lavell Juan Malloy II, CEO & Co-Founder of Brag House. “Starting this series with the Florida Gators and Learfield’s unparalleled access to over 200 universities allows us to scale this vision while giving brands an authentic way to connect with the most elusive and influential demographic—Gen Z.”
“This partnership represents an exciting evolution in how partners engage with the student body and Gator Nation,” said Darren McPhail, General Manager of Florida Gators Sports Properties. “By integrating gaming into our athletic culture, we’re providing innovative avenues for student involvement and offering brands a new way to engage with the younger demographics of Gator Nation.”
Redefining Fan Engagement The Brag House x Gators Athletics initiative, in partnership with Learfield, builds a parallel sports engagement channel tailored for digitally native students:
Interactive in-person and online gaming activations tied to real-life sporting events
Branded gaming experiences designed to mirror student rivalries and fandom
Name, Image, and Likeness (“NIL”)-integrated gaming content featuring student-athletes to elevate school pride and authenticity
Scalable Brand Opportunities
For brands seeking to connect with Gen Z in a meaningful way, this partnership delivers unrivaled access to hyper-engaged college communities:
Custom advertising and sponsorship opportunities across digital platforms, on-site events, and athletic venues
Gamified experiences and branded loyalty systems that reward participation and foster deeper brand affinity
This monetization model shows how brands can generate a measurable return on investment while deepening engagement with target audiences.
Actionable Gen Z Insights Beyond engagement, Brag House will continue to build a robust data engine to help brands connect with Gen Z in a more authentic and measurable way. Using proprietary behavioral data and insights, Brag House will empower marketers to create hyper-personalized, performance-optimized campaigns tailored to Gen Z’s preferences and behavior.
What’s Next Following the first activation with Gators Athletics for students of the University of Florida, Brag House and Learfield aim to roll out the model across additional campuses later this year. The roadmap targets a 10-school expansion in 2025, scaling to 50 campuses by the end of 2026, supported by evolving technology capabilities and advanced audience segmentation tools.
“This is not a niche campaign—it’s a new tradition,” added Malloy. “We’re defining how Gen Z connects with college athletics—and giving brands a meaningful way to be part of that story.”
Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks, including, but not limited to, the risk factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s filings with the SEC. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations that arise after the date hereof, except as may be required by law.
About Brag House Brag House is a leading media technology gaming platform dedicated to transforming casual college gaming into a vibrant, community-driven experience. By seamlessly merging gaming, social interaction, and cutting-edge technology, the Company provides an inclusive and engaging environment for casual gamers while enabling brands to authentically connect with the influential Gen Z demographic. The platform offers live-streaming capabilities, gamification features, and custom tournament services, fostering meaningful engagement between users and brands. For more information, please visit www.braghouse.com.
About Learfield Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
Media Contact: Fatema Bhabrawala Director of Media Relations fbhabrawala@allianceadvisors.com
Work on a new housing development is in full swing as Leeds City Council once again demonstrates its commitment to providing high quality, energy efficient and affordable homes for local families.
The council secured planning permission in October last year for a total of 82 houses and apartments on the site of a former school at Hough Top, in Swinnow, near Pudsey.
And, six months on, construction activity is proceeding at pace, with a new road layout already taking shape and good progress being made on car parking, substations and perimeter fencing.
The development – which is being delivered via Leeds’s Council Housing Growth Programme (CHGP) – will comprise 55 houses and 27 apartments, with a mix of one, two, three and four bedrooms.
The apartments will be located in a new three-storey building named Hough Top Court. The site’s roads, meanwhile, will be called Hough Common, Hough Fold and Hough Drive.
All 82 properties will be made available for affordable rent, an important consideration given the high level of demand for social housing in the wider Pudsey area.
The new homes will also be fitted with air source heat pumps, a sustainable heating solution that will help cut carbon emissions, tackle fuel poverty and support Leeds’s net zero ambitions.
Landscaping and tree-planting work will create attractive open space within the 2.5-hectare site, which has lain empty since the demolition of the former Hough Side High School buildings in 2021 and 2022.
The development is being delivered for the council by construction company Willmott Dixon, which is also conducting a wide-ranging programme of associated community-focused activity. To date, its team has run more than 30 apprentice training weeks, undertaken 50 hours of school engagement and carried out 80 hours of career mentoring for local people.
The bulk of the funding for the scheme – scheduled for completion late next year – is being provided by the council’s housing service via Right to Buy receipts and borrowing, with £1.64m of grant support coming from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Brownfield Housing Fund.
Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said:
“The Hough Top scheme is an excellent example of how the council is working, with partners, to deliver good quality, energy efficient and affordable homes for the people of Leeds.
“The difference that a development like this can make to local families is huge, particularly in an area such as Pudsey where there are significant housing needs.
“Our aim is to ensure that communities right across Leeds can benefit in the same way and, while we know there is still much to do, the various schemes currently taking shape as part of our Council Housing Growth Programme are moving us ever closer to realising that ambition.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:
“Because of devolution, we’ve been able to invest almost £90m to help unlock over 5,000 new homes, including dozens of affordable and sustainable homes in Pudsey.
“Working with Leeds City Council, we’re taking decisive action to tackle the housing crisis and deliver the warm, high-quality homes that local families need, with lower rents and energy bills.
“Everyone is entitled to a safe and secure roof over their head, so we will work with central government to get the whole of West Yorkshire building, with new freedoms and funding to deliver thousands more homes and create a greener, more vibrant region.”
Chris Yates, Yorkshire director at Willmott Dixon, said:
“Our team of local housing experts bring a wealth of experience to Hough Top. We share Leeds City Council’s passion for creating employment opportunities for this community. In partnership with our local supply chain partners, we are committed to supporting local people through our dedicated Building Lives Academy skills programme, as well as continuing to work closely with local schools and colleges.”
More than 350 new homes have been built via the council’s CHGP since 2018. More than 420 homes have also been acquired as part of the programme, with these properties and the new-builds both playing a crucial role in efforts to ease local affordable housing pressures.
By increasing the number of appropriate properties available to tenants looking to downsize, the programme has also helped free up some homes that are best suited to larger families.
Locations where new housing has recently been delivered by the CHGP include Barncroft Close in Seacroft and Scott Hall Drive in Chapel Allerton as well as a site in Middleton formerly occupied by Throstle Recreation Ground and Middleton Skills Centre.
Places where CHGP schemes are, like the one at Hough Top, currently under construction include Brooklands Avenue in Seacroft, the Ambertons area of Gipton and the former Middlecross Day Centre site in Armley.
School Governing Boards are made up of people from all walks of life with a range of different backgrounds, skills and experiences – but they are all volunteers who work together for the benefit of the school and act as the link between the school and the community it serves.
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “We are currently looking for new governors to work in schools across Wolverhampton and we’d be delighted to hear from anyone who has an interest in school performance, a desire to contribute to and represent the community, and an open and enquiring mind.
“Key skills are the ability to look at issues objectively, the confidence to ask questions and join in debate, a willingness to listen and make informed judgements and the ability to work well with others.
“If this is you, you may be the very person to become a governor. Everyone has something to offer, and we want to hear from people from as many backgrounds and with as wide a range of interests as possible.
“Becoming a governor is an enjoyable and rewarding way to play an active part in the local community – and can allow you to further develop your strategic management skills and enhance your CV, too.”
People would need to be able to volunteer for around eight hours a term, with some meetings potentially outside of school hours. The council will provide all the necessary training and support to carry out this important role.
Governing bodies play a key role in setting targets for raising standards of educational achievement, monitoring progress towards meeting these targets, supporting and challenging the performance of the headteacher and deciding policy and future development plans.
To request an application pack, or to find out more about the role, please contact Kay Mason, School Improvement Advisor, via kay.mason@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The 9th International Arctic Summit “Arctic: Prospects, Innovations and Regional Development”, dedicated to the 180th anniversary of the founding of the Russian Geographical Society, was held in two cities – Moscow and St. Petersburg. In the Northern capital, the participants of the large-scale event were hosted by the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
At the opening of the summit in the Technopolis Polytech research building, guests were greeted on behalf of the Governor of St. Petersburg, Alexander Beglov, by the Head of the Department for Development of Interaction with the Arctic Region of the St. Petersburg Committee for Arctic Affairs, Sergei Nikolaev.
The regional head’s address states that St. Petersburg is the center of Russia’s Arctic competencies, and the exchange of regions’ accumulated experience and the discussion of pressing issues of the development of the Far North are the key to strengthening our country’s position in the Arctic.
