NewzIntel.com

Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Global: As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Chris Ogden, Associate Professor in Global Studies, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Donald Trump is moving rapidly to change the contours of contemporary international affairs, with the old US-dominated world order breaking down into a multipolar one with many centres of power.

    The shift already includes the US leaving the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accords, questioning the value of the United Nations, and radical cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

    Such a new geopolitical age also involves an assertion of raw power, with Trump using the threat of tariffs to assert global authority and negotiating positions.

    While the US is not significantly less powerful, this new era may see it wield that power in more openly self-interested and isolationist ways. As new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio put it in January, “the post-war global order is not just obsolete – it is now a weapon being used against us”.

    With global democracy in retreat, the emerging international order looks to be moving in an authoritarian direction. As it does, the position of New Zealand’s vibrant democracy will come under mounting pressure.

    But world orders have come and gone for millennia, reflecting the ebb and flow of global economic, political and military power. Looking back to previous eras, and how countries and cultures responded to shifting geopolitical realities, can help us understand what is happening more clearly.

    An evolving world order

    Previous orders have often focused on specific centres – or “poles” – of power. These include the Concert of Europe from 1814 to 1914, the bipolar world of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, and the unipolar world of American dominance after the end of the Cold War and since the September 11 attacks in 2001.

    Periods of single-power dominance (or hegemony) are referred to as a “pax”, from the Latin for “peace”. We have seen the Pax Romana of the Roman Empire (27 BCE to 180 AD), multiple Pax Sinicas around China (most recently the Qing Dynasty 1644 to 1912), Pax Mongolica (the Mongol Empire from 1271 to 1368) and Pax Britannica (the British Empire from 1815 to 1924).

    It is the Pax Americana of the US, from 1945 to the present, that Trump seems bent on dismantling. We now live in an international order that is visibly in flux. With autocracy on the rise and the US at its vanguard, a “Pax Autocratica” is emerging.

    This is accentuated by the rapid rise of Asia as the main sphere of economic and military growth, particularly China and India. The world’s two most populous countries had the world’s largest and third largest economies respectively in 2023, and the second and fourth highest levels of military spending.

    The simultaneous rise of multiple power centres was already challenging the Pax Americana. Now, a new international order appears to be a certainty, with Trump openly adapting to multipolarity. Several major powers now compete for global influence, rather than any one country dominating.

    China’s preference for a multipolar international order is shared by India and Russia. Without one dominant entity, it will be the political and social basis of this order, as determined by its major actors, that matters most – not who leads it.

    Pax Democratica

    The current (now waning) international order has been underpinned by specific social, political and economic values stemming from the national identity and historical experience of the US.

    According to US political expert G. John Ikenberry, former president Woodrow Wilson’s agenda for peace after the first world war sought to “reflect distinctive American ideas and ideals”.

    Woodrow imagined an order based on collective security and shared sovereignty, liberal principles of democracy and universal human rights, free trade and international law.

    As its dominance and military strength increased in the 20th century, the US also provided security to other countries. Such power enabled Washington to create open global trade markets, as well as build core global institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, United Nations and NATO.

    For Ikenberry, this Pax Americana (we might call it a Pax Democratica) rested on consent to the US’s “provision of security, wealth creation, and social advancement”. This was aided by the its more than 800 military bases in over 80 countries.

    The democratic deficit

    Trump undercuts the central tenets of this liberal world order and accelerates a slide towards authoritarianism. Like Russia, India and China, the US is also actively constraining human rights, attacking minorities and weakening its electoral system.

    This democratic retreat leaves a country such as New Zealand in a global minority. If Trump targets the region or country with economic tariffs, that precariousness might increase.

    On the other hand, previous world orders have not been truly hegemonic. Pax Britannica did not encompass the entire world. Nor did Pax Americana, which didn’t include China, India, the former Soviet bloc, much of the Islamic world and many developing countries.

    This suggests pockets of democracy can survive within a Pax Autocratica, especially in a multipolar world which is more tolerant of political independence.

    The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2023 Democracy Index ranked New Zealand, the Nordic countries, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland highest because their citizens

    choose their political leaders in free and fair elections, enjoy civil liberties, prefer democracy over other political systems, can and do participate in politics, and have a functioning government that acts on their behalf.

    It is these countries that can be at the vanguard of democratic resilience.

    Chris Ogden is a Senior Research Fellow with The Foreign Policy Centre, London.

    – ref. As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’ – https://theconversation.com/as-trump-abandons-the-old-world-order-nz-must-find-its-place-in-a-new-pax-autocratica-249358

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Ancient genomic study unveils migration and integration patterns in East Asia

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A study on ancient genomes from east China’s Shandong Province has revealed the complex migration and integration patterns of populations in East Asia spanning over 6,000 years.
    Published in the journal Nature Communications, the research provides new insights into how ancient people moved and mixed across northern coastal regions, inland areas, and islands.
    Conducted by a team of Chinese scientists led by Fu Qiaomei from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the study analyzed nuclear genomes from 85 individuals at 11 archaeological sites in Shandong, dating back 6,000 to 1,500 years.
    Collaborators included researchers from Shandong University, Shandong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, and Jinan Archaeological Research Institute.
    The study reveals that ancestral groups from northern and southern East Asia began mixing in coastal regions at least 7,700 years ago, earlier than previously believed.
    Genetic data from the Xiaojingshan population, dating back 7,700 years, shows strong links to both southern East Asian and ancient Heilongjiang River Basin populations, updating the timeline of north-south genetic interactions in the region.
    The research also highlights two major waves of genetic influence from northern inland populations into Shandong coastal groups during the Dawenkou culture period (6,000-4,600 years ago) and the early dynastic period (3,500-1,500 years ago).
    These genetic exchanges did not always align with known cultural interactions, such as those between the Yangshao and Dawenkou cultures, suggesting complex demographic dynamics beyond cultural connections.
    In a significant breakthrough, the study traces genetic ties between the populations of Shandong and the ancient inhabitants of Miyako Island in the Ryukyu archipelago, southern Japan.
    The Nagabaka population, dating back 500 years, inherited about 75 percent of their ancestry from Shandong groups during the Longshan period (4,600-4,000 years ago), mixed with indigenous Jomon-related lineages.
    This discovery clarifies a previously unknown East Asian component in the Ryukyu triple-origin model and explains genetic differences between Ryukyu and mainland Japanese populations.
    The findings underscore Shandong’s role as a genetic bridge connecting inland, coastal, and island populations over millennia. By integrating north-south and east-west perspectives, the study demonstrates how cultural exchanges, migration, and genetic mixing shaped the diversity of modern East Asians.
    “This research fills critical gaps in our understanding of East Asia’s genetic history,” said Fu, the study’s corresponding author. “It brings us closer to answering the fundamental question: Where do modern East Asians come from?”
    The study not only updates existing theories but also provides a framework for exploring deeper interactions across Eurasia, highlighting the importance of coastal regions in ancient population movements.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Tribute paid to pioneer of China’s nuclear submarines

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    People across China paid great respect to Huang Xuhua, the late chief designer of the nation’s first-generation nuclear submarines, over the past days in remembrance of the renowned engineer’s contributions to the motherland.
    Huang, who received the country’s highest honor, the Medal of the Republic, in September 2019 and the nation’s top science and technology award in January 2020, died on Thursday evening in Wuhan, Hubei province, at the age of 99. A funeral service for him was held on Monday at the city’s Wuchang funeral parlor.
    Inside a memorial hall at the Wuhan-based Nuclear Submarine Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corp, farewell flowers were arranged in the shape of a submarine and ocean waves in front of Huang’s portrait at a farewell ceremony held on Saturday and Sunday.
    Students from primary and middle schools and universities, as well as local residents and colleagues of Huang, came to the site to salute, pay their respects and say farewell to the preeminent researcher.
    Many people from outside Wuhan ordered flowers from online shops and asked them to be delivered to the farewell ceremony.
    In Huang’s hometown of Shanwei in Guangdong province, at Shanghai Jiao Tong University where the researcher studied, and at the PLA Naval Museum in Qingdao, Shandong province, ceremonies were held in remembrance of the submarine designer.
    Many people who commented below online news reports about Huang’s passing said they were grateful to the late engineer, because what he had done had safeguarded the country and its people, and had also contributed to making China a great power in the world.
    In 1958, Huang became one of China’s first researchers designated to design the nation’s own nuclear-powered submarines. Since then, his name remained classified until almost three decades later, when a magazine in Shanghai was allowed to publish a report on him, which only disclosed his surname of Huang.
    From his early 30s to his passing, Huang was closely linked to China’s nuclear submarine force. He led the research and development of the nation’s first-generation nuclear submarines — the Type 09I nuclear-powered attack submarine and the Type 09II nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine. He also trained and established a group of engineers who have played central roles in building new generations of nuclear submarines.
    In addition, Huang had been director of the Nuclear Submarine Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corp and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union, Coalition Sue Over Elon Musk’s Unprecedented and Illegal Hack of Americans’ Private Data

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    WASHINGTON—A coalition of labor unions representing over 2 million workers filed a federal lawsuit today challenging a data heist carried out by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency inside three federal government departments.

    Six individuals personally harmed by Musk and DOGE’s theft of their private information joined the suit filed by the AFT, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM). Protect Democracy and Munger, Tolles & Olson are counsel to the plaintiffs.

    The suit alleges the Department of Education, the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Treasury improperly disclosed the sensitive records of millions of Americans to DOGE staff who lack appropriate security clearances and have not been properly vetted, and granted access to some of the government’s most sensitive and closely guarded data systems, in violation of the Privacy Act. DOGE employees include a 19-year-old who has previously leaked proprietary information.

    The Privacy Act carefully regulates how agency records about individuals can be shared and disclosures of personal information beyond what the statute authorizes are illegal.

    “Steamrolling into sensitive government record systems has led to a massive data breach that threatens to upend how these critical systems are maintained and seriously compromises the safety and security of personal identifying information for Americans all across the country,” the suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, reads. “It also violates federal law.”

    Plaintiffs include veterans who receive benefit payments, current and former federal employees whose confidential employment files reside in OPM’s system, and teachers whose pathway to the classroom was reliant on student loans to pay for college tuition.

    When Americans interact with the U.S. government, they often entrust federal agencies with sensitive personal information; the suit argues that bond of trust has been broken. The Education Department alone oversees the private information of 43 million student borrowers who hold $1.6 trillion in student debt. Treasury’s system contains records relating to every American who receives (among other things) a tax refund, Social Security benefit, veterans pay, or a federal salary. OPM holds exceedingly sensitive personal information for all 2.3 million federal employees.

    Plaintiffs are asking the court to impose immediate relief that restores the protections of the Privacy Act. They seek injunctive and declaratory relief to ensure that improper disclosures to DOGE representatives stop immediately and that any data currently in DOGE’s possession be immediately deleted and destroyed.

    Enacted in the wake of Watergate, the Privacy Act sought to restore trust in government and to address an existential threat to American democracy.

    “Elon Musk and his minions are stealing Americans’ private personal and financial data in one of the biggest data hacks in U.S. history,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “I suspect no one who voted for Donald Trump thought he would allow Musk permission to invade their privacy. This is a breach of our fundamental freedoms. Right now, inside the Department of Education, the world’s richest man is rifling through 45 million people’s private student loan accounts and feeding the data into artificial intelligence.

    “The department is effectively one of America’s biggest banks—if there was a breach of this magnitude in the private sector, it would rightly be a national scandal. Social Security numbers, financial data, home addresses, and personal demographic data about student borrowers and, in many instances, their parents, spouses or other family members are being illegally vacuumed up by Musk. This lawsuit is being filed to bring an end to his heist before he does irreversible damage to millions more American lives.”

    “The federal government holds in trust vast amounts of data about American citizens, including federal employees and retirees,” said NARFE National President William “Bill” Shackelford. “Without legal guardrails in place to prevent improper use of such data, we risk disclosure to nefarious actors, and abuse by individuals within the government itself, threatening personal liberty and property. The Privacy Act provides those legal guardrails, reflecting a balance between the government’s need to utilize such data for legal purposes and its need to protect against abuse and misuse. Violating the Privacy Act infringes upon individuals’ rights that data held in trust is not misused or abused. NARFE joins this suit to ensure the administration is protecting personal data of federal employees and retirees as required by law.”

    “Government agencies are not private entities that billionaires can simply buy and rummage through,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Congressional oversight, advocacy and voting are how we make government work for us, not reckless takeovers that put the personal data of millions of Americans into the hands of unqualified, unvetted political operatives. It is up to us—the working families of America—to stand up here and now to protect our privacy and our democracy.”

    “The richest person on the planet hacking into confidential and personal information is not only illegal, but also incredibly dangerous,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “Musk and his DOGE operatives have no right to access extremely sensitive information of the American public, particularly federal workers who have been targeted and attacked since inauguration day. It is clear that these unauthorized actors intend to use this illegally acquired data to advance their political agenda and undermine the civil service.”

    ”We’re watching in real time as Trump’s cronies break the law to get access to Americans’ most sensitive and personal data,” said Kristy Parker, Counsel to the plaintiffs at Protect Democracy. “No one should be fooled into thinking they’re doing this for our benefit—to save us money or make our lives better. Their goal is to snoop on vast amounts of Americans’ data and try to use what they find to enrich themselves, reward their allies, and punish their critics.”

    The full complaint can be read here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: F&M Bank Welcomes Peter Schork as Regional President for Toledo, Ohio & Southeast Michigan

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ARCHBOLD, Ohio, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — F&M Bank (“F&M”), an Archbold, Ohio-based bank owned by Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO) announced that Peter Schork has joined F&M as Regional President of the Toledo, Ohio, and Southeastern Michigan regions.

