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Dunham-Episcopal winner wins in dominant fashion to keep undefeated record
Dunham and Episcopal boys basketball faced off on Friday night.
Paradise sees steady growth in business sector as community rebuilds post-Camp Fire
According to Mark Thorp, Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce Business Advocate, Paradise continues to emerge as a growing community in the state, with a steadily
Health advocates urge new policies as Florida session nears
Affordable healthcare is top of mind for many across the state as the debate on the national level continues to intensify. With lawmakers heading back up to Tallahassee in a matter of days, advocat…
LEGO Says Smart Brick Won't Replace Traditional Play After CES Backlash
LEGO has responded to concerns that its newly announced Smart Brick technology represents a departure from the company's foundation in physical, non-digital play, a day after the official reveal at CES drew criticism from child development advocates. Federico Begher, SVP of Product, New Business, to...
Politics of the personal
Once a high-flying financial trader, Gary Stevenson now leverages his platform and personal experience to advocate for targeted wealth tax on fortunes over £10m. This article explores his mission to shift public debate away from polarisation and toward social justice
Vigil honors Dr. Janell Green Smith, advocate for Black maternal health
Dozens gathered at Forest Park Playground to honor 31-year-old Dr. Janell Green Smith, who passed away earlier this month due to complications during childbirth
How Does It Work?: Drexel’s Employee Assistance Program From Health Advocate
Drexel’s EAP is now administered by Health Advocate. Drexel Wellness Consultant Monica Fauble explained the key features and benefits of the program.
The Supreme Court confronts the trans rights movement’s toughest legal battle
Trans advocates would face a difficult road in the sports cases, even if the Court weren’t dominated by Republicans.
Midwife, doctor dies during childbirth, reignites Black maternal health conversations in NC
Dr. Janell Green Smith advocated for Black people giving birth and just days into the new year, she died while giving birth to her first child.
Marjorie Taylor Greene's puzzling political transformation, explained
Once a fierce advocate for Trump and his MAGA base, Greene has broken with the president and resigned from Congress. New Yorker writer Charles Bethea discusses Greene's past — and what may lie ahead.
Advocates urge NJ lawmakers to protect transgender health care
New Jersey lawmakers have failed to pass a bill that would shield patients and providers from liability for gender-affirming care.
Bears Playoffs Sweepstakes by Advocate Health Care giving fans chance to win tickets to wild card game
Be part of the Bears' Good, Better, Best playoff journey! Enter the Bears Playoffs Sweepstakes by Advocate Health Care for a chance to cheer on the Bears live at Soldier Field in their wild card game Jan. 10 against the Packers!
NJEA members drive change in local and state politics
By Marybeth Beichert NJEA members across the state bring their skills, dedication and expertise to school districts every day. They advocate for their students and public education, volunteer their time,
Sponsored: Louisiana’s Fisheries Are Complex. Let’s Base Decisions on Science, Not Assumptions.
A recent Advocate/Times-Picayune article examined what Louisiana anglers caught in 2025 and what those numbers could suggest about the health of our most popular sport fish. It highlighted an important
Sponsored: Louisiana’s Fisheries Are Complex. Let’s Base Decisions on Science, Not Assumptions.
A recent Advocate/Times-Picayune article examined what Louisiana anglers caught in 2025 and what those numbers could suggest about the health of our most popular sport fish. It highlighted an important
Westborough publisher explores the internet's impact on science
WESTBOROUGH — Crime syndicates, scientists gone rogue, Russian hackers, fake authors, and predatory journals. How has the internet disrupted science?
Palestine advocates praise NYC’s Mamdani for revoking pro-Israel decrees
Israeli government hits out at newly sworn-in New York City mayor, falsely calling him a 'Muslim Brotherhood Islamist'.
Israeli tech CEO calls on US govt to 'limit' First Amendment,' take control of social media to prevent 'lies'
Tech CEO Shlomo Kramer advocated government regulation of free speech during a CNBC interview, claiming First Amendment limitations necessary to prevent polarization and "lies."