As Yuri Fomin, Vice-Rector for Research at SPbPU, noted in his greeting, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University not only trains personnel for enterprises in the northern region, but also conducts research in areas that are relevant for the Arctic: development of autonomous energy, construction in the Far North, infrastructure, logistics, security, etc.
The developments of our scientists are aimed at solving the problems outlined by the President of Russia at the VI International Arctic Forum. This is strengthening the transport and logistics contour of the Arctic, ensuring the energy independence of the region, mining, construction in difficult weather conditions, – said Yuri Vladimirovich and wished the forum participants successful and fruitful work.
Participants of the plenary session and thematic sections discussed many problematic issues related to the geopolitical, environmental and economic situation, harsh climate conditions and the shortage of highly professional personnel for the Arctic zone. At the Polytechnic site, they sought and proposed solutions, shared experiences and found partners.
Experts, including representatives of SPbPU, outlined the goals, main directions and mechanisms for implementing the tasks set, and also noted the importance of the activities of the Russian Geographical Society in the development of the Arctic.
Nikolay Vatin, Director of the Scientific and Technological Complex “Digital Engineering in Civil Construction”, spoke at the plenary session. He also held a thematic session “Development of Science and Technology in the Interests of Arctic Development. Information Partnership of Arctic Regions”.
At the special session “Scientific and technical projects and modern technologies for the development of the Arctic zone: Russian industry, world practice” Liliya Talipova, senior lecturer of the Higher School of Industrial, Civil and Road Construction of SPbPU, gave a report. She spoke about the development of a GIS platform for the design of linear objects in the Arctic.
The round table, dedicated to improving the quality of life of the population of the Arctic, was attended by IPMEiT teachers Maxim Polyukhovich, Alexey Ulyanov and Yulia Logvinova. The topic of their presentations was a model for designing workplaces for the region. In the round table session dedicated to Arctic energy, SPbPU professor Viktor Elistratov made a report on the use of renewable energy sources in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation.
Students of the Polytechnic University also took part in the summit. Thus, at the thematic session “International Relations in the Arctic”, Zoya Merkulova, a master of the Higher School of Technosphere Safety of SPbPU, presented a report “Comparison of Russian and Foreign Experience in Industrial Safety Applied to Enterprises in Arctic Regions”.
Summing up the forum, the director of the Arctic 2025 summit Gennady Cherepov thanked the participants and noted the productivity of all sections. In conclusion, the winners of the competition of scientific research works aimed at sustainable development and exploration of the Arctic within the framework of the Decade of Science and Technology were awarded. Based on the materials of the summit, a scientific collection of the Russian Science Citation Index will be prepared and published.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
The $5.48 million Rigetti-led consortium will include Iowa State University, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the University of Connecticut, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The project aims to develop a deeper understanding of how Rigetti’s novel chip fabrication process, Alternating-Bias Assisted Annealing (ABAA), reduces defects in superconducting qubits.
BERKELEY, Calif., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rigetti Computing, Inc. (Nasdaq: RGTI) (“Rigetti” or the “Company”), a pioneer in full-stack quantum-classical computing, announced today that it was granted an Air Force Office of Scientific Research award to further develop its breakthrough chip fabrication technology, Alternating-Bias Assisted Annealing (ABAA). The $5.48 million Rigetti-led consortium, including Iowa State University, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the University of Connecticut, and *Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), aims to develop a detailed understanding of how ABAA impacts the chip on a microscopic level — which will shed light on defects in superconducting qubits and open new avenues for understanding and mitigating them.
Addressing defects in superconducting qubits is a fundamental challenge in building large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers. Last year, Rigetti introduced ABAA which entails applying a series of alternating low-voltage pulses at room temperature to the oxide barrier of the Josephson junction, a critical part of Rigetti’s superconducting qubits. Rigetti researchers discovered that this technique enables qubit frequencies to be precisely targeted prior to chip packaging. This improves the fidelity of two-qubit gates and the scalability of the technology. Unlike more complicated solutions that address the problem of tuning frequency, which often require laser trimming of the chip, ABAA is a simple and scalable process that only requires sending pulses of voltage to the chip.
Rigetti devices that have been manufactured leveraging ABAA show a reduction in two-level systems (TLSs). TLSs are defects in a qubit’s material that impact qubit performance by pulling energy from the qubit or dephasing it. Ultimately, understanding the effects of ABAA on TLSs will lay the groundwork for scaling the fabrication of superconducting quantum devices and other applications that rely on amorphous materials in tunnel junctions and dielectrics.
“This project gives us access to the resources and expertise to unlock the full potential of ABAA and gain a foundational understanding of defects in superconducting qubits,” says Dr. Subodh Kulkarni, Rigetti CEO. “We already know that superconducting qubits have advantages in speed and scalability. Deepening our knowledge of superconducting qubit defects puts us in an even better position to scale our systems with improved performance.”
Rigetti continues to support the U.S. Government’s commitment to maintaining quantum computing leadership and advancing the field. Rigetti was recently selected to participate in DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, which aims to determine if any approach to quantum computing can achieve utility-scale operation by 2033.
*Funded separately though Laboratory for Physical Sciences, University of Maryland
About Rigetti Rigetti is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The Company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. In 2021, Rigetti began selling on-premises quantum computing systems with qubit counts between 24 and 84 qubits, supporting national laboratories and quantum computing centers. Rigetti’s 9-qubit Novera™ QPU was introduced in 2023 supporting a broader R&D community with a high-performance, on-premises QPU designed to plug into a customer’s existing cryogenic and control systems. The Company’s proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides high-performance integration with public and private clouds for practical quantum computing. Rigetti has developed the industry’s first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. The Company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility. Learn more at www.rigetti.com.
Cautionary Language and Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this communication may be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including but not limited to, expectations with respect to the Company’s business and operations, including its expectations related to the Air Force Office of Scientific Research award and work with Iowa State University, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the University of Connecticut, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to develop a detailed understanding of how Alternating-Bias Assisted Annealing (ABAA) impacts the chip on a microscopic level, unlocking ABAA’s full potential, and expectations that deepening knowledge of superconducting qubit defects improves Rigetti’s position to scale systems with improved performance. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events and can be identified by terminology such as “commit,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “intend,” “strive,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “estimate,” “believe,” “predict,” “potential,” “pursue,” “aim,” “goal,” “outlook,” “anticipate,” “assume,” or “continue,” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Rigetti and its management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: Rigetti’s ability to achieve milestones, technological advancements, including with respect to its roadmap, help unlock quantum computing, and develop practical applications; the ability of Rigetti to complete ongoing negotiations with government contractors successfully and in a timely manner; the potential of quantum computing; the ability of Rigetti to obtain government contracts and the availability of government funding; the ability of Rigetti to expand its QCS business; the success of Rigetti’s partnerships and collaborations; Rigetti’s ability to accelerate its development of multiple generations of quantum processors; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Rigetti or others; the ability to continue to meet stock exchange listing standards; costs related to operating as a public company; changes in applicable laws or regulations, including taxes and tariffs; the possibility that Rigetti may be adversely affected by other economic, business, or competitive factors; Rigetti’s estimates of expenses and profitability; the evolution of the markets in which Rigetti competes; the ability of Rigetti to execute on its technology roadmap; the ability of Rigetti to implement its strategic initiatives, expansion plans and continue to innovate its existing services; disruptions in banking systems, increased costs, international trade relations, political turmoil, natural catastrophes, warfare, and terrorist attacks; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements other than as required by applicable law. The Company does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.
Findings in a younger, commercially insured population build on Medicare-based CAMELOT results, expanding the generalizability of Zio LTCM’s clinical impact across patient groups.
Latest data showed Zio LTCM was associated with higher diagnostic yield and lower likelihood of repeat testing and cardiovascular events compared to all other LTCM products.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iRhythm Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:IRTC) announced results from a large real-world retrospective analysis presented at the Heart Rhythm Society’s annual meeting, HRS2025, held April 24–27 in San Diego, CA, The Assessment of Variation in AmbuLatory Cardiac MONitoring: Real-World Evidence of Commercially Insured Beneficiaries (AVALON) study—drawing on claims data from a cohort of 428,707 commercially insured patients—represents the largest real-world comparative evaluation of ambulatory cardiac monitoring (ACM) among this population to date, and reinforces the clinical superiority of the Zio® long-term continuous monitoring (LTCM) service.