    Lars Eller, President and CEO of F&M stated, “As a proven community banker, Peter brings a wealth of experience to F&M. His leadership, deep market knowledge, and commitment to building strong relationships will be an invaluable resource to F&M as we continue to grow and serve our communities. We look forward to the impact he will make in driving success for our customers, employees, and stakeholders.”

    In his new role, Peter will oversee F&M’s presence in the Toledo, Ohio, and Birmingham, Michigan markets, including offices in Waterville, Swanton, Perrysburg, Sylvania, and Downtown Toledo, as well as F&M’s Loan Production Office in Troy and its Birmingham, Michigan location.

    Peter brings over 25 years of banking and financial experience to F&M. Prior to joining the Company, he served as the Ann Arbor President for Oxford Bank and co-founded the Ann Arbor State Bank serving as its President and CEO. In addition to his community bank experience, Peter was the CFO at Catalyst Commercial Real Estate, and the President of a Michigan-based title, mortgage, and real estate company. In addition to his business experience, Peter is a proud supporter of various community organizations. Currently, he serves on the Michigan Theater Board of Trustees, is a member of the Ray and Eleanor Cross Foundation and the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor and is a Board Member and Treasurer for the Homeless/Unhoused Mission. Peter holds a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) with a specialization in Finance from Eastern Michigan University.

    About F&M Bank:
    F&M Bank is a local independent community bank that has been serving its communities since 1897. F&M Bank provides commercial banking, retail banking and other financial services. Our locations are in Butler, Champaign, Fulton, Defiance, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Shelby, Williams, and Wood counties in Ohio. In Northeast Indiana, we have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties. The Michigan footprint includes Oakland County, and we have Loan Production Offices in Troy, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Perrysburg and Bryan, Ohio.

    Safe harbor statement
    Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements by F&M, including management’s expectations and comments, may not be based on historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties inherent in general and local banking conditions, competitive factors specific to markets in which F&M and its subsidiaries operate, future interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory decisions, capital market conditions, or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on general economic and financial market conditions. F&M assumes no responsibility to update this information. For more details, please refer to F&M’s SEC filing, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings can be viewed at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov or through F&M’s website www.fm.bank.

    __________________________________________

    Company Contact: Investor and Media Contact:
    Lars B. Eller
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc.
    (419) 446-2501
    leller@fm.bank    		 Andrew M. Berger
    Managing Director
    SM Berger & Company, Inc.
    (216) 464-6400
    andrew@smberger.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e11179be-cf20-449e-9416-ca1e8ff1fd2f

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Push Back on DOGE’s Interference into Departments of Education, Treasury and Access to Payments Systems for Millions of Americans 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Push Back on DOGE’s Interference into Departments of Education, Treasury and Access to Payments Systems for Millions of Americans 

    In two separate efforts this week, Senator Reverend Warnock demanded answers into the “Department” of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employees’ data collection practices and access to federal agencies

    The letters are part of an ongoing effort by several lawmakers to push back against the efforts of the Trump Administration and its billionaire allies to gut the federal government

    The letters follow Senator Reverend Warnock’s nearly hour-long speech on the Senate floor opposing Russell Vought’s nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

    ICYMI from the New York Times: Senate Democrats Demand Clarity About Musk’s Efforts at Education Dept.

    Washington, D.C. — Earlier this week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined two efforts to push back against the “Department” of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to personal information and sensitive government data. 

    “If you want to know who Donald Trump is working for, look at who he’s surrounding himself with. The likes of Elon Musk, the billionaire, the richest man in the world who is now telling the rest of us that we need to tighten our belts. How quaint,” said Senator Reverend Warnock during his Wednesday floor speech.

    The first letter, authored by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), was sent to Acting Secretary of the Department of Education (ED), Denise Carter, launching a probe into recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education and that “DOGE staffers have gained access to federal student loan data, which includes personal information for millions of borrowers.”

    “This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information,” wrote the senators.

    In the second letter, addressed to Senate Banking and Finance committee Chairs, Tim Scott (R-SC) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) respectively, Senator Warnock joined 16 other Senate Democrats in calling for an immediate hearing to examine the reports that officials associated with the DOGE have gained access to systems that control millions of payments to American citizens.

    “Putting this system in the hands of unaccountable political actors raises significant economic and national security risks. Information in these systems is critical to the Department’s management of the national debt. The takeover by Mr. Musk and his associates was achieved by engineering the ouster of a key official responsible for managing the extraordinary measures the Department has been taking to avoid a default. A misstep with these payment systems could lead to a technical default with a wide range of devastating consequences, from seniors missing Social Security payments to a global financial meltdown that costs trillions of dollars and millions of jobs,” wrote the Senators.

    The letter to acting DOE Secretary Denise Carter can be viewed HERE.

    The letter to Ranking Members Scott and Crapo can be viewed HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Colleagues Launch Probe Into DOGE’s Access to Sensitive Student Loan Data and Interference With Education Department

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Colleagues Launch Probe Into DOGE’s Access to Sensitive Student Loan Data and Interference With Education Department

    Musk’s team may have obtained access to personal information of millions of borrowers; raises concerns about violations of the law and failure to protect sensitive information

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and 13 of their Senate colleagues in launching a probe into recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education and gained access to federal student loan data, which includes millions of borrowers’ personal information.

    According to public reporting, “a handful of 19-to-24-year-old engineers linked to Musk’s companies, with unclear titles, could be bypassing regular security protocols” during DOGE’s infiltration of federal agencies. The Senators also raised concerns that the access provided to DOGE-affiliated staff by the Department may violate the Privacy Act, which generally prohibits the disclosure of such information. The University of California Student Association, which represents thousands of California students, sued the Department on Friday, voicing similar concerns regarding the sharing of private student information.

    There are over 40 million federal student loan borrowers in the United States, including approximately 4 million in California, the most of any state. The Department of Education’s student loan database contains millions of borrowers’ highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, marital status, and income data.

    “This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information,” wrote the Senators.

    “We are especially troubled by this reporting given President Trump’s stated pledge to abolish the Department,” continued the Senators. “The millions of families who rely on [the Education Department] to help them achieve the American Dream deserve answers about reports that an unelected billionaire and his team now have access to some of their most sensitive personal information.”

    Additional reporting suggests that DOGE has “fed sensitive data from across the Education Department into artificial intelligence software to probe the agency’s programs and spending.”

    In addition to Senators Padilla, Warren, and Schumer, the letter was also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The 16 senators requested answers from Acting Education Secretary Denise Carter about DOGE’s access to federal student loan data and any other sensitive databases by February 13, 2025.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Acting Secretary Carter:

    We write regarding recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education (ED or the Department) and that “DOGE staffers have gained access to federal student loan data, which includes personal information for millions of borrowers.”

    The federal government’s student loan database contains highly sensitive information for millions of borrowers, including Social Security Numbers, marital status, and income information. Each year, 13 million students receive federal financial aid; there are over 40 million federal student loan borrowers in the United States. It is not at all clear that DOGE officials meet the strict criteria that would allow them to access this sensitive information protected by federal law—or whether DOGE officials have gained access to other sensitive ED databases as part of their efforts to “reform” the agency.

    This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information. According to public reporting, “a handful of 19-to-24-year-old engineers linked to Musk’s companies, with unclear titles, could be bypassing regular security protocols” in DOGE’s takeover of federal agencies. The access provided to DOGE-affiliated staff by the Department may also violate the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, which, absent permission from the affected individuals, generally prohibits the disclosure of such information and requires agencies to follow rules of conduct and maintain systems with appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards.

    We are especially troubled by this reporting given President Trump’s stated pledge to abolish the Department. Efforts to abolish the Department have sparked fear and uncertainty for students, families, and teachers across the country who rely on the agency for critical financial aid, loans, grants, and other assistance. The millions of families who rely on ED to help them achieve the American Dream deserve answers about reports that an unelected billionaire and his team now have access to some of their most sensitive personal information. Accordingly, we ask that you answer the following questions by February 13, 2025:

    1. Have Mr. Musk and his team been provided access to the National Student Loan Data System or other databases with sensitive federal student loan data? If so:
      • Please list all individuals who have gained access to borrowers’ personal data. What are these individuals’ job titles and responsibilities? Are they federal government employees? What is the nature of their service (e.g., Special Government Employee, Competitive Service, Senior Executive Service)?
      • What procedures were followed in giving these individuals access? Did the individuals who were granted access to these systems have appropriate authorization and clearances?
      • What data can these individuals access?
      • Do these individuals have the ability to download or copy data or to modify programs or systems for maintaining and analyzing data?
      • Who decided to give these individuals access?
      • What was the rationale for granting these individuals access?
    2. Please describe what safeguards are in place to ensure that federal student loan data is not misused.
      • What safeguards and procedures are in place to protect borrowers’ personal data?
      • Did the Department and DOGE officials follow these safeguards and procedures?
      • What safeguards and procedures are in place to protect borrower’s data privacy within the rest of the federal student aid system and ensure that DOGE staffers do not interfere with the timely disbursement of federal aid?
    3. Have Mr. Musk and his team been provided access to any other sensitive databases managed by the Education Department? If so:
      • Please list and describe all those databases.
      • Please list all individuals who have gained access to those databases. What are these individuals’ job titles and responsibilities? Are they federal government employees? What is the nature of their service (e.g., Special Government Employee, Competitive Service, Senior Executive Service)?
      • What procedures were followed in giving these individuals access? Did the individuals who were granted access to these systems have appropriate authorization and clearances?
      • What data can these individuals access?
      • Do these individuals have the ability to download or copy data or to modify programs or systems for maintaining and analyzing data?
      • Who decided to give these individuals access?
      • What was the rationale for granting these individuals access?

    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 10,000 more apprentices as Government slashes red tape to boost growth  

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Shorter and flexible apprenticeships and new English and maths requirements to boost skills and support employers  

    Up to 10,000 more apprentices will be able to qualify per year as the government cuts red tape to boost economic growth by giving employers more flexibility over maths and English requirements. 

    Rules slowing down the training of workers in key industries like construction will also be changed as the government reveals plans to turbocharge growth industries with reduced bureaucracy for apprenticeships and new leadership also appointed for Skills England.  

    Leading employers have been calling for these changes. Businesses will now be able to decide whether adult learners over the age of 19 when they start their apprenticeship course will need to complete a level 2 English and maths qualification (equivalent to GCSE) in order to pass it. This means more learners can qualify in high demand sectors such as healthcare, social care and construction, helping to drive growth and meet government targets in key areas such as housebuilding.

    This could mean as many as 10,000 more apprentices per year will be able to complete their apprenticeship, unlocking opportunity in communities all over the country and breaking the link between background and success. It does not mean that apprentices won’t be assessed on core English and maths skills relevant to their occupation, but it does mean that apprentices will be able to focus more on their paid work.

    The minimum duration of an apprenticeship will be reduced to eight months, down from the current minimum of 12 months.

    Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson said:  

    Growing the economy and opportunity for all are fundamental Missions of our Plan for Change, and we are determined to support apprentices throughout this National Apprenticeship Week and beyond.

    Businesses have been calling out for change to the apprenticeship system and these reforms show that we are listening. Our new offer of shorter apprenticeships and less red tape strikes the right balance between speed and quality, helping achieve our number one mission to grow the economy. 

    Skills England will be a major driver in addressing the skills gaps needed to support employers up and down the country and I look forward to working with the new leadership.

    Craig Beaumont, Executive Director, Federation of Small Businesses said:  

    It’s encouraging to see Government shorten the length of apprenticeships, and give employers the right to decide whether Level 2 English and Maths is needed. These flexibilities should help SME employers fill skills gaps faster.

    These announcements come as the Education Secretary kicked off National Apprenticeship Week yesterday, which celebrates the achievements of apprentices around the country and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.  

    The plans also follow the Prime Minister’s announcement in October, when he pledged to reform the new growth and skills offer to ensure young people are better supported.   

    Three trailblazer apprenticeships in key shortage occupations will look to pioneer the new shorter apprenticeship approach, with apprentices in green energy, healthcare and film/TV production set to be able to take on these new courses.   

    Changes to the minimum length of an apprenticeship will be introduced from August 2025 subject to the legislative timetable, with changes to English and maths requirements coming into effect immediately. This will be hugely beneficial to employers in sectors like construction which have an urgent need for qualified workers, helping to meet the government’s mission to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament.   

    The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has also announced that Phil Smith CBE will chair Skills England, the new nationwide body for skills, with Sir David Bell serving as Vice Chair. Tessa Griffiths and Sarah Maclean will jointly serve as CEO, while Gemma Marsh will serve as Deputy CEO. 

    Phil Smith is the former chair and CEO of international tech and telecoms giant Cisco. He brings extensive industry experience in digital, tech and innovation leadership and his appointment signals the seriousness of the government’s plan for growth, unlocked via a national vision for skills.   

    Sir David Bell has four decades of experience in the education and skills sector and is currently Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland  

    Phil Smith CBE said:

    I know from my time in industry how valuable direct engagement from employers can be in shaping government policy. 

    We need a dynamic skills system that can drive economic growth, and I’m excited to be involved in shaping Skills England as part of that.

    Sir David Bell said:   

    I look forward to working with Phil Smith, other colleagues in Skills England, and the Department for Education to help deliver economic growth and meet the nation’s skills needs. 

    I know from my experience in public policy and higher education that providing the skilled workforce which Britain requires depends on industry, government and education organisations working together. I am very confident therefore that Skills England will provide the strategic oversight to make that happen.

    Skills England will bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions of England. More than 700 stakeholders have already been engaged through roundtables, webinars and engagement events. 

    It will work with employers, national, regional and local government, providers, and unions to identify skills shortages and provide strong strategic direction for the skills system.  