‘It’s our turn’: gun-safety advocates are riding a ‘seismic’ wave to US legislatures
A once-toxic topic is helping survivors and relatives of victims get elected to enact the laws they helped draft
How new protest laws are impacting political demonstrations
More than a dozen states have passed laws regulating protests in recent years, raising concerns among free-speech advocates.
From rent to utility bills: the politicians and advocates making climate policy part of the affordability agenda
As the Trump administration derides climate policy as a ‘scam’, emissions-cutting measures are gaining popularity
Mamdani Takes Health Fund Audit 'Seriously' as Insolvency Reverberates
The audit from Comptroller Brad Lander, concluding the joint union-City Hall insurance fund owes billions of dollars to the city, is applauded by fiscal watchdogs and advocates who have long decried deals they say ripped off retirees and taxpayers.
Meet Nicole Watts: Minister, refugee advocate, political neophyte will lead Onondaga County legislature
Nicole Watts, 43, says "yes" when most others would walk away.
Saints at Titans postgame show
The New Orleans Saints seek their fourth straight victory but face a challenge from the Tennessee Titans on the road in NFL Week 17. We'll take your comments and questions
Louisiana health notes: A new health education building, doctors in Baton Rouge and more
Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you'd like to share? Contact us at margaret.delaney@theadvocate.com.
Health care advocates ready to leave 2025 behind, but many issues will reemerge in 2026
Health care advocates and state officials called the past year “stressful,” “frustrating” and “crazy” -- from jarring shifts in federal policies to ongoing budget problems. They're ready to leave 2025 behind, but fear 2026 may be more of the same.
We need to address the ‘cardiovascular deserts’ in health care: Lee Kirksey
For my part, I refuse to forget the communities like the one in which I grew up that represent the best of Ohio. Cardiovascular deserts are yet another dimension of health disparities that require political will, partnership and tailored strategies to address, writes guest columnist Dr. Lee Kirksey, a Cleveland vascular surgeon and health equity advocate.
A small business owner in Kansas City has created a legal option for street racing
At illegal side shows or street takeovers, drivers show off their skills and their cars. Now a side show advocate in Kansas City says he's created a legal way that drivers can take part.
NY advocates raise concerns over gender-related proposals
Advocates said the new stance could cause harm to a population that’s already vulnerable.
Advocates want bill to protect children during custody battles in state budget
Kyra's Law would be named for 2-year-old Kyra Franchetti.
Advocates push for passage of Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act
Advocates with the National Breast Cancer Coalition hope Congress will move the bipartisan measure forward.
The disunity of science is a feature, not a bug
Mathematical models wield miraculous power, but mistaking them for reality has trapped science in a destructive quest for a “Theory of Everything.” Physicist and philosopher Ragner Fjelland argues that this leads to bloated, Frankenstein theories kept alive by clumsy, ad-hoc amendments, which reduce rather than boost science’s power. Fjelland calls for a radical shift in our attitude: we must reorientate towards creating entirely new theories, celebrating rather than lamenting disunity and diversity in science. Science, from the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century to the present day, has more or less developed in a “reductionist” way. The fundamental assumption is that all sciences may be ordered in a hierarchy that can be represented as an upside-down pyramid. At the top we find the human sciences, and at the bottom physics. Strong (or “ontological”) reductionism maintains that all theories at one level can be completely reduced to the lower level, all the way down to theories of atoms and elementary particles, or whatever is “at the bottom.” In the end, all diversity in the world can be unified in one fundamental theory. Hence it is called a final theory, or a Theory of Everything.One of the central figures in developing the idea of a Theory of Everything is the Dutch theoretical physicist Gerard 't Hooft, who received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1999 for his work. He emphasizes the non-empirical status of the theory:There exists no closely resembling alternative theory. This means that any slight change brought about in the rules would make the theory unlikely or inelegant. The theory will be a "package deal": take it, or leave it. This should hold both for the local laws and for the boundary conditions.This endeavor is not new. On the contrary, it goes all the way back to the birth of Western philosophy 2,500 years ago. The Babylonians made regular astronomical observations during a period of 600 years, from 747 BCE until 150 ACE. They developed mathematical techniques to predict astronomical phenomena, but they made no attempts at explaining them. However, the Greeks developed models, both material and theoretical, to explain the observed phenomena.The best example is Plato’s late dialogue Timaeus. Here he introduces a divine craftsman, the Demiurge, who has constructed the universe according to an original plan. Plato seems to have thought that the original plan is what is actually real, while