The Zio LTCM service consists of a prescription-only, patch-based ECG monitoring device that captures up to 14 days of continuous, uninterrupted data, and the ZEUS® (Zio ECG Utilization Software) system with an FDA-cleared AI algorithm clinically proven to perform at the level of cardiologists.1 The system delivers an end-of-wear report that is reviewed and validated by qualified cardiac technicians, with a 99% physician agreement rate.2
Building on findings from the CAMELOT (Cardiac Ambulatory Monitor EvaLuation of Outcomes and Time to Events) study—published in the American Heart Journal—which demonstrated the clinical superiority of the Zio LTCM service among a Medicare population, the AVALON study evaluated a younger, commercially insured population (mean age: 46 years). Like CAMELOT, the AVALON data showed that Zio LTCM service was associated with the highest diagnostic yield compared to other ACM modalities and all other LTCM services, and a lower likelihood of repeat testing compared to all other LTCM services. AVALON also found that Zio LTCM service was associated with a lower likelihood of cardiovascular (CV) events compared to other ACM modalities and all other LTCM services.
Also at HRS, as part of a separate analysis, data were also presented showing that use of the MyZio® App, a patient smartphone accessory app designed to improve patient engagement and enable digital symptom logging, was associated with increased symptom reporting, improved symptom-rhythm correlation, and a greater rate of arrhythmia-correlated dairy entries compared to non-users — demonstrating that digital apps can provide additional contextual clinical information and reinforcing the value of digital engagement alongside ambulatory cardiac monitoring.
“Once again, we have strong real-world evidence that compellingly demonstrates the superiority of Zio’s 14-day, uninterrupted, patch-based monitoring — AVALON extends findings beyond Medicare to patients in common commercial insurance plans,” said Mintu Turakhia, MD, iRhythm Chief Medical and Scientific Officer and EVP of Product Innovation. “We’re also proud of MyZio, which enriches the patient experience and provides more information to their doctor. As a Top 40 Medical App, our iOS App has a 4.7 rating — a rare accomplishment among medical device connected apps.”
AVALON Study Evaluates Clinical Outcomes in Real-World Cardiac Monitoring
The AVALON study aimed to assess the impact of ambulatory cardiac monitoring strategy on three key clinical outcomes: diagnostic yield, likelihood of repeat testing, and likelihood of cardiovascular (CV) events.3 These outcomes reflect both the immediate diagnostic effectiveness of ambulatory cardiac monitoring and its longer-term clinical implications.
Diagnostic yield—the ability to identify clinically relevant arrhythmias during a monitoring period—is a critical measure of effectiveness, as it enables earlier, more confident treatment decisions and may reduce the need for additional testing. Arrhythmias are commonly paroxysmal and infrequent. Therefore, device design, and performance AI, and quality of technician review can all affect whether arrhythmias are identified. Repeat testing may reflect diagnostic uncertainty, which can delay care and increase the burden on both patients and clinicians. In real-world settings, retest rates offer practical insight into diagnostic efficiency. CV events, such as cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction (MI), embolic stroke, or heart failure, represent meaningful long-term outcomes. Reducing the likelihood of these CV events is a key goal in arrhythmia management and may reflect the broader clinical impact of monitoring strategy.
Using closed claims data,4 investigators identified 428,707 commercially insured patients who were diagnostically naïve — defined as having no prior cardiac monitoring, arrhythmia diagnosis, or arrhythmia-related procedures or medications in the 12 months prior to the index date (baseline period). Of the records analyzed, 36% of patients used LTCM, 36% used a Holter monitor, and 27% used an ambulatory event monitor (AEM). The mean age ranged from 45 to 46 years across ACM cohorts.
Diagnostic Yield and Likelihood of Retest and Cardiovascular Events
New arrhythmia diagnosis — as documented in clinical encounter claims using ICD-10 codes for specified arrhythmias, within the first 90 days was highest for Zio LTCM service (26.5%), followed by non-iRhythm LTCM (18.4%), AEM (17.0%), and Holter monitoring (14.7%).
Zio LTCM service was associated with the highest adjusted odds of a new arrhythmia encounter diagnosis compared to other ACM modalities and all other LTCM services. Compared to Holter monitors, Zio LTCM service was 2.04 times more likely to have a new arrhythmia encounter diagnosis within 90-days. Compared to AEM, Zio LTCM was 1.69 times more likely to have a new arrhythmia encounter diagnosis within 90-days. Compared to non-iRhythm LTCM services, Zio LTCM service was 1.56 times more likely to have a new arrhythmia encounter diagnosis within 90-days. Compared to Bardy LTCM service, Zio LTCM service was 1.12 times more likely to have a new arrhythmia encounter diagnosis within 90-days. Compared to Biotelemetry LTCM service, Zio LTCM service was 1.72 times more likely to have a new arrhythmia encounter diagnosis within 90-days. Compared to Preventice LTCM service , Zio LTCM service was 1.69 times more likely to have a new arrhythmia encounter diagnosis within 90-days. Compared to “Other LTCM,” Zio LTCM service was 1.61 times more likely to have a new arrhythmia encounter diagnosis within 90-days.
Zio LTCM service was associated with lowest adjusted odds of retesting within 180 days compared to all other LTCMs from service providers in the same extended monitoring category. Compared to Zio LTCM service, all non-iRhythm LTCMs were 1.95 times more likely to result in a retest. Across the providers in the LTCM space, Bardy, BioTelemetry, Preventice, and “Other LTCM” providers were associated, respectively, as 1.41, 1.39, 1.30, and 3.52 times more likely to result in a retest within 180 days compared to Zio LTCM.3
Zio LTCM service was associated with lowest adjusted odds of cardiovascular events within 1-year compared to ACM modalities and all other LTCMs from service providers in the same extended monitoring category.
Holter monitors were 1.13 times more likely and AEM were 1.21 times more likely to have a CV event within 1-year compared to Zio LTCM service. Compared to Zio LTCM service, non-iRhythm LTCMs were 1.23 times more likely to have a CV event within 1-year after accounting for baseline patient differences. Across the providers in the LTCM space, Bardy, BioTelemetry, Preventice, and “Other LTCM” providers were 1.11, 1.24, 1.19, and 1.23 times more likely, respectively, to have a CV event within 1-year compared to Zio LTCM.3
iRhythm’s Expanding Clinical Evidence Base
These new data build on iRhythm’s comprehensive clinical evidence program, encompassing more than 125 original research manuscripts,5 insights derived from over 2 billion hours of curated heartbeat data6 and more than 10 million patient reports posted since the company’s inception—underscoring the company’s ongoing commitment to expanding evidence that supports improved patient outcomes.
Ambulatory cardiac monitors (ACM) enable heart rhythm monitoring for various durations, including Holter monitors (0–48 hours), long-term continuous monitoring (LTCM, 3–14 days), and external ambulatory event monitors (AEM, up to 30 days). These devices detect intermittent or asymptomatic arrhythmias that might go unnoticed with a standard electrocardiogram. The prior CAMELOT study explored variations in ACM use among older and sicker Medicare beneficiaries (Mean Age: 76 years; Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI]: 2.4), but differences among commercially insured patients remained unclear, until now.
The retrospective cohort study sought to assess the incidence of clinical outcomes among commercially insured diagnostic naïve patients who received their first ACM, using a large commercial claims database focused on patients without prior arrhythmia diagnoses who underwent their first ACM between 2016 and 2023. Outcomes included new arrhythmia diagnoses (based on ICD-10 codes) within 90 days, repeat ACM testing within 180 days, and cardiovascular events within 365 days of initiating ACM use. Results were stratified by major ACM manufacturers using national provider identifiers (NPI). To minimize confounding, inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced covariates, and adjusted regression models were used to evaluate outcomes during follow-up. Of 428,707 patients meeting inclusion, 36% used LTCM, 36% Holter, and 27% AEM.
Adjusted analyses showed Zio LTCM service was associated with higher odds of arrhythmia diagnoses, fewer retests (except AEM), and lower odds of cardiovascular events compared to other modalities and all other LTCM manufacturers.
Clinical outcomes vary by ACM type among commercially insured patients. Zio LTCM service demonstrated superior performance, with higher rates of arrhythmia diagnoses, fewer repeat tests, and fewer cardiovascular events compared to other ACM types and all other LTCM providers.
The AVALON study was funded by iRhythm Technologies, Inc; statistical analysis was independently performed by Blue Health Intelligence (BHI).