    One of Skills England’s first orders of business will be to identify which apprenticeships would be best served by the shorter duration approach. Skills England will prioritise key shortage occupations as per the industrial strategy, helping to boost growth under our Plan for Change.   

    Euan Blair MBE, founder and CEO, Multiverse said: 

    This important announcement will do so much to widen and expand access to apprenticeships and should be welcomed as a move to put our skills system at the heart of the growth Mission. For years this requirement has created an artificial barrier between apprenticeships and those who could benefit from them, including young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and older workers whose roles are at risk of job displacement, while often diluting the quality and purpose of an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are about giving as many people as possible the ability to improve their career prospects and contribute meaningfully to their employers: this move helps to underline that focus.

    Sharon Blyfield, Head of Early Careers at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, said:

    At Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, we believe that the inclusion of functional skills as an exit for apprenticeships have often hindered many people from reaching their full potential. The announced changes will help make apprenticeships a more viable option to more people, not only new recruits but also for our current employees who missed out on these skills during their school years. These changes will enable them to successfully complete their apprenticeships without added barriers, which is brilliant news.

    Alex Hall-Chen Principal Policy Advisor, Sustainability, Skills, and Employment said:

    Apprenticeships are a vital tool in tackling the UK’s persistent skills shortages, and this announcement is a welcome step in removing unnecessary barriers to increasing apprenticeship numbers. 

    Research with IoD members clearly showed that giving employers flexibility when it comes to English and Maths qualifications for adult apprentices has the potential to unlock more apprenticeship opportunities. 

    Employers are well-placed to judge whether English and Maths qualifications are the most appropriate route to evidence or develop the literacy and numeracy skills needed for success in the given career path.

    Chris Bailey, Starbucks UK Early Careers Manager said:

    Starbucks UK welcomes the announcement around relaxing the requirements of functional skills for learners 19yrs+. Removing this significant barrier will support our commitment to enrolling more apprentices, particularly those who may have previously faced challenges with functional skills assessments. By embracing this change we can empower more of our Partners to gain valuable recognised qualifications, develop their skills, and progress within Starbucks and their careers.

    Lisa Pinfield, Group Director of Performance & Development, Capita said: 

    Making Functional Skills requirements more flexible for apprenticeships will open doors for more adult learners, especially those from diverse backgrounds. By removing unnecessary barriers, employers can welcome a wider pool of talented apprentices who bring valuable skills and experience. This change will help businesses grow, support social mobility, and give more people the chance to succeed through apprenticeships.

    Jo Rackham, Executive Director of People of the John Lewis Partnership, said:

    Apprenticeships help us build and retain the skills we need to deliver brilliant service to our customers and power our growth. They’ve helped 5,000 employees, or as we’re called Partners, progress in their careers since 2017.

    We welcome the relaxation in functional skills requirements. It’s an important step towards the reform needed to help more people access apprenticeships.  Gaining GCSE Maths and English qualifications can be a significant barrier to starting or completing one and we believe it will help more disadvantaged people, including those who leave the care system or those with learning disabilities, make a career for themselves.

    Matthew Percival, Future of Work and Skills Director, CBI said:

    Apprenticeships have an important role to play in building the skills for growth. Greater flexibility on minimum length and on English and Maths requirements will help businesses to offer more workers the opportunity to add to their skills.

    DfE media enquiries

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-backed AI companies to transform British cancer care and spark new drug breakthroughs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    New AI models to diagnose and treat cancer and other incurable diseases will be made possible thanks to joint public-private investment giving flexible funding to British AI firms and researchers.

    £82 million for 3 UK research projects Match-funding for European compute partnership.

    • £82.6 million in new flexible forms of research funding to support UK companies tackling cancer and accelerating drug discovery using AI and more
    • Collaboration between British and European experts on AI and High-Performance Computing gets match-funding boost
    • Backing for both these schemes shows the UK’s commitment to seizing the potential of new technologies like AI, to drive forward the Plan for Change

    The UK government is today (Tuesday 11 February) unveiling £82.6 million in new flexible forms of research funding, plus a new commitment to give UK researchers access to cutting-edge computing resources as part of a plan to unlock the power of AI.  

    Two of the three projects benefiting from this support, which is helping to pioneer new ways of conducting research, will harness the power of AI to develop treatments and diagnostics for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.

    Coming as day two of the AI Action Summit gets underway, this is the latest evidence of the government’s commitment to seizing the potential of new technologies like AI to drive forward the Plan for Change, delivering economic growth and progress in key fields like health. 

    The government is putting £37.9 million backing behind three innovative British research projects, the Research Ventures Catalyst (RVC) programme. Together with a further £44.7 million in co-investment across the three projects, from other sources, this makes for a total £82.6 million backing. 

    The RVC programme is delivering novel ways of funding groundbreaking research, such as endowments, which are flexible and reflect the real needs of cutting-edge innovators. Too often, inflexible funding has been a barrier to some of the most innovative and creative research or has been an obstacle to new innovative businesses looking to scale-up. The RVC programme will support pioneering work training AI on the NHS’s vast pool of cancer data, drug discovery research, and more. 

    Today also sees the government expand UK involvement in the European High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC) Joint Undertaking by committing £7.8 million to fund UK researchers and businesses’ participation in EuroHPC research. This will mean British AI and high-performance computing researchers can work unobstructed with their peers across Europe. International collaboration and broad access to computational resources will be key to unlocking the benefits AI promises to deliver across society and the economy.

    These announcements come on the final day of the AI Action Summit in France, where world leaders and AI companies have been holding a series of talks focused on the opportunities the technology can deliver for communities across the globe. The opportunities of AI are an area the UK government has placed a heavy focus on to kickstart 2025 – unveiling a new blueprint with 50 proposals in January which will spark a decade of national renewal. 

    Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle said: 

    The focus of this Summit has been on how we can put AI to work in the public interest, and today’s announcements are living proof of how the UK is leading that charge through our Plan for Change.  

    We’ve already set out a bold new blueprint for AI which will help to spark a decade of national renewal, and key to that plan is supporting our expert researchers and businesses with the support they need to drive forward their game-changing innovations. 

    Today, we open new avenues for them to do exactly that – building bridges with our international partners so the entire global community can share in the boundless opportunities of AI-powered progress and backing new innovative companies applying AI to tackle real-world challenges.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    NHS innovation saved my life when I was diagnosed with cancer and treated by a world-class surgeon equipped with a robot. I want more patients to benefit from this kind of groundbreaking treatment, and AI will be central to our efforts.

    This new funding is another step to unlock the enormous potential of AI for cancer research and drug discovery – ensuring more patients like me experience the highest quality care.

    AI will help us speed up diagnoses, cut waiting times for patients and free up staff, as we deliver our Plan for Change and shift the NHS from analogue to digital.

    EuroHPC is a high-powered compute partnership which pools EU resources with those of participating states. Businesses and researchers will now be supported to participate in EuroHPC research grants in the development of supercomputers and in their deployment to tackle the most pressing scientific challenges, working in tandem with like-minded partners on the continent. UKRI will work with businesses and researchers to support them to apply for grants where match-funding is available.   

    The three projects being supported by the Research Ventures Catalyst (RVC) programme. 

    PharosAI

    £18.9 million government funding plus £24.7 million co-investment. PharosAI, whose King’s College London site is being visited by AI Minister Clark today, will bring together decades of NHS and Biobank data and host it on a unified, powerful, secure, AI platform. This will revolutionise cancer care by accelerating the development of the next generation of AI models which will deliver new breakthroughs for diagnosing and treating the disease – transforming outcomes for patients and saving lives. 

    Professor Anita Grigoriadis, Professor of Molecular and Digital Pathology at King’s College London, CEO of PharosAI said:  

    AI has the potential to revolutionise cancer care. The UK has a real opportunity to be a major innovator, leading to faster diagnosis, novel and more targeted cancer treatments, and better-informed healthcare for patients. PharosAI will democratise cancer AI and create an ecosystem to navigate the path to AI-powered precision medicine. Thanks to the RVC programme, we will build an unique operational approach between King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Barts Health Trust and industry partners. Our innovative collaboration will accelerate scientific breakthroughs and bring vastly improved cancer care to tomorrow’s patients.

    Bind Research

    £12.9 million government funding plus £12.9 million co-investment. The team at Bind Research meanwhile will tap into AI to learn the rules of drugging currently undruggable proteins, offering hope to cure diseases that were once thought to be untreatable. It will do this by targeting disordered proteins associated with various diseases which could unlock scores of new avenues for treatment – potentially giving thousands of patients across the country a new lifeline. 

    Dr Gabi Heller, Dr Thomas Löhr, and Dr Gogulan Karunanithy, scientific co-founders, Bind Research said:

    The Research Ventures Catalyst Programme has been a game changer for Bind Research. It allowed us to reimagine our approach by adopting a not-for-profit Focused Research Organisation model – a strategy that, until now, was largely uncharted territory in the UK. This innovative structure enables us to harness collective expertise to deliver AI-enhanced tools and datasets as public goods to advance our mission of making disordered proteins druggable for everyone.

    MEMetic

    £6.1 million government funding plus £7.1 million co-investment. MEMetic will receive funding for work to revolutionise water management by combining nature’s highly evolved solutions with state-of-the-art polymer chemistry. This will support them to develop new solutions in a range of fields from lithium recovery in battery recycling, to facilitating clean water access – helping the world tackle the climate crisis. 

    Professor Alan Goddard and Dr Matthew Derry, Aston University said: 

    MEMetic represents the culmination of years of planning a significant, challenging, interdisciplinary research program which promises massive real-world benefits. This RVC award will allow us to leverage our fundamental science to create bespoke bioinspired filtration membranes for a range of industries. Such research really requires long term funding which is set up to take research to an applied setting and the Research Venture we envisage perfectly matches our philanthropic aims for water treatment for all.

    Notes to editors

    PharosAI is a joint venture between King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and Barts Health NHS Trust. 

    MEMetic is led by researchers at the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence at Aston University.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Supporting Australian talent to perform for the world

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    Seven diverse Australian arts programs are showcasing their talent on the world stage thanks to recent funding from the Albanese Labor Government.

    Almost $300,000 is being delivered through the International Cultural Diplomacy Arts Fund, which supports Australia’s global cultural engagement to increase access to international audiences.

    Amongst the recipients are the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, Marliya, who performed their acclaimed work Spinifex Gum at London’s Barbican Centre in October 2024.  

    Also receiving funding are:

    • Gumbaynggirr Giingana Freedom School and Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education – to compile and translate case studies on best practices as part of UNESCO’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032.
    • Interactive Games and Entertainment Association – to support a digital games showcase at the Australian Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka.
    • Australian Dance Theatre – to support the development of a new major dance work, Two Blood. 
    • Adelaide Festival Centre – to support presentations of Por Por’s Big Fat Surprise Wedding and Taylor Sheesh: The Errors Tour OzAsia Festival in October 2024.
    • Poetry in Action – to support attendance at the Asia Pacific International Schools Conference Teaching & Learning Expo and performances in Hong Kong in December 2024.

    Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the recipients were representative of the range of Australian talent.

    “We’re supporting these unique and truly incredible Australian artists and programs to share their work on a global stage.

    “Engaging international audiences not only creates a cultural dialogue, but it strengthens bonds and builds appreciation for the amazing talent Australia has to offer.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Is Steve Smith set to become the best? What data says about Test cricket’s elite 10,000+ run club

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ronnie Das, Associate Professor in Data Analytics, The University of Western Australia

    In the recent Border-Gavaskar series against India, Steve Smith agonisingly missed out reaching 10,000 Test runs in front of his home crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground, falling short by just one run.

    However he entered the “10K club” in style after hitting his 35th century against Sri Lanka in the series won by Australia, 2-0.

    Smith is now the 15th batsman to join the exclusive club and the fourth Australian to do so, after Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.

    The illustrious group of players who have reached 10,000 is headed by Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs) with Ponting (13,378) second and South African Jacques Kallis (13,289) third.

    Among this group, Tendulkar, the West Indies’ Brian Lara and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara were fastest to 10,000 in terms of innings batted (195), just ahead of Ponting (196). Smith was fifth fastest (205 innings).

    But where does Smith sit among this group of truly elite batsmen? How does he compare to his fellow Australians? And can he eventually reach the pinnacle and overtake Tendulkar at the top of the mountain?

    The challenges of modern cricket

    Modern day cricket is physically, emotionally and psychologically demanding.

    The physical demands, coupled with fixture congestion, make it tough on athletes’ bodies. Research also suggests psychological pressures have a heightened impact on players’ thinking, feeling and overall performances.

    The evolution of lucrative Twenty20 games has also meant cricketers often play in these shorter-format leagues instead of resting between Test series.

    Smith is one of many elite cricketers still playing all three formats of the sport.

    While some batsmen continue to score well into their late 30s, more often than not performance declines in these twilight years of a batter’s career.

    Smith turns 36 in June.

    Judging the best

    The 10,000 run club is the hallmark of batting excellence in Test cricket.

    It is regarded as the pinnacle of a batsman’s career achievement.

    Together (at the time of writing) the players in the 10K club have scored 181,947 runs, with 541 centuries and 818 half centuries.

    The highest individual score belongs to Lara, who scored 400 (not out) against England in 2004.

    Lara also maintained a very high strike rate (60.51) throughout his career.

    A strike rate is a batsman’s run scoring efficiency per 100 balls – the higher the strike rate, the faster the batter scores. A higher strike rate puts more pressure on opposition bowlers and when a batter scores quickly, it allows more time for their team’s bowlers to take the 20 wickets required for a Test victory.

    Only Ponting (a strike rate of 58.72 per 100 balls) closely matches Lara’s calibre, but England’s Joe Root (57.47) is enjoying a late-career renaissance and is closing the gap.

