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How Grad Schools Became the Hidden Culprit Behind America's Student-debt Crisis
How Grad Schools Became the Hidden Culprit Behind America's Student-debt Crisis
Over half of the massive US student-loan debt comes from graduate schools, and it's a sign master's degrees aren't the path to wealth they used to be.
Why NIH is Beefing Up Its Data Sharing Rules After 16 Years
Draft update to 2003 policy of the National Institute of Health will require that all grantees make data sets freely available.

E.P.A. to Limit Science Used to Write Public Health Rules
A new agency rule would restrict the science that can be used in drafting health regulations by requiring researchers to turn over confidential health data.

Dissecting Racial Bias in an Algorithm Used to Manage the Health of Populations
Dissecting Racial Bias in an Algorithm Used to Manage the Health of Populations
The U.S. health care system uses commercial algorithms to guide health decisions. Obermeyer et al. find evidence of racial bias in one widely used algorithm, such that Black patients assigned the same level of risk by the algorithm are sicker than White patients (see the Perspective by Benjamin). The authors estimated that this racial bias reduces the number of Black patients identified for extra care by more than half.

Industry Dominates Trump’s New Council of Science Advisers
President Trump revived the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology on Tuesday after nearly two years without it.
Scientific Integrity Bill Advances in U.S. House with Bipartisan Support
Scientific Integrity Bill Advances in U.S. House with Bipartisan Support
Democrats drop some provisions to gain Republican backing and improve chances of final passage of the scientific integrity bill.

NOAA Staff Warned in Sept. 1 Directive Against Contradicting Trump
Nearly a week before the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publicly backed President Trump over its own scientists, a top NOAA official warned its staff against contradicting the president. This happened hours after Trump asserted, with no evidence, that Alabama "would most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated" by hurricane Dorian, and days before he showed a hurricane map modified with a hand-drawn, half-circle around Alabama.
How the Trump Administration Limited the Scope of the USDA's 2020 Dietary Guidelines
How the Trump Administration Limited the Scope of the USDA's 2020 Dietary Guidelines
The Trump administration is limiting scientific input to the 2020 dietary guidelines, raising concerns among nutrition advocates and independent experts about industry influence over healthy eating recommendations for all Americans.
Trump Administration Weakens Endangered Species Act
Changes to the United States' landmark conservation law make it easier to strip threatened species of the strongest protections.
The Science of Gun Violence
A growing chorus of researchers wants to study gun violence in the U.S. as a public health issue, similar to the way they have tracked automobile or workplace safety for decades.
In Departure for NIH, Cancer Moonshot Requires Grantees to Make Papers Immediately Free
In Departure for NIH, Cancer Moonshot Requires Grantees to Make Papers Immediately Free
The long-standing debate over open access to research results has been marked by a geographic divide - but the divide is starting to blur.

E.P.A. Broke Rules in Shake-Up of Science Panels, Federal Watchdog Says
The Government Accountability Office found that the administration "did not consistently ensure" that appointees to E.P.A. advisory boards met federal ethics requirements.

The Odds Are Stacked Against Black, Latino Students Going to Grad School. Here Are Some Solutions
The Odds Are Stacked Against Black, Latino Students Going to Grad School. Here Are Some Solutions
A handful of universities are trying to help more black and Hispanic students get into and through graduate school, where they enroll in disproportionately low numbers. This is a problem not only for the students, but for the schools themselves and for employers who need workers with graduate educations.

Science Panel's Fight for Survival
The Trump administration wants to disband a panel of national security advisors, the latest U.S. crackdown on science.

A Vaunted Program for Boosting the Diversity of U.S. Academic Scientists is Starting to Spread
A Vaunted Program for Boosting the Diversity of U.S. Academic Scientists is Starting to Spread
Until recently, few universities tried to replicate the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, aiming to increase diversity among future leaders in science, technology, engineering and related fields. But that's changing.

U.S. Targeting of Chinese Scientists Fuels a Brain Drain
A Chinese scientist’s startup fled the U.S. after a federal investigation that included a failed sting, airport stops and an unfounded child-porn search.
Royal Society President Stands Up for Chinese Scientists in the United States
Royal Society President Stands Up for Chinese Scientists in the United States
We scientists must stand up for openness and fairness. Discriminating against someone because of their ethnicity, turning down a collaboration or refusing a visa for a conference on the grounds of nationality, or simply making someone feel unwelcome because they are an immigrant - these are all morally objectionable and practically counterproductive. Such behaviour must cease.

Amid Concerns About Grad Student Mental Health, One University Takes a Novel Approach
Amid Concerns About Grad Student Mental Health, One University Takes a Novel Approach
At the University of North Carolina, specialized counselors serve the school's biomedical Ph.D. students.

'Psychological Fear': MIT Scientists of Chinese Origin Protest Toxic US Climate
'Psychological Fear': MIT Scientists of Chinese Origin Protest Toxic US Climate
Researchers describe how a government crackdown on foreign influence is affecting them following a statement of support from their university.

Jason-a Secretive Group of Cold War Science Advisers-is Fighting to Survive in the 21st Century
Jason-a Secretive Group of Cold War Science Advisers-is Fighting to Survive in the 21st Century
After near-death experience, top scientists seek a long-term home in the U.S. government.

The U.S. Is Purging Chinese Cancer Researchers From Top Institutions
The NIH and the FBI are targeting ethnic Chinese scientists, including U.S. citizens, searching for a cancer cure. Here's the first account of what happened to Xifeng Wu.