Patient-reported symptoms are the most common indication for ambulatory cardiac monitoring (ACM) and a key component of arrhythmia management used to guide treatment decisions. Symptom severity and context are useful in risk stratification and were traditionally captured in paper diaries. MyZio® mobile app is an optional patient smartphone app for use with Zio® ACMs (including LTCM and mobile cardiac telemetry devices) designed to improve engagement and enable digital symptom logging.
The retrospective study sought to evaluate the impact of MyZio App digital symptom logging, as compared to paper patient diaries, on symptom-rhythm correlation (SRC), and evaluated >164,000 randomly sampled ECG records from among patients ≥18 yrs prescribed Zio ACM for ≤14 days between Jan 1 and Jun 30, 2024. Symptoms were recorded by 1) a patient-activated button incorporated into the ACM, 2) entries in a paper diary provided with the ACM, or 3) entries in a digital diary available to app users. Continuous ECG data were analyzed using an FDA cleared deep learning algorithm for arrhythmia classification. Symptoms documented within ±45 seconds of an arrhythmia were considered rhythm correlated. We calculated the percentage of symptomatic episodes based on button presses or dairy entry and per-patient SRC.
Among 164,563 patients, 18.4% used the MyZio App. App users were younger and more likely to be female than non-users. App use was associated with increased odds of rhythm-correlated symptoms by button press (OR=1.86; 95%CI 1.84-1.89) and diary entry (OR=3.44; 95%CI 3.38-3.50). Overall engagement was greater among App users vs. non-users, with a higher rate of episodes identified by button press alone and per-patient SRC (16.0% vs. 13.9%). Use of the MyZio App was associated with a 1.85-fold increase in rate of rhythm-correlated diary entries (OR 1.85, 95%CI 1.81-1.89) over the increase in rate of rhythm-correlated button presses alone.
In patch-based ACM, use of the MyZio App was associated with increased symptom logging, greater SRC and higher odds of rhythm-correlated diary entries. Use of a patient digital app as an adjunct to ACM can provide greater contextual clinical information.
About iRhythm Technologies iRhythm is a leading digital health care company that creates trusted solutions that detect, predict, and prevent disease. Combining wearable biosensors and cloud-based data analytics with powerful proprietary algorithms, iRhythm distills data from millions of heartbeats into clinically actionable information. Through a relentless focus on patient care, iRhythm’s vision is to deliver better data, better insights, and better health for all. To learn more about iRhythm and its Zio® portfolio of products and services, please visit https://www.irhythmtech.com/.
1 Hannun et al. Cardiologist-level arrhythmia detection and classification in ambulatory electrocardiograms using a deep neural network. Nat Med. 2019;25:65-69. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-018-0268-3 2 99% of physicians agree with the comprehensive end-of-wear report. Based on a review of all online Zio XT, Zio monitor, and Zio AT end-of-wear reports. Data on file. iRhythm Technologies, 2023. 3 Cardiovascular Events defined as cardiac arrest, MI, arterial embolism and thrombosis, embolic stroke, systemic embolism, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebrovascular disease, heart failure 4 The analysis was conducted using closed claims data from a large, national commercial health plan dataset maintained by BHI (Blue Health Intelligence). 5 Data on file. iRhythm Technologies, 2025. 6 Data on file. iRhythm Technologies, 2024.
An event held last week (Tuesday 22 April) at the City Chambers brought together the Council and partners to take steps toward building, adapting, and finding accessible homes across the Capital.
Hosted by the City of Edinburgh Council, the Accessible Housing Summit convened representatives from the third sector, housing associations and the private sector.
Through a series of roundtable discussions, participants explored three key areas: delivering new accessible homes, improving access to existing housing, and ensuring the best use of homes already available.
In a tangible step forward, the Council recently began construction on a new residential development in Newington. Once complete, the site will provide 19 modern, fully wheelchair accessible homes available for social rent.
Attendees will now consider what actions can be taken forward to address improving access to information, advice on accessible housing and planning for new accessible homes in Edinburgh.
Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Lezley Marion Cameron said:
As Edinburgh’s population grows and changes, so do the housing needs of our residents. We must therefore strive to ensure that everyone – irrespective of their health circumstances and accessibility requirements – has a home they can live in with dignity and comfort.
Whilst this is a national issue, the City of Edinburgh Council faces unique challenges, including being landlord of a high number of older, flatted properties which can often be harder and costly to adapt.
It is vital for us to understand the nature, context, and complexity of the barriers to providing fully accessible housing and to work closely and collaboratively with our partners and organisations leading this crucial work to deliver the accessible housing our citizens need now and in the future.
As the world’s population grows, it is becoming more and more important to develop more environmentally and economically sustainable ways of producing food.
As part of an ongoing $10 million grant from the USDA, led by Kumar Venkitanarayanan, CAHNR associate dean of research and graduate education and professor of animal science, Abhinav Upadhyay, assistant professor of animal science, has developed a course to teach the next generation of agricultural workers and researchers about sustainable poultry production.
“We are aiming to educate the next generation workforce to understand that food production is important but at the same time it should not come at the cost of losing our planet,” Upadhyay says.
The course is designed as a follow-up to Upadhyay’s longstanding course on the fundamentals of poultry science. The new course was offered for the first time in fall 2024.
Students are introduced to the basic tenets of sustainability, why it is important, and why the scientific community is interested in making agriculture reducing the impact of agriculture on the environment now.
“In the scientific world, there is a lot of discussion as to how are we going to provide this human population with nutritious food that is also sustainable,” Upadhyay says. “Because what we cannot do is have an intensive farming model where we destroy forests or don’t care about the industry’s implications on climate.”
The course then moves into more specific information on raising poultry more sustainably and the specific challenges this industry faces in terms of human, animal, and environmental health.
For the final project in the course, students work in groups to create a proposal for their own sustainable poultry production research project.
Through this assignment, students get to experience how research proposals are actually evaluated in the professional scientific world with their peers serving as anonymized reviewers.
“These students don’t have a lot of research experience,” Upadhyay says. “But it was still very impressive to see how they could crosslink the ideas that were discussed in the course and then come up with a project of their own.”
The course had 12 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the fall. It will be offered again in fall 2025. The course is open to all UConn students.
“I was happy to see that the first time we introduced this course, it has significant interest among graduate and undergraduate students,” Upadhyay says.
Mackenzie Connors ‘25 (CAHNR) is one undergraduate student who took the course in the fall.
Connors says she valued how the course exposed her to new information not just about poultry sustainability, but also the grant writing process, even as she plans to attend veterinary school after graduation.
“It taught me a lot about sustainable poultry and also about writing grants,” Mackenzie says. “For somebody who will do that in the future, that is a very, very good course. And even if you’re not planning to take that career path, it’s good exposure.”
Upadhyay and his colleagues at Appalachian State University, University of Minnesota, and University of Arkansas published an article in Poultry Science, highlighting the course.
“The aim of the research article was to share with the entire global scientific community what we are doing,” Upadhyay. “We are expecting, in the future when people read this article, they will reach out to us for potential collaborations.”
Upadhyay will continue to offer the course at UConn and eventually share it with other universities as an online course. The course will be consistently updated to reflect new research and regulations related to sustainable poultry production.
“In order to develop a strong workforce in the U.S. we are developing this course and UConn is at the crux of it,” Upadhyay says.
This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Ensuring a Vibrant and Sustainable Agricultural Industry and Food Supply.
UConn Hartford will be able to offer student housing near its downtown campus starting this fall, a year ahead of its planned opening of a larger and permanent student housing development nearby.
UConn’s Board of Trustees recently approved plans to lease studio and one-bedroom apartments in The Donaghue at 525 Main St., to accommodate up to 57 students in the 2025-2026 academic year. That newly renovated building is across the street from the Hartford Public Library and just a few minutes from the campus.
The University will offer the apartments for student housing through Residential Life, acclimating students to the concept of living near the campus so they can easily transition next year to the permanent housing under development at 64 Pratt St.
The housing complements the planned opening of a new café this fall in the Hartford Times campus headquarters building, where food will be available for purchase with UConn meal plans or à la carte by members of the University community and the public.
Students who live in the apartments in The Donaghue building will be able to opt for a UConn meal plan that includes either five or 10 meals per week, plus $50 in dining points per semester.
Nathan Fuerst, UConn’s vice president for student life and enrollment, said at a recent Board of Trustees meeting that offering the apartments near UConn Hartford has many benefits both for the students and for the campus itself.