    Compare that to the Border and Sunil Gavaskar era (late 1970s–early 1990s) when runs were not as easy to come by – these two ended their career with low (41.09 and 43.35 respectively) strike rates.

    What about Smith?

    In his second match, his strike rate was an exceptionally high 75.75 but, since then it has dipped to 53.58 as Smith has become a more balanced batsman.

    Another way to judge a batter’s impact is their centuries per innings rate.

    Smith has the highest century per innings rate (17.48%) among the 10K club.
    He recently scored his 36th century, matching his modern-day peer, Root. But Root has played 72 additional innings.

    In terms of overall centuries, Tendulkar leads the way having scored a staggering 51 centuries during his Test career (six more than Kallis, in second). However, Tendulkar did it over a mammoth 329 innings – 38 more than anyone else on the list.

    How the Australians compare

    Across generations, the four Australians have shown different styles of play in achieving the landmark.

    Data shows Border was the most consistent player among them, with his average remaining relatively steady through his career, while Waugh improved his performance after a lacklustre start to his career.

    Smith hit his peak at around his 75th match and Ponting around his 115th match, before their run scoring dropped.

    In terms of batting positions, data suggests Smith has scored most of his runs coming in at number four. Border was most dominant coming in at four and five.

    Ponting dominated as a number three batsman, while Waugh was very consistent at number five.

    How far can Smith go?

    Considering Smith’s age (35), current form and the physical demands of modern cricket, our findings suggest it will take him at least another three to four years to surpass Ponting.

    That may be achievable but Smith’s year-long ban after the 2018 “sandpapergate saga” makes reaching Tendulkar’s mark extremely unlikely.

    However, there is a chance Smith ends up with the best average in the club.

    His batting average currently sits at 56.74, with only Sangakkara (57.4) higher.

    Considering his current form, with four centuries in his past five Test matches, there’s every chance this modern-day great retires atop the tree in that metric at least.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Is Steve Smith set to become the best? What data says about Test cricket’s elite 10,000+ run club – https://theconversation.com/is-steve-smith-set-to-become-the-best-what-data-says-about-test-crickets-elite-10-000-run-club-248891

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Ogden, Associate Professor in Global Studies, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Donald Trump is moving rapidly to change the contours of contemporary international affairs, with the old US-dominated world order breaking down into a multipolar one with many centres of power.

    The shift already includes the US leaving the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accords, questioning the value of the United Nations, and radical cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

    Such a new geopolitical age also involves an assertion of raw power, with Trump using the threat of tariffs to assert global authority and negotiating positions.

    While the US is not significantly less powerful, this new era may see it wield that power in more openly self-interested and isolationist ways. As new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio put it in January, “the post-war global order is not just obsolete – it is now a weapon being used against us”.

    With global democracy in retreat, the emerging international order looks to be moving in an authoritarian direction. As it does, the position of New Zealand’s vibrant democracy will come under mounting pressure.

    But world orders have come and gone for millennia, reflecting the ebb and flow of global economic, political and military power. Looking back to previous eras, and how countries and cultures responded to shifting geopolitical realities, can help us understand what is happening more clearly.

    An evolving world order

    Previous orders have often focused on specific centres – or “poles” – of power. These include the Concert of Europe from 1814 to 1914, the bipolar world of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, and the unipolar world of American dominance after the end of the Cold War and since the September 11 attacks in 2001.

    Periods of single-power dominance (or hegemony) are referred to as a “pax”, from the Latin for “peace”. We have seen the Pax Romana of the Roman Empire (27 BCE to 180 AD), multiple Pax Sinicas around China (most recently the Qing Dynasty 1644 to 1912), Pax Mongolica (the Mongol Empire from 1271 to 1368) and Pax Britannica (the British Empire from 1815 to 1924).

    It is the Pax Americana of the US, from 1945 to the present, that Trump seems bent on dismantling. We now live in an international order that is visibly in flux. With autocracy on the rise and the US at is vanguard, a “Pax Autocratica” is emerging.

    This is accentuated by the rapid rise of Asia as the main sphere of economic and military growth, particularly China and India. The world’s two most populous countries had the world’s largest and third largest economies respectively in 2023, and the second and fourth highest levels of military spending.

    The simultaneous rise of multiple power centres was already challenging the Pax Americana. Now, a new international order appears to be a certainty, with Trump openly adapting to multipolarity. Several major powers now compete for global influence, rather than any one country dominating.

    China’s preference for a multipolar international order is shared by India and Russia. Without one dominant entity, it will be the political and social basis of this order, as determined by its major actors, that matters most – not who leads it.

    Pax Democratica

    The current (now waning) international order has been underpinned by specific social, political and economic values stemming from the national identity and historical experience of the US.

    According to US political expert G. John Ikenberry, former president Woodrow Wilson’s agenda for peace after the first world war sought to “reflect distinctive American ideas and ideals”.

    Woodrow imagined an order based on collective security and shared sovereignty, liberal principles of democracy and universal human rights, free trade and international law.

    As its dominance and military strength increased in the 20th century, the US also provided security to other countries. Such power enabled Washington to create open global trade markets, as well as build core global institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, United Nations and NATO.

    For Ikenberry, this Pax Americana (we might call it a Pax Democratica) rested on consent to the US’s “provision of security, wealth creation, and social advancement”. This was aided by the its more than 800 military bases in over 80 countries.

    The democratic deficit

    Trump undercuts the central tenets of this liberal world order and accelerates a slide towards authoritarianism. Like Russia, India and China, the US is also actively constraining human rights, attacking minorities and weakening its electoral system.

    This democratic retreat leaves a country such as New Zealand in a global minority. If Trump targets the region or country with economic tariffs, that precariousness might increase.

    On the other hand, previous world orders have not been truly hegemonic. Pax Britannica did not encompass the entire world. Nor did Pax Americana, which didn’t include China, India, the former Soviet bloc, much of the Islamic world and many developing countries.

    This suggests pockets of democracy can survive within a Pax Autocratica, especially in a multipolar world which is more tolerant of political independence.

    The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2023 Democracy Index ranked New Zealand, the Nordic countries, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland highest because their citizens

    choose their political leaders in free and fair elections, enjoy civil liberties, prefer democracy over other political systems, can and do participate in politics, and have a functioning government that acts on their behalf.

    It is these countries that can be at the vanguard of democratic resilience.

    Chris Ogden is a Senior Research Fellow with The Foreign Policy Centre, London.

    – ref. As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’ – https://theconversation.com/as-trump-abandons-the-old-world-order-nz-must-find-its-place-in-a-new-pax-autocratica-249358

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: MIL Analysis – Five best articles in Russian for 10.02.2025

    MIL Analysis: Here are the top five Russian language articles published today. The analysis consists of five articles that are prioritized at the moment.

    Today’s analysis provides us with economic performance and engagement with different communities. There is also a trend towards respect for human rights. The economy in China is growing and prospering.

    Education is increasing computerization skills and introducing artificial intelligence.

    “Samaraneftegaz” shows the innovative activities of Rosneft. Oil reserves have grown. In addition, science is developing day by day, so NSU scientists have developed a technique for measuring ultra-low concentrations of radioactive substances.

    Below you can read one of the articles.

    1. Financial news: Rules for managing conflicts of interest for NPFs.

    Non-state pension funds (NPFs) will be required to identify and manage conflicts of interest. Funds will be able to allow conflicts to arise only if they have notified their clients and their rights are not violated. The Ministry of Justice of Russia has registered the corresponding decree of the Bank of Russia.

    2. Cultural Code of the Celestial Empire: How to Do Business in China.

    Higher School of Economics

    By 2035, China will overtake the US in terms of GDP and become the world’s largest economy. Today, there are over 108 million entrepreneurs and 50 million industrial enterprises in this country. Last year, the economy grew by 4.8%. This opens up unique opportunities for Russian companies. Vysshka experts tell us how to enter one of the most promising markets.

    3. Vyshka launches advanced training course on AI in education.

    The Computer Science Department of the National Research University Higher School of Economics is launching an advanced training course on artificial intelligence in education. The program is designed for educators, teachers, methodologists planning to integrate AI technologies into the educational process, as well as for management teams of educational institutions interested in improving educational processes through the introduction of AI.

    4. “Samaraneftegaz replenished oil reserves by 180%.

    “Samaraneftegaz (part of Rosneft’s oil production complex) added 19 million tons of commercial oil reserves by the end of 2024, which made it possible to replenish oil production 1.8 times.

    5. NSU scientists have developed a methodology for determining ultra-low concentrations of radioactive substances.

    Scientists of the Physics Department of Novosibirsk State University have developed a technique for measuring ultra-small concentrations of radioactive substances whose decay is accompanied by gamma radiation. Data collection is carried out using a detector made of ultrapure germanium, which is part of the equipment of the NSU Interdepartmental Laboratory of Atomic Physics and Spectrometry; a special hardware and software system has been created for data processing. The first project implemented with the use of this technique is research work to determine the level of radioactive substances (radon) in the soil of mines and coal mines in the Kemerovo region.

    Learn more about MIL’s content and data services by visiting milnz.co.nz.

    Regards MIL!

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski joins Colleagues in Calling for Quick Implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    02.06.25

    Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined 27 colleagues in calling for the immediate implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act to provide full Social Security benefits for thousands of Alaskan public servants impacted by Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Social Security Fairness Act, which fully repeals the two Social Security provisions WEP and GPO, was signed into law on January 5, 2024. Senator Murkowski co-sponsored the legislation every year since 2003, praised the long overdue passage of the law. She believes that implementation of the law now needs to be a priority for the Social Security Administration. 

    “The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, ‘SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits’ owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO,” wrote the senators.

    Murkowski was joined by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Susan Collins (R-ME), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus King (I-ME), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mark Warner (D-VA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).

    Read the full letter here or below:

    Dear Acting Commissioner King,

    We write to you concerning the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act (Public Law No: 118-273). This legislation passed Congress on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis on December 21st, 2024 and was signed into law on January 5th, 2025. The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).

    The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, “SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits” owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO. In the interim, we request monthly updates and briefings regarding the status of the Social Security Administration’s progress towards implementing the Social Security Fairness Act.

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.  We look forward to your response.

    Background

    Senator Murkowski will continue to keep Alaskans updated on this issue via her website at https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/social-security-fairness-act-information. 

    The WEP, enacted in 1983, reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security. The GPO, enacted in 1977, reduces Social Security spousal benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers whose spouses receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government. Together, these provisions reduce Social Security benefits for nearly 3 million Americans – including those who worked teachers, state employees, and public safety officers. Alaska is one of the most disproportionately and negatively affected states per capita by the WEP and GPO.

    The Social Security Fairness Act has been endorsed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations Alaska (AFL-CIO Alaska), Alaska Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA), Alaska Professional Fighters Association (APFA), National Education Association – Alaska (NEA-A), National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association Alaska (NARFE Alaska), Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA), Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Strengthen Medicare (NCPSSM), Social Security Works, Strengthen Social Security Coalition, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), International Union of Police Association (IUPA), National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), National Education Association (NEA), and the Senior Citizens League.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Charges in Federal Court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Phillip Plummer, 42, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty February 10, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, and another count of distributing methamphetamine.

    Evidence at the plea hearing showed that between 2022 and May 2023, Plummer and others conspired to distribute more than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area.  Plummer admitted to distributing methamphetamine on seven separate occasions to an individual cooperating with law enforcement, four of said occasions occurred within 1,000 feet of schools, namely, Mater Dei Elementary School and Hunt Elementary School in Sioux City. Evidence further showed that during a search warrant at Plummer’s residence in May 2023, law enforcement seized approximately one half-pound of meth, two (2) bags of medicated Jolly Rancher Gummies containing 600mg of THC and two (2) vape pens.  Plummer intended to sell some or all of the controlled substances to others in the area. 

    Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Plumer remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Plummer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.    

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-4069.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 02/10/2025 Blackburn, Baldwin Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Tennessee Small Dairy Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) introduced the Dairy Business Innovation Act to strengthen the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBII) to help more American dairy farmers and processors add value to their businesses, including creating new products, expanding their markets, and modernizing their production facilities:

    “The dairy industry is an essential part of the American economy. It is crucial that we provide the resources that dairies in Tennessee need to expand and create new products,” said Senator Blackburn. “With many small Tennessee dairies struggling to remain open, this bill will allow these businesses to diversify and expand their market competitiveness.”

    “My Dairy Business Innovation Initiative has helped Wisconsin dairy farmers, producers, and cheesemakers grow their operations, tap into new markets, and innovate new products,” said Senator Baldwin. “From expanding facilities and growing their operations to improving packaging and lowering their shipping costs, this program has helped Wisconsin businesses grow their bottom lines and create jobs in our rural communities. I’m fighting to expand this vital program so more farmers, cheesemakers, and dairy processors have the tools to innovate and drive our rural economy forward.”

    DAIRY BUSINESS INNOVATION ACT:

    • The DBII program was created in the 2018 Farm Bill, establishing multiple dairy business and innovation centers to serve producers across the country. These centers, in partnership with dairy farmers and processors, are spurring innovation in dairy businesses, fostering the development of new dairy products and modernizing existing dairy plants. As a result, the program has gone on to add value to the milk produced by American farmers and expand their market access.
    • Each regional initiative is tasked with providing technical assistance and grants to farmers and processors, including:
      • Supporting new and expanding dairy businesses—Centers provide assistance with business plan development, accounting, market evaluation, and strategic planning.
      • Promoting innovation in dairy products—Dairy businesses receive assistance with product innovation, marketing and branding, packaging, distribution, supply chain innovation, food safety training and consultation, and dairy product production training.
      • Assisting with dairy plant modernization and process improvement—Dairy businesses receive assistance with processing facility improvement, including assistance with plant upgrades, food safety modernization, energy and water efficiency, byproduct reprocessing and use maximization, and waste treatment.
    • The Dairy Business Innovation Act builds on the support for regional dairy research and innovation centers across the country by raising the program’s annual authorization from $20 million to $36 million.

