Wildfire Letdowns and Wake-up Calls

With damage estimates at more than $1 billion following recent October wildfires in the state of California, an important question comes into view: how will residents, business owners, insurance companies and community leaders respond?Will people incorporate learning from the fires into decisions about whether, where and how to prepare for future fires?Risk perception researchers funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) say some people will experience "post-e More ...

President Honors Mentors of Scientists and Engineers

The value of mentoring in developing the scientists of the future was at front and center with the latest Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), a program supported and administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF).The winners of the 2006 competition -- comprising 10 individuals and one organization and representing a number of scientific disciplines -- were announced at the White House on Nov. 16.Since 1996, thes More ...