“The housing option will help students develop a strong sense of community and build momentum moving into the coming year as we prepare to open the housing on Pratt Street,” Fuerst said. “We’re very excited to be able to offer a housing opportunity even earlier than we anticipated, and we look forward to strong interest.”
Providing the option also will help ease some space constraints at UConn Storrs, since UConn Hartford students who currently live in Storrs dorms will get first dibs on The Donaghue apartments closer to their home campus.
“UConn Hartford’s new café and its student housing plans are examples of the University’s commitment to partnering with the City of Hartford and adding to its economic, social, and cultural vibrancy,” said Mark Overmyer-Velázquez, UConn Hartford’s dean and chief administrative officer.
UConn plans to offer about 200 beds of student housing starting in August 2026 in a building called The Annex at the corner of Pratt and Trumbull streets in downtown Hartford, not far from the campus.
UConn has been working for the past several years to deepen its ties with the capital city, where the University also recently opened an academic and research facility in a building that fronts the XL Center on Trumbull Street.
UConn opened the Hartford campus downtown in 2017, and has worked since then to position it as a centerpiece of a thriving capital city by bringing people downtown to learn, live, and support the regional economy.
Interest in student housing has grown along with the campus population. UConn Hartford’s undergraduate enrollment has increased steadily since fall 2017, and an increasing number of students are choosing to start their UConn careers there.
UConn Neag School of Education alumni Jessica Stargardter ’16 (ED), ’17 MA; Gabriel Castro ’14 (ED), ’15 MA; Nicole Holland Kew ’09 (ED), ’10 MA; and Yurah Robidas Emmenegger ’09 (ED), ’09 (CLAS), ’10 MA; have each embarked on remarkable journeys as educators, spanning continents and cultures. From their foundations at UConn to classrooms across the world, their careers highlight the transformative power of teaching beyond borders.
“Time after time, our UConn participants have told me that studying and teaching abroad has been one of the most profound experiences of their lives,” says Doug Kaufman, the Neag School’s director of global education and an associate professor of curriculum and instruction. “I see it, too. Moving away from familiar and comfortable contexts has taught them how to recognize the diverse and powerful gifts that their students at home bring into the classroom.
“Working abroad develops cultural awareness, empathy, humility, and an expanded sense of possibility when working with students. Our teachers learn how to learn from their students and advocate for them all.”
Stargardter’s passion for gifted education led her from Connecticut to Panama, Singapore, and Finland, shaping her global perspective. She says her experiences reinforce her belief in education as a universal force for change, transcending cultural and linguistic differences.
Working abroad develops cultural awareness, empathy, humility, and an expanded sense of possibility when working with students. Our teachers learn how to learn from their students and advocate for them all. — Doug Kaufman, Neag School’s director of global education
Castro’s path to teaching went from Puerto Rico to Colombia, Costa Rica, and Taiwan, and he has embraced each opportunity with curiosity and openness. His teaching philosophy is rooted in adaptation and connection, ensuring meaningful relationships with students regardless of geography. As he prepares for fatherhood, he looks forward to the next chapter of his journey.
For Kew, London became home. A study abroad trip led to a life-changing move across the Atlantic, where she has spent over a decade teaching and raising a family. Balancing work and her personal life, she cherishes her role as an educator in a diverse, evolving community.
Emmenegger’s love for language and culture brought her from Connecticut to France, Portugal, and Switzerland. Teaching French and German in international schools, she exemplifies resilience and adaptability, proving that a commitment to education can create opportunities in unexpected places.
Together, their stories illustrate the boundless impact of teaching, and the unique paths educators take to inspire students worldwide.
Reconnecting with Family Roots
From Connecticut to Puerto Rico, Colombia, Costa Rica, and now Taiwan, every step of Gabriel Castro’s ’14 (ED), ’15 MA journey has been driven by curiosity, a love for teaching, and an openness to change. (Photo courtesy of Gabriel Castro)
Education wasn’t Castro’s first choice — he entered UConn as a psychology major, uncertain of his career path. However, a mentorship role in a First-Year Experience course changed everything. Standing before a classroom, guiding new college students, he realized teaching was what he was meant to do.
After graduating from the Neag School, he took his first teaching position in Puerto Rico, reconnecting with his roots. His mother had spent much of her childhood moving between Puerto Rico and Connecticut, and teaching at a K-12 school immersed him in a close-knit community.
Three years in Puerto Rico deepened his love for international teaching and inspired him to explore the other half of his heritage. His father had emigrated from Colombia, and Castro wanted to experience the country firsthand. Moving to Colombia, he found a vibrant culture, rich with music festivals, soccer, and breathtaking landscapes. It was there he met his wife, Kismeth, a fellow international teacher from New York. He says their shared passion for education and adventure brought them together.
They had intended to take a sabbatical year traveling through South America, but the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped their plans. With borders closing, they found temporary teaching positions in Costa Rica. Castro stepped in as a last-minute math teacher, navigating virtual classes, hybrid schedules, and masked interactions. Despite the challenges, Costa Rica was a paradise.
My years of adapting to different educational environments had prepared me well. — Gabriel Castro ’14 (ED), ’15 MA
“With tourism at a standstill, nature thrived,” he says. “Sloths and monkeys roamed undisturbed, and sunsets painted the sky in hues of gold and crimson.”
As the world reopened, they faced their next big decision. Asia had always intrigued them, and Taiwan offered everything they wanted — an excellent school, a safe environment, and a strong culture of hiking, cycling, and running.
Moving to Taiwan was a leap of faith but quickly felt like home. While the language barrier existed outside the classroom, Castro found his ability to connect with students transcended words.
“My years of adapting to different educational environments had prepared me well,” he says.
From Connecticut to Puerto Rico, Colombia, Costa Rica, and now Taiwan, every step of his journey has been driven by curiosity, a love for teaching, and an openness to change. His classroom now extends beyond four walls, spanning countries, cultures, and languages, and he is preparing for an exciting new personal chapter: fatherhood.
“I have an 11-month-old puppy, so I feel like I’ve been practicing in a way,” he says. “It’s a steep learning curve! But I’m excited to see how we can continue traveling with a baby and incorporating her into our adventures.”
Finding Love While Abroad
“It’s the children, really. Seeing them progress, mature, but still retain that spark of who they are — it’s special,” says Nicole Holland Kew ’09 (ED), ’10 MA. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Holland Kew)
Fourteen years into her teaching career — first in Connecticut and then in London — Kew still finds joy in watching her students grow.
“It’s the children, really,” she says. “Seeing them progress, mature, but still retain that spark of who they are — it’s special.”
Having spent 10 years at the same London school, she has become deeply embedded in the community. She gets to know families, watches siblings pass through her classroom, and shares their triumphs and struggles.
“Teaching wasn’t just a job; it was a life woven into the fabric of so many others,” she says.
Her path to teaching began in high school when she worked at an after-school program at her former elementary school in Connecticut. Later, as a camp director at a nature center, she solidified her love for mentoring. Her mother had always dreamed of being a teacher but never pursued it.
Teaching wasn’t just a job; it was a life woven into the fabric of so many others. — Nicole Holland Kew ’09 (ED), ’10 MA
“Maybe in a way, I was fulfilling that dream for both of us,” Kew says.
A single decision changed her trajectory. Studying abroad in London while at the Neag School was supposed to be an adventure — an opportunity to explore a city she had loved since a family trip at 13. She hadn’t expected to meet her future husband just weeks into the program.
They met in a pub, a chance encounter that turned into a long-distance relationship. After navigating time zones and transatlantic flights, they decided to marry. With her husband’s career established in London and the UK actively recruiting teachers, it made sense for Kew to move.
Adjusting to teaching in England came with challenges. In Connecticut, Kew had more autonomy in her teaching, while curriculum and behavior management were standardized in London. Leadership opportunities came more readily, and she briefly considered administration but loved being in the classroom too much.
Balancing work and family was another challenge. With four children — two daughters, 6 and 4, and toddler twins — her hands are full.
“Honestly,” she says, “going to work feels like a break compared to being home!”
London has become home in ways she never expected. During the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her husband considered moving to the U.S. to be closer to her family, but something always held them back. London has given her a life she cherishes, a career she loves, a community she belongs to, and — most importantly — a family she has built from the ground up.
