RSS feed source: National Science Foundation

The U.S. National Science Foundation announced a new funding opportunity that would invest up to $100 million to support a network of “programmable cloud laboratories,” aimed at expanding access to cutting-edge technology to accelerate the automation of scientific discovery and innovation.

The NSF Test Bed: Toward a Network of Programmable Cloud Laboratories (NSF PCL Test Bed) would establish artificial intelligence-enabled laboratories nationwide to integrate, test, evaluate and validate the capabilities of new cutting-edge AI-based technologies.

This new program directly implements a priority of the White House AI Action Plan to accelerate AI-enabled science through automated laboratory infrastructure. It will be led by the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) and subject to future appropriations.

“The idea of a national network of programmable cloud laboratories builds on NSF’s longstanding legacy of transformative investments — such as NSFNET decades ago — that paved the way for the modern internet,” said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for TIP.

The NSF PCL initiative will invest in a network of laboratories that can be remotely accessed to run custom, user-programmed AI-enabled workflows. These hubs will help bring innovative technologies into practical use during scientific and engineering experiments. The initial focus will be on biotechnology and materials science — fields that are well-positioned to benefit from the programmable cloud laboratory model.

“The PCL initiative will transform how U.S. researchers conduct scientific

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RSS feed source: National Science Foundation

In-brief analysis

August 5, 2025

Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-930, Hourly and Daily Balancing Authority Operations Report

Electricity demand in the Lower 48 states exceeded previous peaks on two days in the last week of July.

Hot weather, which increases electricity demand for cooling, combined with an underlying trend of demand increases, pushed coincident peak demand for the Lower 48 states to a high of 758,053 megawatts (MW) on July 28 between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. eastern time, according to the preliminary data in our Hourly Electric Grid Monitor. The next day, peak demand set another record, reaching 759,180 MW, 1.9% more than the record set on July 15, 2024 of 745,020 MW.

We forecast U.S. electricity demand fulfilled by the electric power sector will grow at an annual rate of

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RSS feed source: National Science Foundation

Job Overview and Description:

One to two exciting post-doctoral research associate positions are available for individuals interested to pursue scholarly research in transportation engineering at Western Kentucky University (WKU), particularly in transportation safety (crash analysis). Candidates need to demonstrate prior experience and publication record in prestigious journals specialized in traffic safety as part of their resume, such as: Accident Analysis & Prevention, Transportation Research Record, Journal of Safety Research, Safety Science, ASCE: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Traffic Injury Prevention, etc. The position is secured for one year, with the possibility of extension pending satisfactory performance and funding availability. The duties include the following:

– Work on several transportation safety grants sponsored by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC or the Kentucky DOT), including motorcycle safety, distracted driving crashes, roundabout and Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) intersection safety, and application of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques

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