    ENDORSEMENTS:

    The legislation is endorsed by the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, National Milk Producers Federation, Organic Valley, and International Dairy Foods Association. 

    “Tennessee’s dairy farmers are an integral part of our rural economy and provide wholesome, nutritious milk products to consumers. We thank Senators Blackburn and Baldwin for filing the Dairy Business Innovation Initiative which will be a successful opportunity for dairy farmers to add value to their milk and increase on-farm profitability. Further investments into DBII can create increased opportunities for consumers to access local dairy products and support their regional agricultural economy.” – Eric Mayberry, President of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation 

    “We are grateful to Senators Blackburn and Baldwin for their support of the Dairy Business Innovation Act. It has had a historic impact on our Tennessee dairy industry and the development of the new Center for Dairy Advancement and Sustainability at the University of Tennessee. These resources will continue to help UTIA provide Real.Life.Solutions. to producers and processors across the region. Additionally, it has provided us with new partnership opportunities around the country.” – Dr. Keith Carver, Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture 

    “The Dairy Business Innovation Act continues to be a critical tool for dairy farms and processors across the Southeast region to overcome a history of low income, limited reinvestment into existing businesses, and high barriers to entry for new dairy businesses. As the program manager for the Southeast region, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) strongly supports the continuation and expansion of this valuable assistance to producers, processors, and the allied industries impacted by them. Since 2021, over $17 million has been directly invested into 189 dairy businesses across the 12 states and 1 territory in our region. Within Tennessee, 40 awards totaling almost $3.4 million have supported existing dairy farmers, processors, and emerging value-added dairy ventures. The funding for administration and research around the dairy industry has resulted in 5 new dairy Extension positions across Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina and has increased our understanding of consumer motivations around dairy. The new Center for Dairy Advancement and Sustainability at the University of Tennessee is a direct outcome of these grants, providing a unique hub of food, animal, economic, and consumer interaction to support the dairy industry.” – Dr. Elizabeth Eckelkamp, Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative Program Director and Dairy Extension Specialist at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

    “We thank Senators Baldwin and Blackburn for their continued bipartisan leadership in strengthening the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives program. Dairy has a storied history of pioneering effective new products and practices as dairy farmers and their cooperatives work to supply the U.S. and the world with nutritious, sustainably produced food. This program helps support researchers and their industry partners working to drive this innovation forward.” – Gregg Doud, President and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation 

    “Senator Tammy Baldwin and Senator Marsha Blackburn should be commended for a bill that enhances the assets and investments in the U.S. the dairy industry. Dairy is an economic engine in rural communities – we at Organic Valley know dairy processors who are doing more with support from this initiative and American farmers who are better positioned to bring milk to market because of it.” – Adam Warthesen, Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs at Organic Valley

    “IDFA applauds Senators Baldwin and Blackburn for introducing the Dairy Business Innovation Act of 2025.  The bill promotes innovation in the dairy processing sector and will help industry members work together to address common challenges and create new market opportunities for healthy and nutritious dairy products.” – Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President & CEO of International Dairy Foods Association

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Statement on Cuts to Crucial Health Research Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement on the proposed cut to National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants. Today, 22 state attorneys general – including Minnesota’s – filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration challenging this action.

    “This illegal move endangers critical clinical studies and research, and extinguishes hope for so many Americans looking for cures. At the University of Minnesota alone, it could derail life-saving medical research on cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. NIH research also supports hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country and spurs economic growth, including nearly 8,000 jobs and $1.7 billion of economic activity in Minnesota. This lawsuit is a crucial step to reversing this illegal move that will set back medical innovation and lead to unnecessary suffering.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New designs on the way for the NSW Pattern Book

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 11 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    Thirteen highly skilled design practices have been commissioned by the Minns Labor Government to contribute additional low and mid rise designs to the NSW Pattern Book.

    This is the second tranche of designs to be added to the NSW Pattern Book to make the delivery of homes in NSW faster, providing more homes for those who need them.

    Six designs for terraces, semi-detached dual occupancy and manor houses or low-rise apartment buildings will be produced alongside six designs for mid-rise residential flat buildings.

    Additionally, one landscape design practice has been commissioned to develop design guidance for the low-rise and mid-rise patterns, for both private and shared open spaces.

    Once complete, these designs will become part of the NSW Pattern Book alongside the five winners from the professional category of the NSW Housing Pattern Book Design Competition that were announced in November last year.

    The NSW Pattern Book will provide families, builders and developers with a collection of pre-approved, architecturally designed and cost-effective patterns to choose from. Those that use the designs will have access to a fast-tracked planning pathway.

    Restoring choice and diversity is at the centre of the Minns Government’s housing reforms. This means building more homes that offer people at different stages of life more options.

    The Pattern Book builds on the Minns Government recent reforms to the planning system to speed up the delivery of more homes, including:

    ·       Establishment of the Housing Delivery Authority to allow for major housing projects to be prioritised by being assessed directly by the NSW Government.

    ·       The largest rezoning in NSW history around transport hubs.

    ·       The largest ever investment in the delivery of social and affordable housing in NSW.

    ·       $200 million in financial incentives for councils that meet the new expectations for development applications, planning proposals and strategic planning. 

    ·       $450 million to build new apartments for essential workers including nurses, paramedics, teachers, allied health care workers, police officers and fire fighters. 

    For more information on the Pattern Book please visit https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/government-architect-nsw/housing-design/nsw-housing-pattern-book.

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

    “Sydney is currently the second most expensive city in the world and has less housing diversity than it did a century ago. This means less optionality and less opportunity for our families, young people, workers and downsizers to live in NSW.

    “As we see the average household change and evolve, we want to make sure there are homes to suit everyone, and this means more than just single dwellings and high-rise apartments.

    “We’re not sacrificing quality for quantity as we deliver more homes, the NSW Pattern Book will have the stamp of approval from the NSW Government Architect.

    “We want new homes to be built faster, but the Pattern Book will mean those homes are good quality, sustainable and cost-effective.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Relief Still Available to Michigan Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Last January’s Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Michigan of the March 10, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought and excessive heat that began on Jan. 1, 2024. 

    The declaration covers the counties of Cheboygan, Chippewa, Emmet, Luce, Mackinac and Schoolcraft.  

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.   

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.  

    To apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. 

    Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than March 10, 2025. 

    ### 

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration 

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Covid strategies ‘fell short’ for Pacific people, research finds – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    Research on the impacts of Covid-19 highlights high death rates among Pacific people in Aotearoa and the need to provide better support in the future.

    A report has just been publicly released – Pacific contribution to the New Zealand COVID-19 response – Strengths, Weaknesses and Missed Opportunities.

    It notes that despite the overall success of New Zealand’s response to Covid, Pacific people were hard hit and the response failed to target their needs adequately, says research lead, Professor Sir Collin Tukuitonga, co-director of Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa – Centre for Pacific and Global Health at the University of Auckland.

    “Despite clear and consistent evidence related to the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on Pacific communities, the national response fell short of engaging with Pacific leaders, instead adopting a generic ‘one size fits all’ approach,” the report states.

    Pacific people were twice as likely to be hospitalised with Covid as non-Pacific and non-Māori in Aotearoa, according to the research, which was funded by the Ministry of Health and carried out by the Centre for Pacific and Global Health and two Pacific health and social service providers, the Pasifika Medical Association and the Fono.

    A far higher percentage of Pacific people aged under 80 died within 28 days of being reported as a case, than those aged under 80 in other ethnic groups. Of the people aged under 59 years who died within 28 days of being reported as a case, 20 percent were Pacific, compared to eight percent of those categorised as European/other ethnicities of the same age.

    The experiences of 147 Pacific people were gathered for the report, which states the virus and ensuing lockdowns took a significant toll on the mental health of all the participants.

    Media coverage named a Pacific church as central to a large Covid cluster in August 2021, fuelling “racist vilification” of the Sāmoan community, stigma and discrimination, the report says.

    “Government officials, media and Pacific community leaders need to collaborate closely and quickly to prevent similar occurrences of racism from media reports for future pandemics,” it states.

    Many Pacific people were essential workers, who experienced fear and anxiety of the virus, in addition to racism.

    The challenges of lockdowns and self-isolation were exacerbated for many Pacific families living in multi-generational households.

    “The findings from the Covid-19 global pandemic emphasise the existing socioeconomic disparities, such as overcrowded living conditions, high rates of co-morbidities, and delayed access to healthcare, contributing to the disproportionate impact on Pacific and Māori communities.

    “Recognising and addressing these structural inequalities are essential components of any comprehensive public health strategy aimed at mitigating the impact of pandemics on vulnerable populations,” the report states.

    About 28 percent of Pacific peoples felt they couldn’t access mental health support during alert levels two, three and four, and 26 percent felt they could not access healthcare.

    The report recommends that in the future, Pacific health services be given clear guidelines as soon as possible, so they can begin outreach work with Pacific communities and ensure patients still receive healthcare for long-term conditions.

    It recommends reviewing policies on hospital visitors, because these were the most challenging of all protective measures for Pacific families.

    Plans should enable Pacific communities to establish testing and vaccination centres at the beginning of an outbreak and factor in mental health impacts.

    The importance of the church in offering guidance, combating misinformation and offering social support during a pandemic is highlighted in the reports.

    While vaccine uptake was initially slow among Pacific people, 95 percent were fully vaccinated by December 2021. About 68 percent of the participants said caring for family motivated their decision to get vaccinated.

    Pacific households faced disproportionate economic hardship during 2020 compared to the general population, with 18 percent of households losing half of their income or more.

    Education also suffered, as online learning replaced classroom teaching. The research found 20 percent of Pacific students did not have or did not know if they had access to a device at home for distance learning.

    “Long-term impacts of loss in learning and disengagement from school require further investigation,” the report states.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Social Issues – Disability support services consultation underway – from Invercargill to Whangarei

    Source: Ministry of Social Development

    People in the disability community are invited to have their say in a six-week consultation that begins this week and runs until 24 March 2025.
    Disability Support Services was transferred from the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha to the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) last year, after an Independent Review recommended changes to stabilise the system.
    The head of Disability Support Services at MSD, Chris Bunny, says feedback is being sought on specific proposals for change.
    “We are seeking feedback on:
    • how needs are assessed, and decisions made on how support is allocated
    • options for changes to flexible funding.
    “My message to the disability community is I know the changes of last year have been difficult for some people, and this year we want to make progress on strengthening the disability support system for disabled people, their whānau and carers.
    “We are working to stabilise disability support services so they are more fair, consistent, transparent and sustainable.
    “This is a major round of consultation which builds on what the disabled community told us in a survey late last year.
    “There’s lots of different ways people can have their say.
    “In-person workshops will be held in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Invercargill, Lower Hutt, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Porirua, Rotorua, Wellington, and Whangarei.
    In addition, people can attend an online workshop, make a written or video submission, or complete an online survey. There are also DIY resources for people or organisations who want to host their own workshops to support their submissions.
    “Please register to book your place for a workshop in-person or online. You can do that at the Disability Support Services website, disabilitysupport.govt.nz
    “We’ve released a discussion document outlining the issues and proposals on the way forward.
    “Your feedback will help Government to make decisions to stabilise services, before considering further work to strengthen those supports,” says Mr Bunny.
    Editor’s notes
    What is this consultation about?
    The consultation is focused on essential disability support people receive after an assessment from a Needs Assessment Service Coordination provider, or an Enabling Good Lives site.
    While everyone is welcome to participate, Disability Support Services especially want to hear from people receiving these services and whānau, carers, and advocates. 
    The changes under discussion do not apply to people who only receive supports from other agencies, such as ACC, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transport, or Work and Income. 
    What is being proposed?
    Needs assessments
    • Improving how the tool reflects the diversity of disability
    • Proposals that the needs of family/whānau become part of the assessment
    • Making sure services continue to meet their needs – how often should supports be reviewed or reassessed?
    • Proposal that NASCs identify supports that are available through other agencies and provide guidance on how these can be accessed
    Flexible Funding – two options
    • Option 1 – Linking flexible funding to the person’s plan, with oversight of how it is used
    • Option 2 – Adjust current lists of what can and can’t be funded using flexible funding.
    There are also proposals to introduce criteria for receiving flexible funding, and questions on what these should be.
    How do people register for workshops?
    Can media attend workshops or film them?
    Community consultation will begin with a presentation followed by work in smaller groups. To protect the privacy of those attending, these events are closed to media, unless reporters are there in a personal capacity to take part in the consultation. However , you may wish to talk to people outside the venue if you would like to.
    Is the consultation going to be accessible?
    Yes, alternate formats are available of the discussion document summary, including Easy Read, Braille, Audio, Large Print and New Zealand Sign Language. There are also translations in te reo Māori, Samoan, and Tongan.
    We will also have sign language interpreters at our in-person and online workshops.
    Venues for our in-person workshops have been selected because they are accessible, including access points, toilets, and the working spaces themselves.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Therapy helps peanut-allergic kids tolerate tablespoons of peanut butter

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    News Release

    Monday, February 10, 2025

    NIH trial informs potential treatment strategy for kids who already tolerate half a peanut or more.

    Eating gradually increasing doses of store-bought, home-measured peanut butter for about 18 months enabled 100% of children with peanut allergy who initially could tolerate the equivalent of at least half a peanut to consume three tablespoons of peanut butter without an allergic reaction, researchers report. This easy-to-implement treatment strategy could potentially fulfill an unmet need for about half of children with peanut allergy, who already can tolerate the equivalent of at least half a peanut, considered a high threshold. The findings come from a trial sponsored and funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and published today in the journal NEJM Evidence.