Focused on All Things French
Yurah Robidas Emmenegger ’09 (ED), ’09 (CLAS), ’10 MA says her Neag School education instilled adaptability, an open-minded approach to curricula, and a hands-on teaching philosophy. These lessons help her navigate unfamiliar school systems and cultural differences with confidence. (Photo courtesy of Yurah Robidas Emmenegger)
Emmenegger, who taught for 15 years in Connecticut and now teaches in France, first became interested in education while teaching piano and tutoring in high school. With a mother who was also a teacher, it felt natural.
“It just made sense that I would become a teacher,” she says.
Growing up in Bristol and Plainville, Emmenegger developed a love for French through her mother, who had lived in Switzerland and Portugal.
“She sang to us in French as kids,” Emmenegger says. “In high school, I jumped at the chance to study it.”
A summer program in France in 2007 and the Neag School’s study abroad program in London during her master’s year of the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s teacher education program deepened her passion for language and curriculum planning.
My marriage, career, and worldview have all been shaped by this journey. While I still hope for a French teaching position, I know I am exactly where I am meant to be. — Yurah Robidas Emmenegger ’09 (ED), ’09 (CLAS), ’10 MA
After graduating, she taught French in Ellington, for three years but longed to live in France. She joined the French government’s teaching assistant program and was placed in Monté, where she lived with international assistants and did a weekly language exchange with another teacher. She spoke in English for half an hour for the language exchange to help the other teacher improve his English communication skills. Then, the other half specifically worked on improving her grammar.
Since she couldn’t teach French in France, Emmenegger explored other opportunities. Her mother’s past in Portugal led her there for Christmas, where she fell in love with the country and found a teaching job. But her journey took an unexpected turn — she met her future husband in Switzerland. When the world shut down in 2020, they spent months apart. Determined to be together, they married in May 2021, and, by July, she had moved to Switzerland.
Finding a teaching job there was challenging. She took a role at a private school, but it wasn’t the right fit.
She joined the International School of Basel (ISB), but no French positions were available. Expanding her search, she took a six-month role at a Swiss public school, but left after half a year.
ISB welcomed her back with an unexpected offer: teaching beginner German. Having learned German just two years earlier through Duolingo and night classes, she thought the interview offer was a joke. But ISB encouraged her. She took the leap and found herself in a supportive, engaging environment. ISB promised her priority for the next French opening, but no one wanted to leave — a testament to the school’s quality.
Despite career uncertainties, Emmenegger and her husband were building a life together. He was teaching while finishing his studies, and they navigated the challenges of being an international couple.
“You have to be open to moving,” she says. “Each time I relocated, I rebuilt my support system, making me appreciate my deep connections back home even more.”
She says her Neag School education instilled adaptability, an open-minded approach to curricula, and a hands-on teaching philosophy. These lessons helped her navigate unfamiliar school systems and cultural differences with confidence.
For those who love studying abroad, Emmenegger encourages taking the next step and teaching internationally, as she has no regrets.
“My marriage, career, and worldview have all been shaped by this journey,” she says. “And while I still hope for a French teaching position, I know I am exactly where I am meant to be.”
From UConn to Global Classrooms
Jessica Stargardter’s ’16 (ED), ’17 MA teaching journey included a year in Finland as a Fulbright Scholar, during which time she researched teacher evaluations in the country’s globally recognized education system. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Stargardter)
Stargardter’s journey as an educator has been extraordinary, spanning continents and shaping her perspective on the transformative power of teaching. After graduating from the Neag School, she began her career in Connecticut, teaching in Greenwich Public Schools before moving to Norwalk. There, she discovered her passion for gifted and talented education, an interest sparked during her time at UConn, where she worked at the Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Development.
“I started filing papers at first, but then I received a grant to conduct research,” she says, which ignited a lifelong commitment to student potential.
Stargardter’s dedication led her to teach abroad at the International School of Panama.
“It was my first experience in a traditional classroom after working across grade levels,” she says. “I felt like a first-year teacher again, but it taught me so much about myself and the world.”
She later moved to Singapore, where she found a more manageable cultural transition.
“I was in a classroom with students from all over the world, each bringing something unique,” she says. “It was challenging but incredibly rewarding.”
Teaching is more than just a profession. It’s a way to change lives, one student at a time, no matter where I teach. — Jessica Stargardter ’16 (ED), ’17 MA
Teaching abroad reinforced her belief in education’s universal impact, transcending borders and backgrounds. Reflecting on what initially drew her to teaching, Stargardter credits her third-grade teacher, Mr. Simeone.
“He gamified everything,” she says. “Learning was fun and engaging. I remember thinking I wanted to do the same for my students.”
Her teaching journey also included a year in Finland as a Fulbright Scholar, during which time she researched teacher evaluations in the country’s globally recognized education system. Initially considering a career in academia, she realized how much she missed teaching, leading her back to the classroom and eventually to her move to Panama.
Stargardter’s foundation for success was built at the Neag School, where extensive classroom experiences prepared her for any teaching environment.
“Neag gave me the tools to step into my first classroom ready to succeed,” she says, crediting the program’s diverse placements for shaping her adaptable teaching philosophy.
During her master’s year, Stargardter interned in London through one of the Neag School’s study abroad programs, working at a school for adolescents with mental health challenges. She says this experience reshaped her understanding of education, teaching her that learning extends beyond traditional classrooms.
Her journey abroad has reinforced her belief in cross-cultural education’s power to broaden perspectives.
“Teaching is more than just a profession,” she says. “It’s a way to change lives, one student at a time, no matter where I teach.”
To learn more about the Neag School’s teacher education programs, visit teachered.education.uconn.edu.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
An artist’s impression of the new Yurauna building at CIT Bruce Campus.
In brief:
Yurauna, CIT’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Educational Centre of Excellence, is moving from CIT Reid Campus to CIT Bruce Campus.
Construction will soon begin on the new, purpose-built building.
The centre has been designed in collaboration with the Yurauna and First Nations community.
CIT Bruce Campus will welcome a new Yurauna, CIT’s dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Educational Centre of Excellence.
The centre is relocating from the Reid Campus. This is part of CIT transition out of the Reid Campus in mid-2025.
Purpose-built facilities
Yurauna is a Wiradjuri word meaning ‘to grow’.
The new centre will feature culturally sensitive, purpose-built and sustainably designed facilities. These will provide wraparound support for students and their families.
They include:
learning spaces
art rooms
community meeting spaces
childcare facilities.
About CIT Yurauna
CIT Yurauna provides tailored Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander courses, study support and cultural advice.
It supports students with reading, writing, job skills and more. It also celebrates and keeps Indigenous culture strong, offering diverse courses beyond vocational training.
These include art and cultural activities, empowering Indigenous communities, and preserving culture.
Collaborative design
The ACT Government partnered with Guida Mosely Brown Architects and Kaunitz Yeung to ensure the design for the centre was culturally appropriate.
This resulted in a series of co-design workshops with representatives from Yurauna and the First Nations community including Ngunnawal Elders.
The workshop outcomes have informed the design and ensured strong Connection with Country principles throughout.
BYCC Alliance, a First Nations controlled company, is the building contractor.
Opening in 2025
The new CIT Yurauna is due to open in late 2025. It will be ready to welcome teachers, students, community members and those passionate about preserving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
A smoking ceremony and official sod-turning have cleansed the site and marked the beginning of demolition and construction.
Part of a broader process
The new building is part of the broader CIT Woden Campus project.
It will feature the same smart technologies incorporated into the new Woden campus.
Director of the Federal Service for Financial Monitoring Yuri Chikhanchin discussed with high school students the problem of financial security of young people, including droppers. The meeting, organized at the initiative of the Higher School of Economics, took place at Moscow School No. 2107, which is part of the network Distributed Lyceum of the National Research University Higher School of Economics.
“CLASS Hour” with the head of Rosfinmonitoring brought together students in grades 10-11. The event was also attended by Deputy Vice-Rector, Director for Strategic Work with Applicants of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Alexander Chepovsky and Principal of School No. 2107 Elena Naumova. The meeting was moderated by Marina Shemyakina, Head of the Center for Inter-Olympiad Training of Schoolchildren and Students of the P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Yuri Chikhanchin emphasized the importance of increasing the financial and legal literacy of schoolchildren and students. As the head of the department noted, criminals increasingly use minors as droppers and it is important for young people to understand the consequences of such actions, not to transfer their bank cards and account information to third parties.
Useful knowledge on how to protect yourself and your loved ones from threats can be gained by participating in the International Financial Security Olympiad. The Olympiad also provides an opportunity to get to know the work of financial intelligence officers and the anti-money laundering system in general.