the material world is merely an imperfect realization of it. He therefore does not, in the Timaeus, reconstruct the material universe, but the original plan, which can then be used to explain the material universe.Plato’s aim in producing a theoretical model is to reconstruct the original plan. That is what he carries out in Timaeus—and some modern physicists have embarked on the same project. For example, Einstein’s basic attitude is reflected in the title of Abraham Pais’ biography: “Subtle is the Lord...,” echoing Einstein’s comment, “Subtle is the Lord, but malicious He is not.” In an interview Einstein compared our situation to a child who enters a huge library. The child knows that someone has written the books, but he does not know the languages in which they are written. He suspects that there is a mysterious order, but he does not know what it is.___“We have all been working in what Husserl called the Galilean style; that is, we have all been making abstract mathematical models of the universe to which at least the physicists give a higher degree of reality than they accord the ordinary world of sensation.”Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)___This Platonist view is contrary to a widespread impression of science, symbolized by the picture of the “father” of modern science, Galileo Galilei, with his telescope. According to this impression, Galileo liberated himself from the dominating metaphysics of his day—basically Aristotelian philosophy—and constructed a telescope that he directed towards the sky, showing that Jupiter has four moons. He also performed experiments with bronze balls rolling down inclined planes and found the law of freely falling bodies.However, in other cases Galileo emphasized the unreliability of our senses. It is easy to see why. He defended Copernicus’ heliocentric hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we are not at rest at the center of the universe, but moving at a tremendous speed through space. Why don’t we observe this motion? Galileo praises Copernicus because “with reason as his guide he resolutely continued to affirm what sensible experience seemed to contradict.” In other places he directly refers to Plato. SUGGESTED VIEWING The quest for a final theory With Michio Kaku Galileo’s Platonism goes back to his early writings. In The Assayer, published as early as 1623, Galileo compared the universe to a grand book that is written in the language of mathematics, and “its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it.” Therefore, things that cannot be described by mathematics—for example, colors, smells and odors—are not real. They are merely subjective.This division into subjective and objective, advocated by Galileo and his younger contemporary René Descartes, is normally associated with a mechanistic world view, which is regarded as the opposite of Platonism. When we reduce something to, for example, molecules and atoms, we move “downwards.” In contrast, the Platonist moves “upwards,” to abstract entities. However, it only shows that when we address fundamental questions, we should be careful in applying everyday spatial metaphors like “up” and “down.”___Nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world.___The endeavor of finding a Theory of Everything has been heavily criticized. In 2006, the theoretical physicist Lee Smolin published “The Crisis in Fundamental Physics.” He argued that one of the most fundamental principles of science is that we should only regard theories as scientific if we have the possibility to show that they are false by experiments. Although he did not refer to Karl Popper, other critics have referred to Popper and argued that a theory is not scientific if it cannot be falsified (see for example Ellis & Silk 2014).These were not the first physicists to be anti-reductionists. In 1972, the journal Science published an article by the physicist Philip Anderson with the title “More Is Different.” This is the kind of article a scientist would normally write only after he has won a Nobel Prize. However, Anderson won the Nobel Prize for physics five years later, in 1977. The article is amazing, not primarily because it argues in favor of anti-reductionism in general, but because it argues for anti-reductionism within physics itself. Anderson’s conclusion was:At each stage entirely new laws, concepts, and generalizations are necessary, requiring inspiration and creativity to just as great a degree as in the previous one. Psychology is not applied biology, nor is biology applied chemistry.We may say that Plato started the “unity of science movement,” based on Euclidean geometry as the model of all knowledge. A distinguishing mark of geometry is that all possible constructions can be reduced to a few fundamental principles. We have to acknowledge that this approach has limitations. In general, we can easily model technological systems. In addition, we may construct simplified and idealized models that capture important aspects of systems, from various perspectives and for various purposes. But nature is complex, and we cannot in general construct mathematical models that adequately describe the world. In a complex system, each level has its distinct, emergent, properties that are characteristic of this level. Therefore, a complex system should be investigated at different levels and from different perspectives. Instead of exclusively pursuing a scientific ideal based on the unity of science, we should acknowledge the diversity—or even the disunity—of science.