    “Children with high-threshold peanut allergy couldn’t participate in previous food allergy treatment trials, leaving them without opportunities to explore treatment options,” said NIAID Director Jeanne Marrazzo, M.D., M.P.H. “Today’s report focuses on this population and shows that a very safe and accessible form of therapy could be liberating for many of these children and their families.”

    The food allergy treatments currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration were tested in children with low-threshold peanut allergy, who cannot tolerate the equivalent of even half a peanut. These treatments are designed to decrease the likelihood of a reaction to a small amount of peanut despite efforts to avoid it, as might occur with accidental exposure. This approach is not relevant to the estimated 800,000 U.S. children who may have high-threshold peanut allergy, leaving them with only one management strategy prior to the new report: peanut avoidance.

    To address this need, researchers tested whether a low-cost, convenient treatment strategy could help children with high-threshold peanut allergy tolerate a much greater amount of peanut protein than they already did. The mid-stage trial involved 73 children ages 4 to 14 years. Based on parent or guardian report, nearly 60% of the children were white, 19% were Asian, 1.4% were Black, and 22% were more than one race. The study team assigned the children at random to either test the new treatment strategy or continue avoiding peanut.

    Those in the peanut-ingestion group began with a minimum daily dose of 1/8 teaspoon of peanut butter. They gradually increased their dose every eight weeks up to 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or an equivalent amount of a different peanut product, such as peanut flour or candies. Dose increases took place under medical supervision at the study site. None of the children in the peanut-ingestion group needed epinephrine to treat severe allergic reactions during home dosing, and only one child needed epinephrine during a supervised dosing visit at the study site.

    After undergoing the treatment regimen, the peanut-consuming children participated in an oral food challenge carefully supervised by the study team to see how much peanut butter they could eat without an allergic reaction. All 32 children who participated in the challenge could tolerate the maximum amount of 9 grams of peanut protein, the equivalent of 3 tablespoons of peanut butter. By contrast, only three of the 30 children in the avoidance group who underwent the oral food challenge after a similar amount of time in the trial could tolerate 9 grams of peanut protein. Three additional children in the avoidance group tolerated a challenge dose at least two doses greater than the amount they could tolerate at the start of the study.

    The trial took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some families preferred to avoid indoor close contact with others at that time, so some children did not return to the study site for the oral food challenge. Using a common statistical technique to account for those missing challenge results, 100% of the ingestion group and 21% of the avoidance group tolerated at least two doses greater than they could at the outset.

    Children in the peanut-ingestion group who could tolerate 9 grams of peanut protein during the oral food challenge consumed at least 2 tablespoons of peanut butter weekly for 16 weeks, then avoided peanut entirely for eight weeks. At that point, they were asked to return to the study site for a final oral food challenge.

    Twenty-six of the 30 treated children (86.7%) who participated in the final challenge continued to tolerate 9 grams of peanut protein, indicating they had achieved sustained unresponsiveness to peanut. The three children in the avoidance group who could eat 9 grams of peanut protein without a reaction at the earlier challenge were considered to have developed natural tolerance to peanut. Analyzing these outcomes and including all 73 children who began the trial, regardless of whether they participated in the final challenge, investigators found that 68.4% of the peanut-ingestion group achieved sustained unresponsiveness, while only 8.6% of the avoidance group developed natural tolerance.     

    Based on these encouraging results, the investigators want to learn if the same treatment strategy would work for food allergens other than peanuts. Future follow-up is needed to determine the therapy’s effectiveness at inducing long-lasting tolerance of peanut.

    Scott H. Sicherer, M.D., and Julie Wang, M.D., led the trial, which took place at the Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute in Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, New York. Dr. Sicherer is director of the Institute and the Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Professor of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. He is also chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology in the Department of Pediatrics and medical director of the Clinical Research Unit in the ConduITS Institute for Translational Sciences at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Wang is a professor of pediatric allergy and immunology in the Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute. 

    More information about the clinical trial, called the CAFETERIA study, is available at ClinicalTrials.gov under study identifier NCT03907397.

    NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

    Reference

    SH Sicherer et al. Randomized trial of high dose, home measured peanut oral immunotherapy in children with high threshold peanut allergy. NEJM Evidence DOI: 10.1056/EVIDoa2400306 (2025)

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: iBio Reports Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iBio, Inc. (NYSEA:IBIO), today reported financial results for the second quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024, and provided a corporate update on its progress.

    “In our second fiscal quarter we further strengthened our leadership with key Board appointments, reinforcing our commitment to innovation and execution as we work to develop next-generation therapeutics,” said CEO and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Martin Brenner, Ph.D. “Following more recent developments, we also want to highlight the significant strides we have made in advancing our preclinical pipeline with the in-licensing of potentially best-in-class IBIO-600, the notable discovery of a novel Activin E antibody, and the launch of a bispecific antibody program targeting myostatin/activin A. We are excited by the momentum we have built through these results and remain focused on leveraging our AI-driven platform as we aim to transform the treatment landscape for patients with cardiometabolic diseases and obesity, offering hope for more effective, targeted therapies addressing the underlying causes of these conditions while improving overall metabolic health and quality of life.”

    Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 & Recent Corporate Updates:

    • Discovered a novel antibody targeting activin E in collaboration with AstralBio, leveraging iBio’s Machine-Learning Antibody Engine to overcome significant technical challenges, demonstrating the platform’s ability to engineer innovative therapeutics potentially for cardiometabolic disease and obesity.
    • Expanded iBio’s cardiometabolic and obesity program with IBIO-600, the long-acting anti-myostatin antibody in-licensed from AstralBio in January. IBIO-600 was discovered by AstralBio through the use of iBio’s Machine-Learning Antibody Engine and was designed for subcutaneous administration with the potential for an extended half-life.
    • Initiated a bispecific antibody program targeting myostatin/activin A to promote weight loss, muscle preservation, and prevent weight regain with plans for clinical investigation in obesity and cardiometabolic disorders in 2026. The program leverages iBio’s Machine-Learning Antibody Engine as well as the technology of IBIO-600.
    • In January we further extended our cash runway with the closing of a private placement offering with members of our Board of Directors and Officers, underscoring their confidence and support in our strategy to advance as a clinical-stage biotech.

    Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results:

    • Revenue of $0.2 million was reported for services provided to a collaborative partner during the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024.
    • R&D and G&A expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 totaled approximately $4.6 million as compared to $4.5 million in the same period of fiscal year 2024, an increase of approximately 3%. This slight increase is a result of additional spending on consumables supplies and research related activities offset by lower G&A personnel related costs, consulting fees and outside services spending. Net loss from continuing operations for the second quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024, was approximately $4.4 million, or $0.48 per share, compared to a net loss of approximately $4.5 million, or $2.42 per share, in the same period of fiscal 2024.
    • Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash as of Dec. 31, 2024, was approximately $7.2 million, inclusive of $0.2 million of restricted cash.

    About iBio, Inc.

    iBio (NYSEA: IBIO) is a cutting-edge biotech company leveraging AI and advanced computational biology to develop next-generation biopharmaceuticals for cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, cancer and other hard-to-treat diseases. By combining proprietary 3D modeling with innovative drug discovery platforms, iBio is creating a pipeline of breakthrough antibody treatments to address significant unmet medical needs. Our mission is to transform drug discovery, accelerate development timelines, and unlock new possibilities in precision medicine.  For more information, visit www.ibioinc.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    Any statements contained in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements.” The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements include statements regarding the potential for IBIO-600 to be best-in-class; leveraging iBio’s AI-driven platform to transform the treatment landscape for patients with cardiometabolic diseases and obesity, offering hope for more effective, targeted therapies addressing the underlying causes of these conditions while improving overall metabolic health and quality of life; IBIO-600’s potential for an extended half-life; iBio’s clinical investigation in obesity and cardiometabolic disorders in 2026; advancing as a clinical-stage biotech; the creation of a pipeline of breakthrough antibody treatments to address significant unmet medical needs; and transforming drug discovery, accelerating development timelines, and unlocking new possibilities in precision medicine… Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including iBio’s ability to -leverage its AI-driven platform to transform the treatment landscape for patients with cardiometabolic diseases and obesity with more effective, targeted therapies addressing the underlying causes of these conditions while improving overall metabolic health and quality of life; extend the half-life of IBIO-600; advance as a clinical-stage biotech and commence a clinical investigation in obesity and cardiometabolic disorders in 2026; create a pipeline of breakthrough antibody treatments to address significant unmet medical needs; and transform drug discovery, accelerate development timelines, and unlock new possibilities in precision medicine the ability to advance iBio’s internal pipeline priorities in immuno-oncology and cardiometabolics, and drive partnerships in new therapeutic areas, the ability to finance when needed and the risk factors described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Juen 30, 2024, and the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC, including subsequent periodic reports on Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and, except as required by federal securities laws, iBio, Inc. specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

    Corporate Contact:

    iBio, Inc.
    Investor Relations
    ir@ibioinc.com

    Media Contacts:

    Ignacio Guerrero-Ros, Ph.D., or David Schull
    Russo Partners, LLC
    Ignacio.guerrero-ros@russopartnersllc.com
    David.schull@russopartnersllc.com
    (858) 717-2310 or (646) 942-5604

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Stephanie Getty: Exploring the Universe with Curiosity and Wonder

    Source: NASA

    Name: Dr. Stephanie Getty
    Title: Director of the Solar System Exploration Division, Sciences and Exploration Directorate and Deputy Principal Investigator of the DAVINCI Mission
    Formal Job Classification: Planetary scientist
    Organization: Solar System Exploration Division, Sciences and Exploration Directorate (Code 690)

    What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?
    As the Director of the Solar System Exploration Division, I work from a place of management to support our division’s scientists. As the deputy principal investigator of the DAVINCI (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging) mission, I work with the principal investigator to lead the team in implementing this mission to study the atmosphere of Venus.
    I love that I get to work from a place of advocacy in support of my truly excellent, talented colleagues. I get to think strategically to make the most of opportunities and do my best to overcome difficulties for the best possible future for our teams. It’s also a fun challenge that no two days are ever the same!
    Why did you become a planetary scientist?
    In school, I had a lot of interests and space was always one of them. I also loved reading, writing, math, biology, and chemistry. Being a planetary scientist touches on all of these.
    My dad inspired me become a scientist because he loved his telescope and photography including of celestial bodies. We watched Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” often.
    I grew up in southeastern Florida, near Fort Lauderdale. I have a B.S. and Ph.D. in physics from the University of Florida.  
    How did you come to Goddard?

    I had a post-doctoral fellowship in the physics department at the University of Maryland, and a local connection and a suggestion from my advisor led me to Goddard in 2004.
    What is most important to you as director of the Solar System Exploration Division, Sciences and Exploration Directorate?
    My goal is to provide a supportive environment for our incredibly talented science community in the Division to thrive, to push discovery forward and improve the understanding of our solar system. It’s a priority to encourage effective and open communication. I really try to value the whole person, recognizing that each of us is three-dimensional, with full personal lives. The people create the culture that allows our scientists to thrive and explore.
    What are your goals as deputy principal investigator of the DAVINCI mission?
    DAVINCI’s goal is to fill long-standing gaps about Venus, including whether it looked more like Earth in the past. Our energetic team brings together science, engineering, technology, project management, and business acumen to build a multi-element spacecraft that will explore Venus above the clouds, and during an hour-long descent through the atmosphere into the searingly hot and high pressure deep layers of the atmosphere near the surface. We hope to launch in June 2029.
    What is your proudest accomplishment at Goddard?
    I am pleased and proud to be deputy principal investigator on a major mission proposal that now gets to fly. It is an enormous privilege to be entrusted as part of the leadership team to bring the first probe mission back to Venus in over four decades.
    What makes Goddard’s culture effective?
    Goddard’s culture is at its best when we collectively appreciate how each member of the organization works towards solving our problems. The scientists appreciate the hard, detailed work that the engineers do to make designs. The engineers and project managers are energized by the fundamental science questions that underlie everything we do. And we have brilliant support staff that keeps our team organized and focused.

    What goes through your mind when you think about which fundamental science question to address and how?
    A lot of the research I have done, including my mission work, has been inspired by the question of how life originates, how life originated on Earth, and whether there are or have been other environments in the solar system that could have ever supported life. These questions are profound to any human being. My job allows me to work with incredibly talented teams to make scientific progress on these questions.
    It is really humbling.
    Who inspired you?
    My 10th grade English teacher encouraged us to connect with the natural world and to write down our experiences. Exploring the manifestations of nature connects with the way I approach my small piece of exploring the solar system. I really love the writing parts of my job, crafting the narrative around the science we do and why it is important.
    As a mentor, what is the most important lesson you give?
    A successful career should reflect both your passion and natural abilities. Know yourself. What feels rewarding to you is important. Learn how to be honest with yourself and let yourself be driven by curiosity.
    Our modern lives can be very noisy at work and at home. It can be hard to filter through what is and is not important. Leaving space to connect with the things that satisfy your curiosity can be one way to make the most of the interconnectivity and complexity of life.
    Curiosity not only connects us to the natural world, but also to each other. Curiosity is a defining characteristic of a good scientist, never losing a sense of wonder.
    I’m looking out my window as we talk. When I can, I try to make time to pause to reflect on how beautiful and special our own planet is.
    What are your hobbies?
    I love hiking with my kids. Walking through the woods puts me in the moment and clears my mind better than anything else. It gives my brain a chance to relax. Nature gives perspective, it reminds me that I am part of something bigger. Walking in the woods gives me a chance to pause, for example, to notice an interesting rock formation, or watch a spider spinning an impressive web, or spot a frog trying to camouflage itself in a pond, and doing this with my children is my favorite pastime. 
    Where is your favorite place in the world?
    Any campsite at dusk with a fire going and eating s’mores with my family.

    Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.
    By Elizabeth M. JarrellNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jesse Walsh: Possibility at the Cutting Edge of Flight

    Source: NASA

    Name: Jesse Walsh
    Formal Job Classification: Project Formulation Manager
    Organization: Project Formulation and Development Office, Flight Projects Directorate (Code 401.0)
    What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?
    As a formulation manager, I am the project manager in the room as we are designing science space flight missions. We develop proposals to be competed on the agency level against other NASA centers, and outside institutions.
    I am also our office’s representative on the Earth science line of business.

    What is your background?
    In 2000, I graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a B.S. in mechanical engineering. In the Navy I went to flight school in Pensacola, Florida, and became a naval flight officer. I was the “Goose,” not “Maverick,” in the P-3 Orion, a four-engine prop plane that primarily hunts for submarines. I was then stationed in Hawaii as part of Patrol Squadron 9, that deployed to the Far East and Middle East. Next, I worked at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C., as a project officer for science experiments on P-3s from Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Patuxent River, Maryland.
    I developed migraines that disqualified me from flying. In 2007, I got a master’s in civil engineering project management from the University of Maryland. I then worked in Bethesda, Maryland, constructing buildings around the beltway, as a physics teacher at our local high school, and as a project manager of secure facilities with the Army Corps of Engineers.
    In 2016, I became the assistant branch head for facilities planning at Goddard. I later entered the Flight Projects Development Program, a two-year project manager training program, during which time I worked at the Flight Projects Development Office and as the payload manager for Space Infrastructure Dexterous Robot (SPIDER), a payload on OSAM-1. I had a proposal selected for a second step, and I came back to PFDO to work proposals.
    Why is this your dream job?
    We are on the cutting edge of what will fly. We are designing the missions and figuring out what the world of possible will be in space in five to seven years. Scientists come to the table with ideas and engineers make those ideas reality. I make sure the whole team is working together and that all these ideas and solutions fit within our budget and schedule. We make ideas realities.
    How do you translate between scientists and engineers?
    It is primarily about understanding incentives. Everyone is thinking differently with different solutions, but we have the same goal. Some scientists have had an idea for years, but the idea still has to be workable. If the resulting instrument or spacecraft fails, technical issues are often the first to be examined. I help the engineers push what they are comfortable making and help the scientists understand the limits of technology.
    Please talk about the competing pressures of your job.
    We are responsible for taxpayer’s money. If one thing goes wrong, even on a smaller mission, the monetary loss can run into many millions. The missions we build have cost limits. We fit cutting edge science into a cost-limited opportunity.
    NASA is extremely thorough. We safeguard taxpayer funds, but also push cutting-edge science.
    We are on a seesaw. The engineers are more focused on technical solutions while the scientists are more focused on scientific results. I help everyone negotiate a balance that fits within the cost and schedule. The diversity between and among scientists, engineers, and financial experts is what creates NASA’s innovative solutions.

    What are some of your negotiating techniques?
    I try to build trust between team members by understanding everyone’s incentives and making sure all team members understand the different incentives. We may have different angles of approach, but we all have the same goal. People are more likely to compromise the means if they know we will end up at the same place.
    What is your proudest accomplishment?
    I am proudest of our Dorado proposal because it was cutting edge science. We were trying to discover where heavy metals like gold are created in the universe. We were trying to prove that we could do fundamental science on a very lean budget, $35 million.
    We did not win the final proposal, but I was extremely proud of our team, a very small, high-functioning team, that made us feel like we could discover the world.
    You recently transferred to support the Geospace Dynamics Constellation (GDC) mission. What do you most enjoy about your new role?
    I am still learning what I don’t know about GDC. I am finding is fascinating to see how the plans that are made in early stages of formulation change and adapt as they run into unforeseen obstacles during implementation. I am really enjoying being part of a small, high performing team, that is mission focused.

    Who is your favorite author?
    I married a librarian, and books and stories are fundamental parts of our life. I love Hemingway because he portrays extremely complex, emotional scenarios in very simplistic terms.
    Who is your science hero?
    My high school physics teacher, Mr. Finkbeiner, who taught me that you understand science in your gut, not your head. Science is not memorizing equations; it is understanding how the world around you works.
    What are your hobbies?
    I love flyfishing on the Chesapeake’s tidal rivers and also on fresh water for trout. Flyfishing involves actively engaging with nature; reading the water and the tides, figuring out nature’s puzzle and trying to crack the code.
    What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words.
    I can’t wait for what’s next! 
    By Elizabeth M. JarrellNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Margaret Dominguez Helps NASA Space Telescopes Open Their ‘Eyes’ to the Universe

    Source: NASA

    Name: Margaret Dominguez
    Formal Job Classification: Optical engineer
    Organization: Code 551, Optics Branch, Instrument Systems and Technology Division, Engineering Directorate

    What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?
    I build space telescopes. I am currently working on building one of the components for the Wide Field Instrument for the Roman Space Telescope. The component is called “Grism.” A grism is a combination of a grating and a prism.
    What is unique about your childhood?
    I went to high school in Tecamachalco in Puebla, Mexico, which is inland and south of Mexico City. My father raised pigs, chickens, rabbits, and cows. I am the oldest of four girls and two still live on the farm.
    Why did you become a physicist?
    I was always curious and had a lot of questions and thought that physics helped me answer some of these questions. I was good at math and loved it. When I told my dad I wanted to study physics, he said that I would be able to answer any question in the universe. He thought it was very cool.
    What is your educational background? How an internship help you come to Goddard?
    I went to the Universidad de las Americas Puebla college in Puebla and got an undergraduate degree in physics. I was very active in extracurricular activities and helped organize a physics conference. We invited Dr. Johnathan Gardner, a Goddard astronomer, who came to speak at the conference. Afterwards I spoke with him and he asked me if I was interested in doing an internship at NASA. I said I had not considered it and would be interested in applying. I applied that same spring of 2008 and got a summer internship in the Optics Branch, where I am still working today.
    My branch head at Goddard was a University of Arizona alumnus. He suggested that I apply to the University of Arizona for their excellent optics program. I did, and the university gave me a full fellowship for a master’s and a Ph.D. in optical sciences.
    In 2014, I began working full time at Goddard while completing my Ph.D. I graduated in May 2019.
    What makes Goddard special?
    Goddard has a university campus feel. It’s a place where you can work and also just hang out and socialize. Goddard has many clubs, a gym, cafeterias, and a health clinic.
    People are really nice here. They are often excited and happy about working at Goddard. Most people are willing to put in the extra effort if needed. It makes work stimulating and exciting. Management really cares and the employees feel that too.
    What are some of the major projects you have worked on?
    Early on, I did a little bit of work on Hubble and later on, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Since 2014, I have exclusively been working on Roman. We are building the grism, a slitless spectrograph, which will measure galaxy redshifts to study dark energy.
    Presently we are building different grism prototypes. We work with outside vendors to build these prototypes. When we make a prototype, we test it for months. After, we use the results to build an improved prototype. We just finished making the third prototype. We are going to build a flight instrument of which the grism is a component.
    What is it like to work in the clean room?
    It’s exciting – it likely means I am working on flight hardware. However, because clean rooms must be kept at about 68 degrees Fahrenheit, it can feel chilly in there!
    Who are your mentors? What are the most important lessons they have taught you?
    Ray Ohl, the head of the Optics Branch, is a mentor to me. He is always encouraging me to get outside my comfort zone. He presents other opportunities to me so that I can grow and listens to my feedback.
    Cathy Marx, one of the Roman optical leads, is also a mentor to me. She created a support network for me and is a sounding board for troubleshooting any kind of work-related issues.
    What is your role a member of the Hispanic Advisory Committee (HACE)?
    I joined HACE in 2010 while I was an intern. It’s a great opportunity to network with other Hispanics and gives us a platform to celebrate specific events like Hispanic Heritage Month. I really enjoy participating in HACE’s events.
    What outreach do you do? Why is doing outreach so important to you?
    I do educational outreach to teach people about optics. I mainly collaborate with elementary and middle schools.
    I think we need more future engineers and scientists. I want to help recruit them. I specifically focus on recruiting minorities and Hispanics. I can make a special connection with women and Hispanics.
    Who is your science hero?
    It would probably be Marie Curie. She’s the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and she is the only woman to win two Nobel Prizes and she had to overcome a lot of challenges to achieve that.
    What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words.
    Disciplined. Organized. Diligent. Passionate. Curious. Family-oriented.
    Is there something surprising about your hobbies outside of work that people do not generally know?
    I am a certified Jazzercise instructor – I normally teach two to three times a week. I can even teach virtually if need be. It is an hour-long exercise class combining strength training and cardio through choreographed dancing. We also use weights and mats.  
    I also enjoy going for walks with my husband, James Corsetti, who is also an engineer in the Optics Branch.
    By Elizabeth M. JarrellNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Melissa Gates: Keeping Goddard Running

    Source: NASA

    Name: Melissa Gates
    Title: Secretary III
    Organization: Mission Systems Engineering Branch, Engineering Technology Directorate (Code 599)

    What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?
    As a branch secretary, I support my branch office by ordering supplies, managing the meeting calendars, onboarding new employees and otherwise supporting the managers. I help keep the office running.
    How did you come to work at Goddard?
    In 2005, I got a bachelor’s degree in communications from Fairleigh Dickinson University. In 2012, I got a master’s degree in communications from Regis University.
    For over 20 years, I managed our family business in New Jersey involving competitive pool. I helped run the competitions and the daily activities, but I never played pool.
    In 2016, I moved to Maryland to work in customer service at MGM National Harbor. In 2019, I started at Goddard through Melwood, a non-profit organization that helps disabled people find employment. 
    What are the most important skills for a good branch secretary?
    Listening. Being prompt. Being organized. Prioritizing tasks. Good people skills. I am a people person, and I can relate well to different personalities. I am very flexible. With teleworking, I am always available.
    Where do you see yourself in five years?
    I really want to work in communications, especially NASA TV, because I want to continue my first loves of writing and public relations. I enjoy working with the public and getting people’s stories out to others. I like learning about people and sharing what I have learned.
    How has having a disability impacted your job choices?
    I have had to make people comfortable with my disability. I use a cane and a scooter to get around. Melwood helped me find a job at Goddard, which fulfilled my 20-year dream.
    What are your goals as a member of the GSFC Equal Accessibility Employee Resource Group?
    As a member of the GSFC Equal Accessibility Employee Resource Group, my focus is to help promote the Ability One Program, a federal program that assists people with all levels of disability find federal jobs. I have my Melwood job through this program. I am very thankful to Melwood and Goddard for giving me a job that offers good benefits and security.
    I offer my life experience as a person with a disability now working at Goddard. I try to make management aware of accessibility needs such as bathrooms, removal of snow from sidewalks and parking lots, assistive technology for hearing and sight impaired people and other issues. Goddard is very responsive to our accessibility needs.
    What do you do for fun?
    I love to read, especially Terry McMillan’s rom-coms. I love bungee jumping, zip lining and roller coasters. I love adrenaline rushes and am a thrill seeker!
    I enjoy traveling and have been to Hawaii and Mexico. I would like to take the train across the country. That way I would not have to move around, the train would be moving and I could still see the country. I would enjoy talking to everyone on the train and have a good time.
    What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words.
    Caring. Outgoing. Loves people. Adventurous. Joyful. Grateful. 
    By Elizabeth M. JarrellNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: John Moisan Studies the Ocean Through the ‘Eyes’ of AI