“We are always waiting for young specialists who have modern knowledge and skills in the field of information technology, finance, economics, international law. Universities of the International Network Institute in the field of AML/CFT (counter-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. – Ed.) prepare future financial intelligence officers. We invite you to become part of this big family,” said Yuri Chikhanchin.
Alexander Chepovsky noted the active work of the Higher School of Economics in the field of financial security: “Since 2024, we have become part of the International Network Institute in the Sphere of AML/CFT (INI) and actively support financial security events for schoolchildren and students, and also create our own projects. For example, this academic year we are launching the minor “Financial Security and Computer Investigations” for second-year students, which will provide the necessary knowledge base and form important legal, financial and digital competencies. Upon completion of the training, students will receive an official document on microqualification. And school graduates, when entering a number of bachelor’s and specialist’s degree programs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, receive preferences for high results in the International Olympiad on Financial Security, of which we are a co-organizer as a member of the INI.”
During the “CLASS Hour”, students asked the head of the Russian financial intelligence service questions, took part in the thematic game “True or Fake” and solved a practical case in the role of analysts.
As part of the meeting, a tour of the school museum of historical large-scale miniatures of the Great Patriotic War “Muzimmion” was also organized.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Education Secretary appoints new chair of Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has appointed Sir David Holmes as the new Chair of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.
The independent panel of experts provides national leadership and learning on child protection and safeguarding. Established in July 2018 to review serious child safeguarding incidents, when children have died or suffered serious harm due to abuse or neglect, the panel aims to improve the safeguarding system by identifying national learning from these tragedies.
David Holmes has 19 years’ experience in the development and provision of high-quality services for children and families as a CEO in the voluntary sector, currently as CEO of Family Action – a frontline charity which supports families through change, challenge or crisis. Prior to that he served as a Deputy Director of Children’s Services in local government, a senior civil servant in the Department of Health and Department for Education, and as a practising solicitor. He will serve a 4-year term from 23 June 2025.
This appointment builds on the announcement that the panel will form the foundation from which to build the Child Protection Authority (CPA) in England. The CPA will be established to make the child protection system clearer and more unified, and ensure ongoing improvement for child and youth victims of abuse and neglect through effective, evidence-based support for practitioners.
Under Sir David’s leadership, work to expand the role of the panel by increasing its analytical capacity and to provide high-quality material for practitioners will begin immediately. Later this year, the government will develop a roadmap to establishing the CPA and launch a consultation on the development of the new CPA.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
Sir David Holmes’ track record in working on the ground with children and families, supporting them through the toughest times, makes him well-placed to help us build a system where background does not determine destiny.
I am grateful to Annie Hudson for her stewardship of the panel, bringing forth ambitious recommendations that are now informing our work to improve child protection across England and deliver our Plan for Change.
As we move towards creating a new Child Protection Authority, I look forward to working with Sir David Holmes in a shared ambition to protect and defend the most vulnerable children in our society.
Incoming chair of the panel, Sir David Holmes, said:
I am honoured to have been chosen to undertake this role. No child should suffer harm, abuse or neglect and the panel’s role in working with the whole safeguarding system to review practice, identify learning and encourage and enable improvement is crucial.
I look forward to working with everyone to improve the safeguarding of children and I will do everything I possibly can to make a positive difference in this role.
Outgoing chair of the panel, Annie Hudson, said:
I feel immensely privileged to have served as Chair of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel for the past 5 years.
The panel has worked hard to ensure that, as a nation and as safeguarding professionals, we learn from tragic incidents where children have died or been seriously harmed because of abuse and neglect.
There is much important work to do over the coming period to improve how agencies work together to help and protect children. With his wealth of experience, I know that Sir David Holmes is very well placed to lead the panel in taking forward plans to create a stronger, evidence-based system that puts children’s needs at the heart of all we do.
Media enquiries – Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
Amina Makele, Head of Media and Communications 07889 133 791
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Alex Ely has been appointed as Chair of the Museum of the Home
The Secretary of State has appointed Alex Ely as the Chair of the Museum of the Home for a term of four years, which commenced on 23 March 2025.
Alex Ely
Alex is Founder Director of Mæ, an architecture and urban design studio based in London. Alex is a RIBA Chartered Architect and a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, he graduated from the Royal College of Art. Under his leadership, Mæ has gained international recognition for its innovative and socially responsive design approach, delivering acclaimed projects across masterplanning, housing, healthcare, and cultural buildings.
Alex oversees Mæ’s design direction, and has won numerous accolades including the RIBA Stirling Prize 2023. He is a leading voice in the built environment, and has shaped national housing policy having advised the Government and the Mayor of London on urban and planning policy promoting an agenda of design excellence. He has taught at a number of UK Schools of Architecture, written several books, and exhibited internationally.
Alex Ely quote:
“I am delighted to be appointed by the Secretary of State as Chair of the Museum of the Home. The Museum plays a crucial role in the advancement of education and promoting debate about the importance of home in and for societies. As one of our foremost cultural institutions I look forward to helping advance its mission and build on its purpose to reveal and rethink the ways we live, in order to live better together.”
Remuneration and Governance Code
The Chair of the Museum of the Home is not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.
The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Alex has not declared any significant political activity.
CALGARY, Alberta, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Benevity Inc. today announced the appointment of Ian Goldsmith as Chief Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer, the first such dedicated role in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social impact software industry.
With more than 30 years of experience in product and data leadership, Goldsmith will lead the strategic deployment of artificial intelligence throughout Benevity’s Enterprise Impact Platform, revolutionizing its capabilities. His focus will include machine learning, AI-powered analytics, and generative AI to create transformative, scalable solutions that help companies realize greater business and societal value from their purpose initiatives.
“Ian’s appointment marks a significant milestone in the Benevity journey to reimagine what’s possible as we pioneer responsible AI innovation,” said Chris Maloof, CEO, Benevity. “This focus will further help organizations create lasting value by connecting business goals with purpose outcomes. AI is central to Benevity’s core strategy and we fundamentally believe it will be transformative for the CSR industry and social impact. We are excited to take the lead.”
Goldsmith will work closely with Benevity’s global community of more than 900 clients and other thought leaders to design AI-powered solutions to solve real-world challenges at scale.
“Benevity has such an incredible history of innovation in CSR technology and stands out as a company with a powerful mission to help businesses and people do more good in the world,” said Ian Goldsmith, Chief AI Officer, Benevity. “I’m thrilled to join the company and accelerate that impact by enabling new ways of doing good that support strong business outcomes.”
Prior to joining Benevity, Goldsmith held senior leadership roles at MeridianLink, Waycare, and Akana. Goldsmith has advanced AI strategy for global brands while staying committed to responsible AI innovation and continuous learning. His work has delivered meaningful change with thoughtful integration of AI capabilities in product, data, and user experience across industries including technology, finance, and transportation. Goldsmith holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge.
About Benevity Benevity, a certified B Corporation, is the leading global provider of social impact software, providing the only integrated suite of community investment and employee, customer and nonprofit engagement solutions. Recognized as one of Fortune’s Impact 20, Benevity offers cloud solutions that power purpose for many iconic brands in ways that better attract, retain and engage today’s diverse workforce, embed social action into their customer experiences and positively impact their communities. With software that is available in 22 languages, Benevity has processed more than $15 billion in donations and 79 million hours of volunteering time to support 470,000 nonprofits worldwide. The company’s solutions have also facilitated 1.3 million micro-actions and managed 845,000 grants worth $16 billion. For more information, visit benevity.com.
Media Contact: Indrani Ray │ Press & Analyst Relations │ 1.647.574.9559 │ press@benevity.com
WASHINGTON, April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the world marks World Malaria Day 2025 under the theme “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” EBC Financial Group (EBC) is renewing its global partnership with the United Nations Foundation’s United to Beat Malaria campaign. Now entering its second year of collaboration, EBC is scaling up its impact through increased corporate sponsorship, cross-border employee mobilisation to raise awareness, and direct investment in frontline health tools that save lives.
From a shared belief that no child should die from a mosquito bite, EBC is transforming its role from ally to active advocate—supporting both the global systems that drive malaria eradication and the grassroots initiatives that protect the world’s most vulnerable communities. As part of this commitment, EBC is stepping up as a first-time corporate sponsor of the Move Against Malaria 5K 2025 event, mobilising many in a global movement to raise awareness for one of the world’s deadliest—yet entirely preventable—diseases.