When local news and science go dark, the river loses its voice: A warning and a rallying cry from Stroud Water Research Center
As federal money fades and science comes under fire, supporters of the Delaware River should find ways to advocate for the waterway.
How Climate Instability and Extreme Heat Could Upend High School Sports | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.
Coaches, scientists, and advocates are sounding the alarm about heat stroke—the leading cause of heat-related deaths in high school athletes.
5 Trust-Building Strategies From Industries That Fight Consumer Skepticism Daily
These five trust-building tips turn skeptics into loyal advocates and give any business a durable competitive advantage.
Industry Stakeholders, Experts React to Trump’s Schedule III Cannabis Order
Business executives, advocates, attorneys, politicians, and ancillary service providers overwhelmingly applaud the order as a first step, not an end destination.
Councilors advocate for science on Capitol Hill
ASBMB Councilors meet with their elected officials to advocate for basic scientific research funding and training the next generation of scientists.
'There is no accountability.' Lawmakers, advocates call for more oversight of prison health care
A Sun-Times investigation found the state's new prison health care provider comes with a disturbing track record.
Advocates cheer Hochul's support for 'Medical Aid in Dying Act'
Scott Barraco's fight began when he saw the horror that his partner went through while she battled cancer.
Youth Mental Health Spotlighted at U.S. Launch of the Second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing | Johns Hopkins Center for Global Mental Health
In October 2025, global health leaders, policymakers, youth advocates, and researchers convened in the nation’s capital for a two-day A Call to Action for Youth Mental Health. The event served as the U.S. launch of the report of the Second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing, an international effort to address the urgent and escalating challenges facing adolescents worldwide. Hosted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Mental Health, the convening followed the World Health Assembly launch in May 2025. The next steps will be to continue collaborating with partners across the U.S. and the world to support the actions responsive to youth needs, including, Integrate youth lived experience expertise into mental health research, policy, and practiceApply data-driven accountability for equitable access to quality careShape urban environments to promote youth mental healthUnderstand gendered drivers and tailored responses to support youth mental healthCatalyze intersectoral engagement for youth mental health: health, education, and social support systems
WHO highlights health risks and opportunities in the global waste crisis
A new World Health Organization (WHO) report, Throwing away our health: the impacts of solid waste on human health – evidence, knowledge gaps and health sector responses, warns that poorly managed solid waste is driving a public health crisis and calls for urgent action to protect people and the environments they live in.Globally, the volume of municipal solid waste is growing at an unprecedented rate. Yet, many countries still lack the systems and resources to manage this waste safely. “Solid waste reflects how our societies produce and consume, and how we treat people and the environment in the process,” said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director a.i., Department of Environment, Climate Change, One Health & Migration at the World Health Organization. “If we continue to treat waste as an afterthought, we will lock in avoidable disease, climate pollution and deep social inequities. This report is a clear call to put health and equity at the centre of how we design, manage and ultimately reduce waste.”The report summarizes evidence on how solid waste – especially municipal solid waste – affects health through polluted air, water, soil and food. When waste is not collected, or is dumped, burned or not poorly treated, it can release hazardous chemicals, contaminate drinking-water sources and create breeding grounds for insects and rodents.Communities underserved by waste management services, those living near dumpsites and poorly managed landfills and incinerators, children and pregnant women, as well as waste workers – particularly those working informally – face the greatest risks. For the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) community, the report underlines that safe management of municipal and health care waste is integral to safely managed, climate-resilient systems.A large share of municipal solid