NOAA signs data-share agreement with offshore wind energy company
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Ørsted Wind Power North America LLC, an offshore wind development company, to share physical and biological data in Ørsted-leased waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction. The MOA, announced on March 29, is the first of its kind between an offshore wind developer and NOAA, and it paves the way for similar data-sharing agreements with other developers. Learn more.
USDA-NRCS and partners unveil new decision-support tool for fire management
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on March 30 unveiled the new Southeast FireMap, a fire mapping tool for the Southeastern United States that enables resource managers to improve their regional or local approaches to managing wildfire risk and fire management needs through targeted prescribed burns and training. The collaborative project included partnerships with the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the LongLeaf Alliance, Tall Timbers Research, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Learn more.
NRL joins Ithaca-led search for new ways to boost computing power
The Naval Research Laboratory is collaborating with Ithaca College and the State University of New York at Brockport on research into alternative methods of increasing computing power, and in turn reduce electrical power consumption. The project, funded by the National Science Foundation, will involve undergraduates from both academic institutions. Learn more.
Voucher program to support clean tech collaborations in NJ opens April 5
Starting on April 5, small businesses in New Jersey can apply for vouchers of up to $15,000 to support technology development or testing in collaboration with federal laboratory facilities in the same state, as part of a program from the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (CSIT). Learn more.
NIST's privacy-preserving 'encounter metrics' could help slow pandemic spread
As part of urgent efforts to fight COVID-19, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed an encrypted method of using "encounter metrics" that can be applied to smartphones and other devices to help with slowing down the COVID-19 pandemic or preventing future pandemics. Learn More.
CDC-NIH initiative brings COVID-19 self-testing to residents in two communities
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have launched an innovative community health initiative called “Say Yes! COVID Test” to determine if frequent self-administered COVID-19 testing helps residents reduce community transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. Learn More.