    Source: NASA

    Name: John Moisan
    Formal Job Classification: Research oceanographer
    Organization: Ocean Ecology Laboratory, Hydrosphere, Biosphere, Geophysics (HBG), Earth Science Directorate (Code 616) – duty station at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore
    What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?
    I develop ecosystem models and satellite algorithms to understand how the ocean’s ecology works. My work has evolved over time from when I coded ocean ecosystem models to the present where I now use artificial intelligence to evolve the ocean ecosystem models.
    How did you become an oceanographer?
    As a child, I watched a TV series called “Sea Hunt,” which involved looking for treasure in the ocean. It inspired me to want to spend my life scuba diving.
    I got a Bachelor of Science in marine biology from the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, and later got a Ph.D. from the Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
    Initially, I just wanted to do marine biology which to me meant doing lots of scuba diving, maybe living on a sailboat. Later, when I was starting my graduate schoolwork, I found a book about mathematical biology and a great professor who helped open my eyes to the world of numerical modeling. I found out that instead of scuba diving, I needed instead to spend my days behind a computer, learning how to craft ideas into equations and then code these into a computer to run simulations on ocean ecosystems.
    I put myself through my initial education. I went to school fulltime, but I lived at home and hitchhiked to college on a daily basis. When I started my graduate school, I worked to support myself. I was in school during the normal work week, but from Friday evening through Sunday night, I worked 40 hours at a medical center cleaning and sterilizing the operating room instrument carts. This was during the height of the AIDS epidemic.
    What was most exciting about your two field trips to the Antarctic?
    In 1987, I joined a six-week research expedition to an Antarctic research station to explore how the ozone hole was impacting phytoplankton. These are single-celled algae that are responsible for making half the oxygen we breathe. Traveling to Antarctica is like visiting another planet. There are more types of blue than I’ve ever seen. It is an amazingly beautiful place to visit, with wild landscapes, glaciers, mountains, sea ice, and a wide range of wildlife. After my first trip I returned home and went back in a few months later as a biologist on a joint Polish–U.S. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) expedition to carry out a biological survey and measure how much fast the phytoplankton was growing in different areas of the Southern Ocean. We used nets to measure the amounts of fish and shrimp and took water samples to measure salinity, the amount of algae and their growth rates. We ate well, for example the Polish cook made up a large batch of smoked ice fish.
    What other field work have you done?
    While a graduate student, I helped do some benthic work in the Gulf of Maine. This study was focused on understanding the rates of respiration in the muds on the bottom of the ocean and on understanding how much biomass was in the muds. The project lowered a benthic grab device to the bottom where it would push a box core device into the sediments to return it to the surface. This process is sort of like doing a biopsy of the ocean bottom.
    What is your goal as a research oceanographer at Goddard?
    Ocean scientists measure the amount and variability of chlorophyll a, a pigment in algae, in the ocean because it is an analogue to the amount of algae or phytoplankton in the ocean. Chlorophyll a is used to capture solar energy to make sugars, which the algae use for growth. Generally, areas of the ocean that have more chlorophyll are also areas where growth or primary production is higher. So, by estimating how much chlorophyll is in the ocean we can study how these processes are changing with an aim in understanding why. NASA uses the color of the ocean using satellites to estimate chlorophyll a because chlorophyll absorbs sunlight and changes the color of the ocean. Algae have other kinds of pigments, each of which absorbs light at different wavelengths. Because different groups of algae have different levels of pigments, they are like fingerprints that can reveal the type of algae in the water. Some of my research aims at trying to use artificial intelligence and mathematical techniques to create new ways to measure these pigments from space to understand how ocean ecosystems change.
    In 2024, NASA plans to launch the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite, which will measure the color of the ocean at many different wavelengths. The data from this satellite can be used with results from my work on genetic programs and inverse modeling to estimate concentrations of different pigments and possibly concentrations of different types of algae in the ocean.
    You have been at Goddard over 22 years. What is most memorable to you?
    I develop ecosystem models. But ecosystems do not have laws in the same way that physics has laws. Equations need to be created so that the ecosystem models represent what is observed in the real world. Satellites have been a great source for those observations, but without a lot of other types of observations that are collected in the field, the ocean, it is difficult to develop these equations. In my time at NASA, I have only been able to develop models because of the great but often tedious work that ocean scientists around the world have been doing when they go on ocean expeditions to measure various ocean features, be it simple temperature or the more complicated measurements of algal growth rates. My experience with their willingness to collaborate and share data is especially memorable. This experience is also what I enjoyed with numerous scientists at NASA who have always been willing to support new ideas and point me in the right direction. It has made working at NASA a phenomenal experience.

    Related Article: NASA Researcher’s AI ‘Eye’ Could Help Robotic Data-Gathering

    What are the philosophical implications of your work?
    The human capacity to think rapidly, to test and change our opinions based on what we learn, is slow compared to that of a computer. Computers can help us adapt more quickly. I can put 1,000 students in a room developing ecosystem model models. But I know that this process of developing ecosystem models is slow when compared what a computer can do using an artificial intelligence approach called genetic programming, it is a much faster way to generate ecosystem model solutions.
    Philosophically, there is no real ecosystem model that is the best. Life and ecosystems on Earth change and adapt at rates too fast for any present-day model to resolve, especially considering climate change. The only real ecosystem model is the reality itself. No computer model can perfectly simulate ecosystems. By utilizing the fast adaptability that evolutionary computer modeling techniques provide, simulating and ultimately predicting ecosystems can be improved greatly.
    How does your work have implications for scientists in general?
    I do evolutionary programming. I see a lot of possibility in using evolutionary programming to solve many large problems we are trying to solve. How did life start and evolve? Can these processes be used to evolve intelligence or sentience?
    The artificial intelligence (AI) work answers questions, but you need to identify the questions. This is the greater problem when it comes to working with AI. You cannot answer the question of how to create a sentient life if you do not know how to define it. If I cannot measure life, how can I model it? I do not know how to write that equation. How does life evolve? How did the evolutionary process start? These are big questions I enjoy discussing with friends. It can be as frustrating as contemplating “nothing.”
    Who inspires you?
    Many of the scientists that I was fortunate to work with at various research institutes, such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. These are groups of scientists are open to always willing to share their ideas. These are individuals who enjoy doing science. I will always be indebted to them for their kindness in sharing of ideas and data.
    Do you still scuba dive?
    Yes, I wish I could dive daily, it is a very calming experience. I’m trying to get my kids to join me.
    What else do you do for fun?
    My wife and I bike and travel. Our next big bike trip will hopefully be to Shangri-La City in China. I also enjoy sailing and trying to grow tropical plants. But, most of all, I enjoy helping raise my children to be resilient, empathic, and intelligent beings.
    What are your words to live by?
    Life. So much to see. So little time.

    Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Mark SubbaRao Brings Data to Life Through Art

    Source: NASA

    Name: Mark SubbaRao
    Title: Lead, Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS)
    Formal Job Classification: Information Technology Specialist
    Organization: SVS, Science Mission Directorate (Code 606.4)
    What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?
    I have an amazing job. I get to work with all the most interesting NASA science and make it visual to help people can understand it. The Scientific Visualization Studio, the SVS, supports all of NASA and is located at Goddard.
    What is your educational background?
    I have B.S. in engineering physics, minor in astronomy, from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. I have a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Johns Hopkins University.
    What is data visualization? How is it different from animation?
    Data visualization is the graphical representation of actual data (in our case usually scientific data). At its most basic it takes the forms of charts, graphs, and maps. In contrast, conceptual animation, such as the work of our colleagues in the CI Lab, is the graphical representation of ideas. Conceptual animation and data visualization are both needed to communicate the full scientific process.
    How did your work for the University of Chicago develop your interest in visualization?
    I worked on software for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a project to create the biggest 3D map of the universe. Our goal was to map 3D positions of a million galaxies, which we did. My role was to develop the software to determine the distance to galaxies. To see the result we needed a way to see how the galaxies were distributed in 3D, which led to my interest in visualization.
    Viewing this map, I felt like we had revealed a new world which no one had yet seen altogether. The desire to share that with the public led me a position at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago.

    How did planetariums evolve during your 18 years of working for the Adler Planetarium?
    I led their visualization efforts for their Space Visualization Laboratory, a laboratory that was on the museum floor and had multiple specialized displays. The local scientific community used our laboratory to present to the public including other scientists and students.
    I also produced planetarium shows and designed exhibits. My last project, “Astrographics” for Art on the Mart, was a 2.6-acre, outdoor projection onto a building near the Chicago River. We believe that this is the largest, permanent outdoor digital projection in the world.
    I began to see the power of the planetarium as a data visualization environment. Traditionally, a planetarium has been a place to project stars and tell stories about constellations. Planetariums have now evolved into a general-purpose visualization platform to communicate science.
    I got more involved with the planetarium community, which led to me becoming president of the International Planetarium Society. A major focus of my presidency was promoting planetariums in Africa.
    Why did you come to NASA’s SVS at Goddard?
    I came to Goddard in December 2020. I always admired NASA’s SVS and had used their products. I consider the SVS the preeminent group using scientific visualization for public communication.
    I wanted to work on visualizations for a broader variety of sciences, in particular, climate science. Our group created visualizations for the United Nations Climate Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, the fall of 2021. In March 2022, I created a visualization called Climate Spiral, which went viral.

    [embedded content]
    This visualization shows monthly global temperature anomalies (changes from an average) between the years 1880 and 2021. Whites and blues indicate cooler temperatures, while oranges and reds show warmer temperatures.Credits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center / NASA’s Scientific Visualization StudioDownload high-resolution video and images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio

    As the lead, how do you hope to inspire your group?
    Our group is very talented, experienced, and self-motivated. Data visualization has recently exploded as a communication tool. Our goal is to continue to stay on top of this rapidly evolving field. Coupled with this, there has been an explosion in scientific data from satellites and super computers. As data becomes bigger and more complex, visualization becomes an even more important tool for understanding that data.

    Your work combines art and science. What are the benefits of combining art and science?
    One huge benefit is that you can reach people through an artistic visual presentation of science who may not be interested in simply reading an article. You can go beyond teaching people, you can move them emotionally through a good, artistic presentation.
    For example, in “Climate Spiral,” we did not want to just inform people that global average temperatures have increased, we wanted people to feel that the temperature has increased.
    Also, our universe is just beautiful. Why not let the beauty of the universe create something artistic for you? I sometimes feel like I cheat by letting the universe do my design for me.
    What do you do for fun?
    Since moving to Maryland, and living near the Chesapeake Bay, I have taken up stand up paddleboarding. I like to cook too. My father is Indian, so I cook a lot of Indian food.
    Who inspires you?
    Arthur C. Clarke, the science fiction writer, also wrote a lot of popular science. He played a big part in my decision to become a scientist.

    Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.
    By Elizabeth M. JarrellNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Scientists & Historian Named AAAS 2022 Fellows

    Source: NASA

    Four individuals with NASA affiliations have been named 2022 fellows by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in recognition of their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements in the scientific enterprise.
    Election as a Fellow by the AAAS Council honors members whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications in service to society have distinguished them among their peers and colleagues. The 2022 Fellows class includes 508 scientists, engineers, and innovators spanning 24 scientific disciplines.
    Rita Sambruna from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, was recognized in the AAAS Section on Astronomy, and Jennifer Wiseman, also from Goddard, was recognized in the AAAS Section on Physics. Dorothy Peteet of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York was honored in the AAAS section on Earth Science. Erik Conway of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in southern California was honored for distinguished contributions and public outreach to the history of science and understanding of contemporary science and science policy.

    Rita Sambruna
    Dr. Rita Sambruna is the acting deputy director of the Science and Exploration Directorate and the deputy director of the Astrophysics Division at Goddard. She also promotes increased participation of underrepresented groups in science.
    She worked with a team to position Goddard to lead the decadal top priority missions. She led a team to set into place a vision for a Multi-Messenger Astrophysics Science Support Center at Goddard, to lead the astrophysics community in reaping the most from NASA- and ground-based observations of celestial sources.  
    She came to Goddard in 2005 to work on multiwavelength observations of jets using the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and other NASA capabilities. From 2010 to 2020 she worked at NASA Headquarters, Washington, as a program scientist for astrophysics. Her research interests include relativistic jets, physics of compact objects, supermassive black holes in galaxies, and multiwavelength and multi-messenger astrophysics.
    In December 2022, Sambruna was awarded the Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) as an internationally acclaimed astrophysicist who embodies the RAS mission in promoting the advancement of science, the increased participation of historically underrepresented groups in astronomy, and a broad interest in astronomy. In 2019 she was awarded the NASA Extraordinary Achievement Medal for her leadership on the 2020 Astrophysics Decadal Survey studies. She was named Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2020 and a Fellow of the American Astronomical Society in 2021.

    Jennifer Wiseman
    Dr. Jennifer Wiseman is a senior astrophysicist at Goddard and a Senior Fellow at Goddard, where she serves as the senior project scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope. Her primary responsibility is to ensure that the Hubble mission is as scientifically productive as possible. Previously, Wiseman headed Goddard’s Laboratory for Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics. She started her career at NASA in 2003 as the program scientist for Hubble and several other astrophysics missions at NASA Headquarters. 
    Wiseman’s scientific expertise is centered on the study of star-forming regions in our galaxy using a variety of tools, including radio, optical, and infrared telescopes. She has a particular interest in dense interstellar gas cloud cores, embedded protostars, and their related outflows as active ingredients of cosmic nurseries where stars and their planetary systems are born. In addition to research in astrophysics, Wiseman is also interested in science policy and public science outreach and engagement. She has served as a congressional science fellow of the American Physical Society, an elected councilor of the American Astronomical Society, and a public dialogue leader for AAAS. She enjoys giving talks on the excitement of astronomy and scientific discovery, and has appeared in many science and news venues, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, NOVA, and National Public Radio.

    Dorothy Peteet
    Dr. Dorothy M. Peteet is a senior research scientist at GISS and an adjunct professor at Columbia University. She directs the Paleoecology Division of the New Core Lab at Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) of Columbia.
    In collaboration with GISS climate modelers and LDEO geochemists, she is studying conditions of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene that are archived in sediments from lakes and wetlands. Peteet documents past changes in vegetation, derived from analyses of pollen and spores, plant and animal macrofossils, carbon, and charcoal embedded in sediments. Her research provides local and regional records of ancient vegetational and climate history. One recent focus has been the sequestration of carbon in northern peatlands and coastal marshes: ecosystems that are now vulnerable to climate change and potentially substantial releases of carbon back into the atmosphere.
    Peteet also has performed climate modeling experiments to test hypotheses concerning the last glacial maximum and abrupt climate change. She is interested in climate sensitivity and in how past climate changes and ecological shifts might provide insights on future climate change. 

    Erik Conway
    Erik Conway has served as the historian at JPL since 2004. Prior to that, he was a contract historian at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. He is a historian of science and technology, and has written histories of atmospheric science, supersonic transportation, aviation infrastructure, Mars exploration, and climate change denial.
    He is the author of nine books, most recently, “A History of Near-Earth Objects Research” (NASA, 2022), and “The Big Myth” (Bloomsbury, 2023). His book “Merchants of Doubt” with Naomi Oreskes was awarded the Helen Miles Davis and Watson Davis prize from the History of Science Society. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2018 and the Athelstan Spilhaus Award from the American Geophysical Union in 2016.
    AAAS noted that these honorees have gone above and beyond in their respective disciplines. They bring a broad diversity of perspectives, innovation, curiosity, and passion that will help sustain the scientific field today and into the future. Many of these individuals have broken barriers to achieve successes in their given disciplines.
    AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals.
    For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: https://www.nasa.gov

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