waste is still not collected or is disposed of in uncontrolled conditions, including open dumpsites and open burning. These practices damage ecosystems, contribute to climate change and undermine efforts to build healthy cities. When waste is properly managed, however, it can become a resource – generating energy and creating green jobs. The report calls for a coordinated, multisectoral response grounded in the waste hierarchy: preventing waste where possible, then reducing, reusing and recycling, with safe recovery and disposal.Key actions for governments and partners include reducing waste generation at source; expanding affordable and reliable waste collection services, especially in underserved communities; improving control at recovery and disposal facilities; and eliminating open dumping and burning, including hazardous waste. The new report identifies a central role for the health sector in addressing solid waste as a public health threat. The health sector can prevent and minimize health-care waste at source, improve segregation and safe treatment, invest in cleaner climate-resilient technologies, and advocate for health-protective policies and standards. The report also encourages more surveillance, research and biomonitoring to strengthen the evidence base, and promotes social protection and inclusion of informal waste workers.“This report gives countries and health authorities a very practical agenda,” said Mr Bruce Gordon, Head, Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health Unit, WHO. “Health ministries can start now by ensuring safe management of health-care waste, developing strong occupational health programmes for waste workers, and working with municipalities to reduce health risks from solid waste by closing open dumps and burn sites and gradually improving towards safe services. These concrete steps save lives today and will make cities cleaner and healthier in the future.
Chicago small business advocate pushes for less red tape
(The Center Square) – Small Business Advocacy Council President Elliott Richardson prides himself on tirelessly pushing the envelope when it comes to making life more bearable for Chicago small business owners. “Small businesses really could use a point person at City Hall to help them through the process,” Richardson told The Center Square.
Business editor Adam Daigle's top five stories of the year: Trader Joe's is No. 1
The sale of the Northgate Mall was the No. 2 story of the year.
Incoming health care changes mean more overall struggles for Ohioans, advocates say
Health care advocates and researchers say the new year will be a challenging one for Ohioans with federal changes to health care coming with surety but uncertainty.
Veteran Associated Press political reporter takes helm of Arkansas Advocate
After falling into his dream job covering politics 20 years ago, Andrew DeMillo embarks on a new chapter Monday as editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Advocate.
This Baton Rouge company wants to ‘dominate’ the Gulf Coast. Here's how they'll do it
“As far as I’m concerned, I want to dominate the Gulf Coast,” he said. “I want AG to be the wholesaler of choice for anybody doing business along the Gulf Coast."
Rob Reiner used his fame to advocate for progressive causes. 'Just a really special man. A terrible day'
The Hollywood director known for 'Stand by Me' and 'When Harry Met Sally' was also a political force and an outspoken voice for same-sex marriage and early childhood education.
Health insurance under Affordable Care Act to skyrocket after Senate fails to extend tax credits
Health care advocates and progressive groups across Florida said the U.S. Senate's failure to extend premium subsidies for the Affordable Care Act was a "disheartening setback" that will significantly raise the cost of health insurance for nearly 5 million Floridians, including hundreds of thousands of people in South Florida.
Why Trump and these MAGA allies are trying to resurrect the 'r-word'
Trump's foes and friends have noticed a revival of the term, which advocates say is harmful to Americans with mental disabilities.
DHS rule could limit international student visas
As immigration advocates warn a proposed rule could dissuade international students from studying in the United States, enrollment has already dropped 17% from last year
50 Cent to get $50 million from the state for Shreveport projects. There are clawbacks.
Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson gets big state support for Shreveport plans.
Can Jasmine Crockett’s Vibes-Based Politics Work in Texas?
The champion of the clapback is the ultimate advocate of base mobilization as a path to victory. It’s not clear it will work statewide.
