Uncommon Courses[1] is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching. Title of course:Socially Engaged Design of Nuclear Energy TechnologiesWhat prompted the idea for the course?The two of us had some
How 18F transformed government technology − and why its elimination matters
Healthcare.gov, the government health insurance marketplace website, launched in October 2013 only to buckle under the weight[1] of just 2,000 simultaneous users. As millions of Americans stared at error messages and frozen screens, a political crisis unfolded,
How government data would give an AI company extraordinary power
The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has secured unprecedented access[1] to at least seven sensitive federal databases, including those of the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration. This access has sparked fears about
Anger is a flow of emotion like water through a hose − at work, it helps to know when to turn it up or down and how to direct it
Pretty much everyone will sometimes struggle with anger at work. People fear the wrath of abusive supervisors, suppress anger to maintain a façade of professionalism, or vent anger toward co-workers who are, fairly or not, targets. Reactions to anger in the
Extreme heat silently accelerates aging on a molecular level − new research
What if extreme heat not only leaves you feeling exhausted but actually makes you age faster?
Scientists already know that extreme heat increases the risk[1] of heat stroke, cardiovascular disease, kidney dysfunction and even death. I see these effects often
How much does scientific progress cost? Without government dollars for research infrastructure, breakthroughs become improbable
Biomedical research in the U.S. is world-class in part[1] because of a long-standing partnership between universities and the federal government.
On Feb. 7, 2025, the U.S. National Institutes of Health issued a policy[2] that could weaken the position of the
Address science misinformation not by repeating the facts, but by building conversation and community
Misinformation about scientific topics, including falsehoods such as vaccines cause autism and climate change being an entirely natural phenomenon, is an issue scientists have been discussing more and more[1]. Widespread misinformation can lead to confusion about