“In 2024, we stood in solidarity. In 2025, we stand in action,” said David Barrett, CEO of EBC Financial Group (UK) Ltd. “This campaign is now embedded into our leadership strategy and employee culture. This is not a moment, it’s a movement.”
EBC’s Commitment to Global Health Equity is a Shared Mission To mark this renewed partnership, Barrett sat down with Margaret McDonnell, Executive Director of United to Beat Malaria, for a candid 40-minute fireside chat. Their conversation explored the urgent need for global solidarity, the personal and professional impact of the campaign, and why EBC has chosen to walk alongside this cause—literally and figuratively.
“The first year for me was a complete revelation in terms of how advocacy for this mission worked—not only in America but globally,” said Barrett. “This year, it was different. The politics have shifted, and the challenges have changed. But if anything, that makes this mission even more important.”
As a global financial institution with operations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia—regions disproportionately affected by malaria—EBC views this fight as both urgent and deeply personal.
“We have offices in Africa, Latin America, and Asia where malaria is a very real, on-ground problem. Supporting this campaign is a natural progression, resonating with our people and the communities we work in,” Barrett said. “At the beginning, it was something of interest. But the more you learn about the lives this movement has saved, the more you realise you’ve got to keep going.”
McDonnell echoed the importance of having private sector allies like EBC on board, praising the company’s commitment to both the summit and the broader mission. “We appreciate that a company like EBC—though not in public health—recognises the impact of malaria on your workforce, clients, and communities,” said McDonnell. “Malaria isn’t just a health issue. It’s an economic issue, a workforce issue, and a strategic global issue.”
Barrett also emphasised the ripple effect of even small funding disruptions: “If you break that chain, the progress and investment just unravel. These initiatives require macro thinking. If we keep looking only at the next quarter, we risk losing decades of momentum,” he added.
Raising Voices at the 2025United to Beat MalariaAnnual Leadership Summit In March 2025, Barrett and EBC’s APAC Director of Operations, Samuel Hertz, joined over 120 passionate advocates at the United to Beat Malaria Annual Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C.—a three-day gathering of Champions, policymakers, scientists, students, and private sector leaders united by a common goal: ending malaria for good.
The summit culminated in direct advocacy on Capitol Hill, where Barrett and Hertz met with members of Congress to push for full funding of the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the UN’s malaria-related programs. EBC stood with a network of global partners, amplifying the message that stable investment and strategic collaboration are essential to driving continued progress, alongside Beat Malaria Champions, a highlight of the summit.
“What stood out most was the passion of the Champions,” said Barrett. “From students to scientists, their energy is contagious. They’re not just learning—they’re leading. And that gives me hope that a healthier, more just world is truly possible.”
Hertz added, “Being able to walk into the halls of Congress alongside these dedicated Champions—people who are educating communities, building coalitions, and pushing policy forward—was a powerful reminder that advocacy works. EBC was proud to represent the private sector in this movement, and even prouder to walk beside the changemakers driving it.”
More Than a Run: EBC Rallies a Worldwide Workforce to Move Against Malaria EBC is once again joining the global Move Against Malaria 5K—a virtual challenge running from April 25 to May 10 that invites participants around the world to walk, run, cycle, or move in any way to support malaria prevention efforts.
While EBC actively participated in the campaign last year, 2025 marks the company’s first year as an official corporate sponsor, highlighting its deepened commitment to both advocacy and action. This step forward reflects EBC’s evolving role in supporting frontline initiatives and raising awareness, with more than 200 EBC employees across the UK, Asia, Africa, and Latin America pledging to take part—mobilising teams, engaging their communities—and helping to raise vital funds.
Fuelling Frontline Impact through Purposeful Investment EBC is directing its investment toward life-saving malaria interventions, including insecticide-treated bed nets, rapid diagnostic tests, and antimalarial treatments. These contributions will be directed toward frontline health programs in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean regions that bear the highest burden of malaria worldwide.
“This partnership goes beyond corporate philanthropy, it reflects a shared mission to protect the world’s most vulnerable populations,” said McDonnell.
Aligned with its broader Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies, EBC continues to explore deeper collaborations with UN-affiliated organisations and global health partners to maximise its impact in the developing world. “As a global financial institution, we recognise that sustainable growth is inseparable from global well-being,” added Hertz. “In the fight against malaria, we are not only donors—we are advocates, allies, and catalysts for change.”
In 2024 alone, United to Beat Malaria helped protect over 1.67 million people from malaria across vulnerable communities worldwide—an achievement made possible through the collective support of partners like EBC Financial Group. Registrations and donations are available via https://fundraise.unfoundation.org/event/move-against-malaria-5k-2025/e654861.
These efforts spanned five high-risk African nations—DR Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Uganda—and supported malaria elimination programs across 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries, where vulnerable populations continue to face daily risks due to limited healthcare access, displacement, and ongoing conflict.
Yet the fight is far from over. According to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s World Malaria Report 2024, malaria sickened an estimated 263 million people and claimed more than 597,000 lives—most of them children under the age of five. These are lives we can save—with continued global action, private sector leadership, and unwavering support from the international community.
Together, with the United to Beat Malaria campaign, EBC is proud to stand at the forefront of a global movement to end malaria for good. For more information about EBC Financial Group’s CSR initiatives, please visit www.ebc.com/ESG.
About EBC Financial Group
Founded in London’s esteemed financial district, EBC Financial Group (EBC) is renowned for its expertise in financial brokerage and asset management. With offices in key financial hubs—including London, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Cayman Islands, Bangkok, Limassol, and emerging markets in Latin America, Asia, and Africa—EBC enables retail, professional, and institutional investors to access a wide range of global markets and trading opportunities, including currencies, commodities, shares, and indices.
Recognised with multiple awards, EBC is committed to upholding ethical standards and these subsidiaries are licensed and regulated within their respective jurisdictions. EBC Financial Group (UK) Limited is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA); EBC Financial Group (Cayman) Limited is regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA); EBC Financial Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, and EBC Asset Management Pty Ltd are regulated by Australia’s Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC); EBC Financial (MU) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission Mauritius (FSC).
At the core of EBC are a team of industry veterans with over 40 years of experience in major financial institutions. Having navigated key economic cycles from the Plaza Accord and 2015 Swiss franc crisis to the market upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic. We foster a culture where integrity, respect, and client asset security are paramount, ensuring that every investor relationship is handled with the utmost seriousness it deserves.
As the Official Foreign Exchange Partner of FC Barcelona, EBC provides specialised services across Asia, LATAM, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. Through its partnership with the UN Foundation and United to Beat Malaria, the company contributes to global health initiatives. EBC also supports the ‘What Economists Really Do’ public engagement series by Oxford University’s Department of Economics, helping to demystify economics and its application to major societal challenges, fostering greater public understanding and dialogue.
For over 25 years, the UN Foundation has built novel innovations and partnerships to support the United Nations and help solve global problems at scale. As an independent charitable organization, the Foundation was created to work closely with the United Nations to address humanity’s greatest challenges and drive global progress. Learn more at www.unfoundation.org.
The UN Foundation’s United to Beat Malaria campaign brings together key and diverse partners and supporters to take urgent action to end malaria and create a healthier, more equitable world. Since 2006, United to Beat Malaria has worked to equip and mobilize citizens across the U.S. and around the world to raise awareness, funds and voices. The campaign works with partners in endemic countries to channel life-saving resources to protect the most marginalized and vulnerable populations. By championing increased leadership, political will and resources from the U.S. and beyond, as well as more holistic, innovative tools and strategies, we can be the generation that ends malaria once and for all.
New York, N.Y., April 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today announced that on Thursday, April 24, 2025, a Las Vegas judge granted in full two motions to dismiss brought by NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. and its officers and directors in a putative shareholder derivative action entitled Latza v. Walker, et al., Case No. A-24-900423-B, Clark County, Nevada District Court.
“We are extremely pleased that this case has been so promptly adjudicated and dismissed in its entirety,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear. “This ruling will allow us to devote more of our time and attention to NANO Nuclear’s primary mission of becoming the leading commercially focused advanced nuclear energy technology company in America. We thank our legal team at Ellenoff Grossman & Schole for their insight and hard work in achieving this result.”
About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.
Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include patented KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.), “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.
Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.
HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.
NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.
This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release and such presentation contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements may include those related to the anticipated future benefits to NANO Nuclear of the case dismissal described herein, which ruling remains subject to appeal. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and (vi) litigation risks and similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.