Dunham, Ascension Christian football teams look to bring home state titles
Dunham, Ascension Catholic are both playing for high school football state championships on Thursday.
As farmers face trade wars and inflation, calls to mental health hotlines rise
As farmers face historic headwinds and market hardships, calls to the national Farm Aid hotline and the Iowa Concern hotline — where farmers can get support in times of mental health crisis or need — are increasing.
UC Berkeley suspends pro-Palestinian lecturer over political advocacy in classroom
A Berkeley lecturer known for his Gaza hunger strike has been suspended for political advocacy in the classroom — a move Muslim rights advocates say sends a chilling message.
Mamdani meets with business leaders, homeless advocates about NYC housing crisis
On Tuesday, Mamdani met with real estate leaders and members of the Partnership for New York City on Tuesday to figure out ways to cut the red tape when it comes to housing the homeless.
Mamdani keeps the focus on housing, and defends homeless encampment policy
Mayor-elect Mamdani met separately with real estate leaders and with homeless advocates to talk about housing solutions.
Dayton business leaders lament loss of SBIR funding
Dayton business advocates are concerned about the future of SBIR funding
Bossier City planning entertainment district with potential tax incentives: Council president
Bossier City officials are planning a potential entertainment district encompassing the city's casinos, the Louisiana Boardwalk and the East Bank District with the aim of courting investment, Council President Chris Smith says.
‘Sort of blackmail’: Billions in rural health funding hinge on states passing Trump-backed policies
Democrats and health advocates described the strategy as highly unusual, and some fear it could be wielded to favor political allies.
How Trump's plan to change student-loan borrowing limits could affect nursing students
Trump's administration is changing student-loan borrowing caps for advanced degrees. Advocates said it could worsen the nursing shortage.
D.C. health insurance cuts could cost lives, advocates say
Several thousand people have already lost and are slated to lose their medical insurance due to cost-cutting measures in the D.C. budget.
Small business advocate Ron Friedman remembered for impact in Corning, Elmira
Friends called Elmira business owner and Corning resident Ron Friedman a dynamic force to be reckoned with.
Student groups, political leaders divided over Northwestern's federal funding deal with Trump admin.
Advocates for Jewish students at Northwestern University say the agreement with the Trump administration is the first step in ensuring safety on campus, but some key political leaders say the university is bending to the will of the president.
Students Advocate For More Science Funding
A national student-led effort shows how early-career researchers are engaging Congress on federal science funding amid continued uncertainty over FY 2026 appropriations.
Health Care Advocates Testify on Lowering Costs
The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee hears testimony from health care advocates on solutions to lower costs for Americans.
Supreme Court to review New Jersey’s subpoena of faith-based pregnancy centers
The Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday about a subpoena served on a faith-based nonprofit in New Jersey that runs “crisis pregnancy centers,” an appeal that has put both civil rights advocates and some of the nation’s best-known conservative groups on the same side.
Small Business Saturday rescheduled after snow disrupts shopping event
MADISON, Wis. -- Small Business Saturday faced significant disruption due to snow, but local businesses and advocates remain optimistic about a rescheduled event planned for this upcoming weekend.
