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The U.S. National Science Foundation today launched a 24/7 crisis intervention helpline for members of the NSF research community who have experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment, or stalking.

The NSF Safer Science Helpline is an anonymous and secure helpline available to NSF awardees, grantees, scientists, contractors and those affiliated with supporting the mission of NSF, including all those supporting NSF’s mission throughout Antarctica and the Arctic.

“NSF is committed to ensuring a culture free from sexual assault, sexual harassment and stalking,” said Renée V. Ferranti, special assistant to the director for NSF Sexual Assault and Harassment Prevention and Response Program Office (NSF SAHPR). “The NSF Safer Science Helpline will give members of the NSF research community a safe way to access support and resources and help foster an environment free from sexual violence.”

Helpline support specialists provide live, confidential, one-on-one crisis intervention and emotional support, as well as information for reporting channels and helping connect victims of sexual harm to additional support resources.

Victims and survivors can access resources through phone, online chat and SMS text support mechanisms. All services are anonymous and secure, providing NSF community members with the help they need, anytime, anywhere. Services are trauma-informed and survivor-centered, aligning with NSF’s goals of ensuring confidentiality, safety and comprehensive care for victims and survivors.

Individuals can access the NSF Safer Science Helpline in the following ways: 
Phone

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RSS feed source: National Science Foundation

Researchers funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation have created a molecular nanocage that captures the bulk of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, found in water — and it works better than traditional filtering techniques that use activated carbon. Made of organic nanoporous material designed to capture only PFAS, this tiny chemical-based filtration system removed 80 to 90% of PFAS from sewage and groundwater during the study, respectively, while showing very low adverse environmental effects.

The study was led by scientists at the University at Buffalo and published in American Chemical Society ES&T Engineering.

PFAS are chemical compounds sometimes called “forever chemicals” and are commonly used in food packaging, nonstick coatings and other applications. PFAS do not degrade easily and are notoriously difficult to remove from water sources. Studies show exposure to PFAS may cause a range of negative health impacts, including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children and increased risk for some cancers. The safe and effective removal of PFAS from groundwater, sewage and other water sources is a national challenge.

Molecular nanocages have been previously suggested as candidates for pollutant removal, including for PFAS. Their sturdy structures provide capabilities to capture, remove and chemically deactivate hazardous substances like PFAS and many others. They could also potentially filter out noxious gases from the air, the study authors say.

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The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $20 million grant to expand the NSF CloudBank, an initiative designed to accelerate science and engineering research through access to commercial cloud computing. Building upon the success of a previous pilot award, this expanded phase will significantly increase access to cutting-edge computing, artificial intelligence model access and other commercial cloud services, strengthening the U.S. science and technology workforce, and ensuring the nation remains at the forefront of global innovation.

Led by the San Diego Supercomputer Center and Information Technology Services Division at UC San Diego, in partnership with UC Berkeley’s College of Computing, Data Science, and Society and the University of Washington’s eScience Institute, CloudBank 2.0 will continue its collaboration with major cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure and NVIDIA’s DGX Cloud. This will provide seamless access to commercial cloud computing, AI tools and model access, and advanced data processing capabilities.

“CloudBank 2.0 will further our mission to expand the ecosystem of available advanced computing, data and AI services available to the U.S. research community — from leading research universities to smaller institutions,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. “By adding commercial cloud resources to NSF’s offerings for researchers, NSF is committing to enhancing partnerships with the private sector. CloudBank 2.0 will leverage industry resources and expertise to strengthen

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Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, scientists have accurately modeled particular cellular changes in Drosophila melanogaster, or the fruit fly, during embryonic development. When certain tissue shrinks dramatically to close a gap during the fruit fly embryo’s growth, the cells remain elastically solid rather than turning into a liquid form as expected. The model created by the researchers shows how this phenomenon happens and may lead to a new form of condensed matter physics with potential applications in neuroscience, biology and artificial intelligence.

The findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also revealed a surprising connection to the work that earned the 2024 Nobel Prize in physics.

“During the dorsal closure process, tissue, called amnioserosa, is shrinking like mad, and by all accounts, it should turn into a fluid,” says Andrea Liu, University of Pennsylvania theoretical physicist and author on the research. “But it doesn’t. The cells stay locked in place with their neighbors, and we wanted to understand why.”