Stairmaster vs walking: Which cardio is best for long-term health, reveals fitness coach - The Times of India
Fitness experts advocate for walking over intense Stairmaster workouts for sustainable fat loss. While the Stairmaster offers immediate calorie burn,
Cities put science in the spotlight
When three European cities launch an initiative next year to boost scientific excellence and collaboration, much of the action is likely to take place in public spaces rather than in the laboratory.That is welcome news for Ana Marušić. A medical doctor and professor at the University of Split Medical School in Croatia, Marušić champions close connections between “town and gown” to encourage citizen involvement in research, raise public health awareness and ignite young people’s interest in science. “Responsible research and innovation cannot be done in an ivory tower, answering only the questions that are relevant for scientists,” explains Marušić, who chairs the Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health and leads the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine. “The role of the university is to be a medium for transferring new discoveries in science to society, but also to listen to society about what is important and what is needed.”Three cities united by scienceMarušić’s efforts stand to gain traction through Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a new European project to highlight science’s role in society and strengthen cross-border collaboration in research, innovation and sustainability. With funding from the European Commission, three cities—Split, Brest (in France) and Kiel (in Germany)—plan more than 1,000 public events, workshops and competitions for citizens of all ages, researchers, businesses and policymakers. The year-long project kicks off in Spilt on 20 January with a conference involving partner institutions, community representatives and European policymakers. The three cities may be geographically far apart, but they share much in common. All are located on coasts and are home to top regional research institutions that are part of SCTT. Among the project's partners, the University of Western Brittany in Brest, Kiel University and the University of Split belong to the SEA-EU university alliance, uniting nine European coastal academic institutions to advance research, student exchanges and sustainable development. “These universities have a very strong connection between gown and town,” explains Marušić, who is one of Split’s SCTT ambassadors. “It's very important that these universities are there for the community so that we can learn from each other and grow together.”Tackling Europe’s STEM shortagesSCTT will also reinforce efforts to address Europe’s widening gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Studies show that nearly eight out of ten small- and medium-sized businesses cannot find enough workers with the skills required in advanced computing and artificial intelligence (AI)—hindering initiatives to boost European innovation and competitiveness. In healthcare, the European Commission has estimated a shortfall in medical professionals of 1.2 million, due to fewer young people joining the field and an ageing population that needs more care.Strengthening knowledge and dialogue can also help build trust between scientists and the public at time when disruptive technologies are reshaping research and clinical practice, but are also sparking questions about ethics and accuracy. With experience in the classroom and in clinical epidemiology—a discipline involving monitoring and controlling public health problems—Marušić sees the potential risks of over-reliance on AI and chatbot answers for both research and learning. “AI is a very good tool, but one has to be very critical about it,” she adds. “Delegating brain activities will definitely diminish your neural capacities because you are not developing the circuitry that is important for higher-level cognitive engagement.” She stresses the importance of critical thinking and encourages students to use AI as a researcher’s tool to reinforce rather than supplant human discretion and brainpower.The power of outreachSplit’s experience in bringing scientists and the public together has provided a platform for discussing research ethics and explaining science in simple terms. Local efforts to expand health literacy and awareness have helped reduce cardiovascular disease among women, according to Marušić’s research. The city’s university also hosts events to introduce schoolchildren to science, using hands-on experiments to spark curiosity.Marušić’s own love of science began with an interest in studying molecular biology. “But my parents told me, why don't you study medicine?” she recalls. “I said, OK, why not? And that was the best decision that I made.” Marušić is not a practicing physician, but teaches anatomy and public health. She also co-edits ST-OPEN, an overlay university journal that works on capacity building for research publishing among students and their supervisors. Balancing teaching, research and editorial work, she is a strong advocate for medical studies, urging high school students to consider medicine “because later on it gives you a really wide perspective about human life and about society” as well as many career opportunities.As SCTT prepares to bring science into daily life in 2026, Marušić hopes that it will build permanent bridges between scientists and citizens across Europe. “We can be a showcase for making collaboration with the community stronger to share knowledge, attract young talent and integrate critical and scientific thinking into everyday life,” she explains, adding that "collaborating with businesses to improve cities and communities is also an important aspect of this project."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
MedCity FemFwd: How Women's Health Advocates Is Pushing for Change
In this episode, we’re joined by Liz Powell, founder of Women's Health Advocates. We discussed the organization’s policy priorities in the women's health space.
Health notes: Louisiana institutions receive millions in grants, LSU recognizes orthopedic surgeon and more
Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you'd like to share? Contact us at margaret.delaney@theadvocate.com.
FYI BR: Plan for the children's museum's Holly Jolly PJ Party, Hilltop's symposium
Knock Knock Museum's festive Holly Jolly PJ Party is coming up. Here are the details.
Check out 8 holiday events and more in Shreveport, Bossier during the first week of December
Mark your calendar! There's something for everyone during this first busy week of December.